How to Instill Safe Driving Skills for Your Teenager
Putting your teen behind the wheel for the first time has been known to provoke panic attacks in parents. It seems like just yesterday, the same youngster who was awkwardly taking their first steps is now pressing those same feet to your car’s gas pedal. Yikes!
Driving a car is serious stuff. A full third of teenage deaths were due to vehicle accidents, according to dosomething.org.
When your teenager is beginning to drive, it’s imperative you instill in them a sense of the danger and responsibility that comes with a driver’s permit or license.
Here are some tips for keeping your teen driver’s safe on the road. When they apply themselves to tasks, young people can perform incredibly well.
They need your advice and assistance to do so, though, so follow these guidelines and ensure the safety of our roads.
Clear Your Teenager’s Vehicle of Distractions
Distracted driving is one of the world’s top killers. When people hit the road without watching where they’re going, accidents happen.
Talk to your teenager about the dangers of distracted driving. They’ll listen.
Here are some common distractions to avoid:
- Phones. Cell phones are incredibly dangerous for drivers. For huge amounts of the population, an incoming call or text message can be too tempting to resist.
Make sure your teenager understands how much danger even a quick glance from the road puts them in.
- Food. Eating takes more concentration than you might think. You pick food up, take a bite, and chew.
Dropping your food is a distraction. And even a tiny fender bender can become deadly when you’re eating; that cheeseburger can quickly become a choking hazard.
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Friends. Talking to friends while driving can take up the larger part of your concentration. Especially when those friends are also teenagers.
Monitor Your Teenager’s Driving
Your teen is a new driver and needs supervision.
And if you’re mistrustful, you could even install a camera.
Educate Your Teenager About Driving Under the Influence
The unfortunate reality is some teenagers choose to drink alcohol and indulge in illegal drugs. Obviously, your kids should not partake of these substances in any situation, but the danger is heightened when driving. Teach your teens the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Set a Good Example
Finally, practice what you preach. Drive safely yourself.
According to an article at CNN.com, “15% of young drivers have seen their parents text and drive.”
As a parent, you should not text and drive. Aside from the obvious fact, you’re endangering the lives of your family when you, you’re also establishing unsafe practices as a normal part of adult life for your kid.
Young people are keen observers of adult life, as any parent knows. Monitor your own behavior to ensure long-term safe practices for your teen drivers.
