Most teenagers cannot wait to get their driver's license and take their own teen driving course. In contrast, a lot of teens' parents fear the day their children can control their own vehicle. They often feel that they need to make their teens safer drivers. As a parent, you can implement multiple methods that promote safe driving. Parents who use these methods feel more at ease when their teens drive alone. If you want to feel confident in your child's driving abilities, read this post and learn the top ways to make your teen a safer driver.
Set A Good Example
Firstly, set a good example to make your teen a safer driver. This is a crucial first step, especially for parents who teach their children how to drive. Your teenager watched you drive when they were younger and continue to watch you now. If you constantly check your text messages while teaching your teen how to drive or parallel park, they will think that it is okay for them to use their phones while driving as well. According to The Barnes Firm, an accident injury lawyer firm, most states, including California, have implemented bans on texting and driving. Ignoring these laws could cost drivers a hefty fine, but it still pales in comparison to the costs associated with a serious car accident. Teens look up to their parents when learning the rights and wrongs of driving. Keep this in mind when trying to make your teen a safer driver.
Establish A Passenger Limit
Parents also establish a passenger limit to make their teens safer drivers. When teenagers first get their licenses, the first thing they want to do is drive their friends around. While this can be fun, it can also be dangerous. Too many teens in one car can cause distractions. According to statistics, the number of passengers impacts the chances of getting into a car accident. Thus, setting a passenger limit right when your teen gets their license can prevent car crashes. Keep your teen safe by implementing this driving method.
Determine A Driving Curfew
Another way to make your teen a safer driver is to determine a driving curfew. When teens no longer need their parents to pick them up from their friends' houses, they tend to stay later. Unfortunately, night driving poses numerous risks, especially for new drivers. For example, unexperienced drivers struggle to identify wild animals near the road. They also increase their chances of falling asleep at the wheel when they drive in the dark. In addition to the dangers they bring to the table themselves, more under the influence drivers occupy the roads at night. If you want to eliminate the heightened chance of your teen hitting an animal, falling asleep, or getting hit by an impaired driver, set a curfew. Then, you will make your teen a safer driver.
Teach Safe Defense Tactics
Teach defensive tactics as a safe driving method. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent the other drivers on the road from driving unsafely. This is why it is crucial for you to teach your teens to take safe, defensive actions against aggressive drivers. Teach them to stay far away from the cars in front of them at all times. Explain how important it is to be alert of the other vehicles in front, behind and to the sides of their own car. Above all else, encourage them to expect the unexpected. You never know when a vehicle is going to ignore a yield sign on the highway or drive right through a stop sign on a back road. By keeping a safe distance and paying close attention to their surroundings, your teen can stay safe on the road.
Promote Safe Driving Apps
Moreover, promote safe driving apps to make your teen a safer driver. As you likely know, too many teenagers use their cell phones while driving. They get distracted by popular social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat among other applications. Despite constant pleas to put their cell phones away while on the road, teenagers still use them. Encourage your teen to stop using their phones by showing them apps that promote safe driving. Look for ones that detect when teens are driving and log the amount of safe hours. Sit down with your teen and determine a safe hours goal. If they reach the goal based on the app's data, reward them with a prize. To take this a step further, require your child to use apps that block texts and phone calls while driving. By using these apps, teens drive safer.
Guarantee that your newly licensed teen uses their freedom safely by teaching them how to stay safe yourself. Set a good example by following all driving rules when they are in the car with you. Establish a passenger limit early on to reduce the amount of distractions while they are driving. Determine a curfew to keep them off of the roads as much as possible at night. Encourage them to use apps that promote safe driving so that you can monitor their safe hours. Lastly, teach them how to defend themselves properly against aggressive drivers. Implement these tactics to make your teen a safer driver.
