Having a teen in your home now driving can provide for both exciting and anxious times for parents.
That said will you make sure your son or daughter learns the rules of the road from day one?
Unfortunately, some teens think they are indestructible. As a result, they can suffer a serious injury or worst when behind the wheel.
So, making sure your teen takes their driving in a serious manner should always be a top priority.
Learning the Right Way from Day One
So your teen lowers odds of being in a serious auto accident, take the responsibility in having a license.
Now, they may slip up to the point of getting a traffic ticket. In the event they do this, this can be a great learning opportunity for them.
First, going to traffic school is not the end of the world.
In fact, your teen can learn what they did wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. Another plus is that drivers can oftentimes get the points removed from their record. Those are points that showed up after a ticket or accident.
You also want your teen to focus on avoiding distracted driving moving forward.
Some of the more common distractions teens can get wrapped up include:
- Talking on their cell phones – It only takes seconds for a serious accident in talking and driving. Given texting is as bad as talking, do you and others a favor. Save the conversations for once off the road somewhere safe.
- Messing around with friends – Another one is messing around with friends in a vehicle. Like a cell phone, such activities can lead to horror in seconds. This is when the driver takes his or her concentration off the road.
- Driving while sleepy – If your teenager works a part-time job in the evenings, does he or she have a curfew? Since there are laws on the books about how late teens can be driving, chances are there is a curfew for them. Make sure after a long day of school and several hours of work that they are not too tired to drive home.
How to Handle an Accident
In the event your teenager is in an auto accident, remaining calm is always the top priority.
Many such accidents will turn out to be fender-benders. When there is one of a more serious nature, having your child be as calm as possible is key.
If in a hit-and-run, it is important they do their best to get a license and description of the other vehicle.
If they can’t get a full description of the vehicle or driver, the license plate can still prove important.
You and authorities can go about searching a license plate online. With any luck at all finding that plate will lead to info about the vehicle owner and more.
Keeping your teenager as safe as possible behind the wheel is important to you.
When your teen understands the importance of this, it is a win-win for both of you.
