Raising a teen is inherently challenging, and your stress as a parent compounds once they get behind the wheel. Giving them a car with top safety features and providing defensive driving training may give you some solace. But you cannot be too sure about your teen’s driving behavior, and you cannot supervise them every minute. As a parent, you are responsible for the safety and well-being of people in their car and on the road. The best way to do it is to create awareness before they hit the road, and it takes more than textbook coaching and driving school training. Let us share some valuable safety advice you must give to your teen driver.
Start with the road rules
The simplest step to help a beginner is to ensure they are fully aware of the road rules. As long as one follows the basics, the possibility of getting into an accident is minimal. Statistics suggest that a significant number of mishaps on American roadshappen when drivers fail to follow the basic traffic rules, such as speed limits, traffic lights, turn signals, and more. Ensure that your child knows and remembers them all before getting behind the wheel. Accompany them for the first few trips to check whether they actually follow the regulations. Modeling safe driving behavior when the kid is around is also an effective way to boost awareness.
Set speed limits
Overspeeding can be fatal for everyone on the road, even more, for a young driver fresh on the road. Teens are prone to speeding because they want to experience the freedom and thrill of getting behind the wheel. The concern should be on top of your safety awareness checklist, and you should go the extra mile to enforce the rule. You must set speed limits for your youngster, and they may be well below the ones recommended by the traffic authorities. Monitoring their driving behavior is a good idea, so you can install telematics in the vehicle or follow them on the road without being evident.
Educate about dealing with accidents
Even the most cautious teen drivers may have accidents because of the negligence of others on the road. So educating your kid about dealing with accidents should be a part of their safety training. They shouldn’t flee from the spot if they are at fault. At the same time, they should know their rights, if a negligent driver causes a crash. Informing the police, gathering evidence, and getting medical treatment should be on the top of the checklist after a mishap. As a parent, you must talk to a car accident law specialist sooner than later to claim compensation from the guilty driver. Knowing these facts definitely puts your child in a better place to deal with accidents.
Enforce zero tolerance for drunken driving
Besides breaking the traffic rules, drunken driving is another reason your teen driver may encounter an accident. Enforcing zero tolerance for it is the key to keeping them safe on the road. In fact, you should discourage the youngster from consuming alcohol in any form and quantity. Impairment can worsen the situation when it comes together with inexperience behind the wheel, as it may translate into a disaster. Once again, skipping the drink as a parent is vital to set an example for your kids. Making it a zero-tolerance rule for the family is an ideal solution.
Disallow texting during driving
Besides drunken driving, disallowing texting should be a part of the safety awareness training for teen drivers. They are likely to get complacent on this front due to sheer inexperience. Distractions like talking on the phone, checking emails, and texting while driving can endanger them and others on the road. Make sure that your young driver keeps the phone out of sightwhile driving. If they need to call or text urgently, they must stop the car and get off the road for a minute.
Driver negligence is more common than you imagine, and it is one of the risks your teen driver may have to face on the road. You can educate them about recognizing unsafe driving and keeping a distance from such drivers. Likewise, ensure they do not indulge in such behavior from the outset. Inculcating safety awareness in your teen from the beginning sets them up for a responsible approach for a lifetime. Following these simple measures can help you do your bit as a parent, so you must surely give your child a safe start behind the wheel.
