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Auto accidents are never expected. It’s almost as if the notion of even being involved in an accident exists in someone else’s universe. And yet when it happens, when it affects you, it will rock your world. All throughout 2012, I have had to hear the news of how yet another teenager was killed in a car accident. Very recently, 3 teen girls from my community were killed in a car accident. I’ve personally known young people killed in car accidents and it is so heart breaking to see a life end when there was so much that had yet to be lived. So why can’t this just stop? If you have a teen driver, there are several things that you can do to help prevent them from making the headlines.
1) Enforce passenger limits: Between the ages of 16 and 17, you as a parent have an undeniable influence on your child’s life. During these crucial years, you are responsible for helping your child to develop safe driving habits. Once 18 hits, your influence is bound to be more openly contested by your “adult” child. So when your teen begins driving, set a limit of
How many passengers they can have at any given time. Try restricting passengers during night driving. Distracted driving is undeniably a major source of teen driving-related fatalities and each additional passenger that they have in a car poses the potential for a new distraction. Whether it be self-imposed pressures to speed, drive more aggressively or turn the music up loud, one less passenger frees up more focus for your teen driver.
2) Set a no-cell phone rule for your teen while driving. Work with your teen driver to develop a cell phone-free driving discipline. Believe it or not, there are mobile apps that prevent cell phone use while driving. Considering the fact that a driver using a cell phone is four times as likely to have an accident, enforcing these rules with your teen driver is of the utmost importance. No matter how experienced a driver may be, using any electronic device can steal your attention away during that split-second life or death moment. Your kids are more likely to drive cell phone-free if they see you doing it. To read more about cars and cell phones, here is an article that I recently wrote on the matter.
3) Help your teen driver understand the importance of a speed limit! First off, don’t expect your teen to drive the speed limit if you don’t. Lead them by example. Another helpful thing you could do is spend an evening with them and show them the stats and facts about speeding. Take a solid couple of hours walking your teen driver through all of the dangers and risks associated with speeding. Sure they may be annoyed with you, but they’ll never forget it!
4) This pointer comes at your own risk parents! Sit in the passenger seat and guide your teen driver through some challenging driving scenarios. Have them drive you downtown during rush hour, on windy winter roads at night or in the over-crowded mall parking lot. Believe me, it’s better that your teen driver experiences these tricky driving scenarios with you by their side than on their own.
5) Here is a great idea: Have them pay for all of their own auto-based expenses! Teens are likely to drive more carefully knowing that their insurance rates will spike if they get a speeding ticket. When money comes into the picture, frugal drivers usually make careful drivers. Teen drivers are bound to drive only when it’s necessary if they have to cover their own fuel expenses. This is also a great way to teach them about financial responsibility.
Well there you have it. I just wanted to provide some tips to get you thinking about how you can prepare your teen driver to safely navigate the streets. Like I said, teen related auto fatalities just seem to be happening way too much and it’s a real heart breaker! If you read this article and have a teen driver, make sure you share your wisdom with them!
