Teenage Driver Tips

Teenage drivers on the road!? That’s a scary thought! It’s even scarier if it’s your kid!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic crashes are the number one cause of death for young people. Teens between the ages of 16 and 20 have the highest traffic fatality and injury rates per 100,000 population, four times higher than that of adults.  Inexperience and lacking skills means that one in five 16-year-old male drivers and about one in ten females will have a crash during their first year of driving. Some of the worst crashes occur at night and with a group of young people in the car. If alcohol or any other kind of impairment is involved, the level of risk is greatly increased.

Here are three tips to help you teach your kids about safety and the rules of the road.

·       “Do as I say. Do as I do.” If you’re telling your child to always wearing a seat belt or to never text and drive, you should practice these rules, too.

·       Enforce Driving Rules: explain what it means to be a safe driver. Having driving rules set for your child to adhere to. The rules should also have consequences if they are not obeyed. If your son doesn’t wear he’s seatbelt, Take away his Xbox, or worse…make him watch Hannah Montana.

·       Teach the traffic safety laws in your state: Many states laws that make it illegal to text and drive.  Driving curfews are also implemented in many states.