If you have a teen that’s looking to earn their license and get out there on the road, then it’s only natural you have some apprehensions. However, rather than simply fretting about how they might get on, you should think about what you can do to make them more responsible, effective, and, most importantly, safer drivers. Here, we’re going to look at a few of the lessons you should impart to your teen when they start driving and how you do it.
About the speed limit
It is vital for any teen driving to follow the speed limit right down to the digit. Now, a lot of drivers might argue that following the speed limit too closely can actually be counter-productive, as it might slow traffic down. This might be true in some cases but when it comes to teenagers, they need to make sure that they’re sticking to it until they’re experienced enough to properly gauge and follow the speed of the cars around them, too. Following the speed limit might not be the most thrilling experience, but it’s vital until they get a little more used to driving.
Managing risk in the car
How much risk you invite during a drive isn’t just about how you drive, but about what else you do or who else is in the car. Distracted driving is a leading cause of road accidents, so you need to set some rules with the teen. Until they are thoroughly experienced in driving, no use of cell phones, even if it’s legal to use them hands-free where you live. Similarly, they shouldn’t be eating, doing makeup, or otherwise distracting themselves in the car, even if they’re stopped. You should set some rules about friends who are allowed in the car, as well. If there are some rowdier friends, they might have to be disallowed because they can be a major distraction even if your teen is trying hard to pay attention.
How to drive defensively
Just because your teen has earned their license and is allowed to get behind the wheel of a car, it doesn’t mean that there’s nothing else for them to learn. As they get used to driving, they should also be learning about the core concepts behind defensive driving. This is a discipline that involves maintaining peak awareness of the road so that you can better identify any potential risks and mitigating them as best as possible. There are defensive driving lessons that your teen can take as they start to get more confident behind the wheel, increasing their sense of risk on the road and how to defend against it.
What to do in an emergency
Collisions and breakdowns do happen. It’s better to prepare your teen for that reality rather than pretending that they can totally prevent them. The best way to do that is to help them understand what they should do in an accident. The first is to check that everyone is ok and to look at their surroundings to see if it is safe to exit the car. They should only exit the car if it is safe to do so and make sure they place items like high-visibility cones around the car if they have them. If they weren’t the cause of the accident, they should call a car accident lawyer to make sure they’re not left holding the bill. Other lessons include reporting the accident, calling the insurance provider, and making absolutely certain they see the doctor after. They may not feel injured after an accident, but injuries like whiplash can take time to show up.
The car needs care
Again, following the laws and driving defensively aren’t the only things keeping your teen safe on the road. If they’re driving their own car, then they need to learn how to be responsible for it, as well. Take the time to teach them some DIY car maintenance tasks they can perform at home. Changing parts when they need to be changed, recognizing warning signs, and getting them in the habit of maintaining their vehicle will help them keep it in better condition, which also means it’s less likely to experience any issues that could put them in danger on the road.
The lessons above aren’t the only things you should be aiming to teach your teen, of course. The experience they gain driving is going to help them learn a lot more, too. However, the tips above can make sure they’re being safe enough to learn those lessons in the first place.
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