It’s your teen’s birthday, and suddenly you’re panic-stricken—they’re old enough drive. Take a breath and remember that, by getting involved, you’ll lessen the risk of teen car accidents.
Teach Your Children Well
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- Set a good example. It’s the best thing you can do for your teen when teaching them how to drive. If you don’t want them to talk on the phone or speed, don’t do these things, either! Get the message across that your teen should do as you say and as you do by demonstrating safe driving each time you’re the one behind the wheel.
- Take your teen out to practice. The only way they’ll master the art of driving is by taking the wheel. Give them as much supervised practice as you possibly can.
- Make sure they’re covered. Accidents can and do happen, even to the best drivers, and car insurance for teens will give you—and your young driver—greater peace of mind.
Responsibility and Rules of the Road
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Set some ground rules before handing over the keys. These can include:
- Not having passengers
- Driving only in the daytime
You want to make sure your teen has a good grip on the basics of driving before they take on the added responsibility of passengers. Having friends in the car is an immediate distraction. In fact, research shows that with each passenger in the car, a teen’s risk for getting into an accident increases. Once you’re sure your teen can responsibly handle peers in the car, you can increase the amount allowed one by one.
Likewise, a teen’s risk of being involved in a crash is greater in the later hours. At first, it’s wise to only allow your teen to drive when it’s light. Again, eventually you can allow them to drive later—once they’ve proven that they drive safely and responsibly.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Tough
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Being a parent can mean making some unpopular decisions. In the case of driving, this can mean setting tough regulations and determining when to take the keys out of your teen’s hands. Your teen may have reached the age when it’s legal for them to drive, but only you can determine if they’re truly mature enough to take on that responsibility.
To avoid some rough patches down the road, consider creating a contract with your teen before you give them the freedom to take the wheel. Come to an agreement on when they’re allowed to drive and what to do in case they’re too tired to drive. Agreeing to pick up your teen if they’re in need of a ride without asking questions until the next day can make your teen comfortable enough to call you if that’s what they truly need to do.
Having your child out on the road can be scary to any parent. How did you feel letting your teen drive for the first time? What safety rules do you always enforce?