For the production, six boys and four girls from Greater Hartford, all of whom had just earned their driver’s licenses, agreed to have video cameras mounted to the windshields of their cars for six months. The palm-sized cameras had one lens aimed at the road and another lens pointed at the driver. Any sudden change in the vehicle’s movement triggered the camera to record 20 seconds of footage, starting a few seconds before the incident actually occurred. The 4- by 6-inch cameras were installed by Drivecam, a California-based company.

“The results were absolutely dramatic and what was revealed on tape was far more shocking than anyone could imagine,” said Jennifer Boyd, the independent producer, director and writer who was contracted by CPTV to oversee the project.

Boyd regularly downloaded and compiled the video footage from each teen's car for the documentary. When the West Hartford-based producer first reviewed the footage, she was shocked by what she saw. “Oh, my gosh," she said, "I am never going out on a Friday or Saturday night again!” Boyd continued, “Stop signs are optional; stoplights… optional.”

During the production, the cameras recorded numerous crashes and traffic violations. However, the cameras were not intended to catch kids behaving badly, but to give viewers an accurate idea of what happens in and around a teenager’s car during the first six months of driving, Boyd said.

“There are all sorts of statistics surrounding teen driving. It is well documented, but this is the first time technology has allowed us to visually monitor driving behavior and to gain a better understanding of the meaning behind the statistics,” Boyd explained. “Hopefully, by examining the teen driving environment firsthand, we can help teens figure out how to become better drivers.”

“I think parents and teens can learn from the experiences of these 10 teens,” Boyd commented. “Hopefully, they’ll walk away feeling that this documentary isn’t preaching, isn’t lecturing, that it is merely looking at the environment.”

Broadcast Premiere: 2005
A production of: Connecticut Public Television (CPTV)
Producer/Director/Writer: Jennifer Boyd
Vice President for Programming, CPTV: Jay Whitsett
Sponsor: St. Paul Travelers

To Order a VHS or DVD
DVD copies of Teens Behind the Wheel are $19.95 each, including shipping. VHS copies are $14.95 each, including shipping. Orders can be paid for with checks or credit cards. Please make checks payable to Connecticut Public Television and send them to:

Connecticut Public Television
att: Caroline H. Deveau
1049 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105

For credit card orders, please call Caroline Deveau at (860) 275-7288 and she will process your information.