School is back in session and for many teens, they are able to drive themselves to school this year. This can be an exciting time for teens, but can also be a nail-biting experience for parents. We have some safety tips and smart ideas to help your teen be a safe driver.
Sign an agreement
Set some written guidelines that both you and your teen can refer to that clearly sets your expectations and limits as well as the consequences for not following the rules. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers this driving agreement that you can download.
Remind your teens to always wear their seat belt.
Seat belts save lives. Make sure your teen understands that they must always wear their seat belt.
Keep the cell phone off
If your teen turns off their cell phone, they are less apt to be tempted to check their cell phone while they are driving.
Never text while driving
Research shows texting – on average – causes a loss of focus on the road for 4.6 seconds. A lot can go wrong when you drive for that long with your eyes off of the road.
And the “texting-while-stopped” approach does not work either. When your teen is behind the wheel – they need to be aware of what is happening around them at all times.
Obey the speed limit
Speeding is a major contribution to fatal teen accidents. Remind your teen not to feel pressured to keep up with traffic. It’s overall a better decision to drive the speed limit for their safety and to avoid a costly traffic ticket.
Teen driving apps
Technology can help monitor your teen driver’s activities to help prevent tragedy. There are many apps available that may help minimize the likelihood that your teen will text and drive, talk on the phone while driving, speed, travel beyond a designated area or break curfew. These apps are designed to protect young drivers and give you peace of mind.