Having a teenager with a new driver’s license can bring up a range of emotions. While you are proud of them – and a little relieved that your days as a taxi driver are over – you are also likely concerned about their safety. It is estimated that in a single mile of traffic, a driver may have to make as many as 400 decisions. While most of these actions and reactions are essentially automatic to a seasoned driver, it is a lot for a new driver to absorb.
Having a conversation about teen safe driving with your son or daughter is an important step before handing them the keys. The fact is, as excited as they are, they are a bit nervous as well. Imparting words of wisdom is critical not only to keeping them safe, but allow them to be safer drivers for everyone on the road. While your approach to this conversation may differ based on your teen’s personality, here are some important topics to keep in mind.
Teen Safe Driving Tips
Start Early: Be attentive to the details when your teen is driving with you on a permit. Establish a routine of buckling up, getting comfortable, placing the phone on mute and out of reach – whatever you want them to do when they are alone. A full year of putting routines into practice will set the stage for them driving alone.
Exude Confidence, but Relay the Risk: A teen thinks driving is fun. But according to the Center for Disease Control, car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Their inexperience and immaturity both play a role in this terrible statistic. So while you do not want to instill fear in any way, use your judgment to relay the seriousness of the responsibility they are about to undertake.
Know the Main Dangers: The two leading causes of teen accidents are speeding and tailgating. Remind your teen about the importance of keeping a safe distance between vehicles, and staying at – or just below – the speed limit, even if it seems slow to them.
Set Clear Rules, For Now: Many accidents also occur when teens are distracted by friends. You may wish to forbid driving with friends until they are more familiar with driving. Driving at night is also more dangerous for teenagers, so limit unnecessary trips for a while.
Set Rules for Parties & Driving after Alcohol: It is important that your teen understands that they will never be inconveniencing you if they need a ride home due to alcohol. While there may be other consequences for the behavior, they should be assured that if they make the call, you will come to get them and will not be angry.
Emphasize Technology: Driving while distracted, especially texting and driving, are obviously huge concerns for parents with teens. While you cannot overemphasize the importance of turning their phone off while driving, it is also hard to regulate. While wireless technology and newer cars which allow the phone to be answered through the console are better for teens, any usage of technology while driving should be discouraged.
Trust, With Limits: Let your teen know that you trust them in the car, but that for a few weeks they need to call or text you when they arrive safely at their destination. Don’t be afraid to contact them if they don’t touch base – soon they will be doing it on their own. Keep in mind that texting or calling them too soon may result in them still being in the car – so take a deep breath. If they are supposed to be there in 15 minutes, wait 30 before checking in on them. You can decide when you feel comfortable enough to release them from this requirement.
Remind them of the Basics – Often: Teens think their parents are annoying no matter what – so don’t hesitate to remind them of the important basics every time. Make sure they are buckling their seat belt, setting their music and turning off their phone before they take the car out of park.
Ride with Them Occasionally: Make sure to still get in the car with your kids occasionally. It will give you an excellent gauge as to how they are handling themselves on the road. But unless they are doing something dangerous, hold your tongue and don’t be critical – you don’t want them objecting to having you with them.
This is both an exciting and a scary time. Conversations about teen safe driving are necessary in order to best protect your child and the others on the road.
If your teen has been involved in an accident and needs legal representation, give Probinsky & Cole a call. We have decades of experience in auto accident claims ranging from Tampa to Sarasota.
