Safety First- Creating Safe Teen Drivers
Driving is a great adventure that not only takes us from work to home but also from home to wherever the road may take you. Thankfully, gone are the horse and buggy days when frequent stops were needed to water the “engine” and top speed was dictated by the animals. Now, you can get out on the road and are only limited by gas mileage and snack breaks.
When it comes to your teen and driving, whether they are a novice or have been driving for a couple years, this freedom is new, and they will want to explore it at every opportunity.
So, when it comes to driving, how do you create strong, confident and most importantly, safe teen drivers?
1. Be the example. Even if your son or daughter is totally ignoring you daily, they are still watching you. They see when you lose your temper in the car. They notice when you speed or practice unsafe driving practices. The lessons they learn from watching you can create a good or bad driver. So, put down your phone, buckle up, travel the speed limit and practice patience while driving. Your teen will notice and follow your lead.
2. Let them drive more. More driving breeds better driving. It’s simple but true, the more you let your son or daughter drive, the better they will be at driving. This will also give you an opportunity to constructively critique they’re driving style and help them become even better drivers. Let them get behind the wheel often to help them become the best drivers they can.
3. Make sure they know the law and follow it. Teen drivers are notoriously good at “forgetting” the laws of the road once they gain a little confidence. This can be a huge problem when it comes to safety and reliability. Teach your son or daughter the laws of the road and go over the fines/punishments if these laws are broken. Lay out clear and concise expectations and revisit them often to ensure they haven’t forgotten. Keep communication open with your teen and step in to take away privileges if these rules aren’t being followed. Setting boundaries is imperative when it comes to creating experienced and safe teen drivers.
While there are many ways and methods to creating a good teen driver, starting with the above tips will set your child on the path of driving success.
