Before you read on, let it be known that everyone has different parenting methods and we're not trying to give advice. This article is merely some creative products that we sell that could be used to monitor how well your teen drives when you're not in the car.

That being said, all of us with teenage drivers know that feeling when it turns midnight (or whatever curfew or expected time of arrival your teen might have) and he or she isn't home yet. Are they driving safely? Do they have a history of drinking or doing drugs?

Super Trackstick, GPS Tracker
$233.95

There are a couple products we might recommend. One would be the Super Trackstick. The Trackstick is a GPS receiver that you can basically place on any surface of your car with the included magnetic mount.

The Trackstick also has an optional vibration sensor that causes it to boot up whenever the car is turned on in order to save energy. The Trackstick then logs where its been, how fast it was going, and other valuable data. After it has captured the data, you can connect it to your PC with the built-in USB interface. The Trackstick will then show you where you've been using the free Google Maps application available online, along with all of the other data it captured.

Again, we're not saying that all parents should use this. The trackstick wasn't just designed for worried parents, but also for employers that need to know if their employees are doing what they should, or hobbyists that enjoy logging road trips or that enjoy logging geo-caching adventures. However, if you know your teen is a reckless driver or is an under age drinker, this might be a good way to check up on them.

Rear View Mirror DVR w/ Built-in Camera and LCD
$399.95

Another device that could prove useful for this particular application, or for many others, is the Rear View Mirror DVR with Built-in Camera. It is a rear view mirror that is easy to install and includes a camera that faces towards the front of the car, and an LCD monitor. Essentially it records everything and everywhere the camera points. It also includes an SD card slot for storing this video and can record continuously.

So if someone suddenly cuts your teen off, and an accident happens, you'll know not to blame your kid. It also records audio.