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How to Make Your Teenager a Safer Driver

Ask any parent about his or her most anxiety provoking moments, and handing over his or her keys to the new driver in the family will almost certainly be near the top of the list. And it's no wonder; teenagers are more at risk behind the wheel than any other group. But, there are some things parents can do to reduce the risks.

Parents should express, in no uncertain terms, a no tolerance policy for driving after consuming alcohol. I was a pretty challenging teenager to raise, but I never drove after drinking because my father made me realize how badly I would feel if I ever hurt anyone and because I was convinced he meant it when he said I would never again drive while living under his roof if it was discovered that I drove after drinking.

And, practice what you preach. If your children see or hear about you driving after drinking, they're not likely to take your warnings seriously.

Make sure your teen driver knows that following too closely is the cause of hundreds of thousands of avoidable accidents every year. And, teach him or her that following the two second rule...passing landmarks no sooner than two seconds after the car you are following, will virtually eliminate the possibility of rear ending another automobile.

Studies have proven that the more teenagers there are in a car, the higher the risk of accident. Limiting your teen to one or two passengers, especially when he or she first starts to drive, can reduce risk.

No matter how well your teenager appears to do in a driver education program, evaluate his or her skills yourself, supplement the driver education instruction with your own if necessary, and do not let him or her drive without adult supervision until you feel he or she has mastered basic driving skills.

Driving while speaking on the telephone has proven to be so dangerous that it is illegal in several states and legislation to make it illegal is pending in many others. Make staying off the phone while driving a no exceptions rule.

Seat belts can't prevent accidents, but they do prevent serious injuries and death. Impress that on your teen.

Remember, preaching safe driving is not a one time event. The more you remind your teenager(s) about the principles of safe driving, the better.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Daniel Z. Kane is an educator and a parent. He has created websites on online colleges and online degrees.

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