If you have a teen driver in your house, you probably worry every time they get behind the wheel. You also probably remember your own teen driving experiences, and they may not help ease your mind.
Teens simply don’t have much driving experience, and that may be the most worrisome. Well, here’s a list of five safety tips every teen should know.
Don’t Drink and Drive
This may be the most obvious of tips, and it’s hopefully one your teenager doesn’t need. Yet teenagers are under lots of pressure to do things they aren’t supposed to do. They may also not know when they’ve had too much to drink.
Teenagers are clever, and they often find ways to get alcohol. Teach them to never drink and drive… not even a sip. If they take a sip and drive, they are more likely to take two sips the next time and then two drinks. And where does it end?
Some parents encourage their teen driver to call them for a ride if they’ve been drinking. They would rather deal with the underage drinking issue than an arrest or an accident.
Don’t Use Your Cell Phone
Many states have made it illegal to text and drive. That’s your beginning argument. The distraction of a call or text can be fatal. It only takes a couple of seconds to drift into another lane. Teens have less driving experience, and they may not even feel the car drifting.
Many things in life are critical to a teenager, and in a world that craves instant gratification, not replying to a text or picking up a call might seem life-altering to them. Teach them to stop the car if they need to talk or text. Crashing their car is the truly life-altering event.
Take Driver Education Courses
Every state, county, and even most high schools now have driver education courses. Insurance companies provide rate discounts to people who have completed them. These courses offer a solid foundation on which to build good driving habits.
Use Statistical Reinforcement
Teenagers often think themselves invincible or that an accident could never happen to them. Statistics say that 48% of teen car crashes result in injuries to the other vehicle’s passengers and that 28% of those injuries result in death. So, even if the driver does not get injured, they could be the cause of another fatality. Do a little research. Bring up these numbers, pictures, and anything else that might drive the point home.
Don’t Speed
Teach your teen to always observe the speed limit. There are systems now that can be installed in the car to monitor speed. Install one of these systems, and revoke driving privileges should the driver break the rules.
It’s a parent’s job to prepare their children for life as an adult. That includes driving responsibly. Start early, well before they want to drive, and teach them the rules of the road. Set a good example, too. If you’re a reckless driver, your child will likely emulate you.
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