As an adult, do you considered yourself to be quite the safe driver?
Being safe out on the roads is critical for a variety of reasons.
With that thought in mind, what will you teach your teen about driving when it is time for him or her to take the wheel?
Make Sure Your Teen Practices Safe Driving
When the time comes for your teenager to drive, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. It only takes one mistake – You hate to be a pessimist. That said know in the back of your mind that it only takes one serious mistakes behind the wheel to lead to tragedy. That said reinforce over and over again to your teen how important it is to be a safe driver. This starts from the first day they get behind the wheel and take to the road. This means your teen is focused on the road around and ahead of them. It means not getting distracted (see more below). Remember, it only takes a second or two of distractions to lead to an accident.
2. Having the right vehicle – Will you allow your teen to drive your vehicle or will you buy them one? If you opt to look for a car or truck for your teenager, take the time to do your research. There are resources online to help you be a better chooser of vehicles. For one, you can turn to a vehicle history report to guide you. That report may well lead you to discover key facts about a used vehicle you have your eye on. It is important to remember that used vehicles have histories. As a result, learn as much as you can about the past of a vehicle you may buy for your teen. This means any accidents it was in, recalls it had and more.
3. Avoiding distractions at every turn – You can’t remind your teen enough about the focus they need on the road. Even with that focus comes old-fashioned commonsense. Without such commonsense, your teen could be that much closer to being in a vehicle mishap. So, this means of course never drinking alcohol and driving. It also means that your teen avoids getting into any road rage incidents with other drivers. You would also be wise to hammer home the importance of not using a cell phone when behind the wheel. Focus can be lost in seconds if one is too fixated on the phone and not what is going on around them on the road. By avoiding distractions, there is less chance your teen ends up the next statistic.
4. Care for vehicle – While you may up be the person spending the bulk of the money on maintenance, your teen can pitch in. This means paying for gas and other things that will not bankrupt them. Having your teen handle the costs of some maintenance helps teach them responsibility. Keep in mind that a well-maintained vehicle is a safer one too.
When you are teaching your teen about driving safety, how driven will you be to get the message across?
