When Your Teen Gets Behind The Wheel…
Posted by admin at 2 August 2018, at 21 : 19 PM
Did you know that teenagers are more likely to be involved in car accidents than any other driver? It’s true, and something that most parents are very aware of. For that reason, they can get quite anxious and stressed when it is time for their teenager to take to the road and start driving lessons. This isn’t something that should be too worrying for you, though, as there are plenty of ways you can ensure your teenager stays safe behind the wheel. You just need to tell them the following.
Watch The Speed Limits
One of the main ways to prevent any accidents on the road is to stick to the speed limit in that area. Speeding is one of the main causes of crashes, so staying under the speed limit will help your teenager stay safe. They need to understand that they should never speed, no matter how urgent their journey is or how much of a rush they are in. As long as they give themselves plenty of time to complete a journey, they should never be in too much a hurry and will not need to put their foot down.
Always Turn Their Phone Off
You need to also inform your teen that it is illegal to use their phone while they are behind the wheel. This counts for both calling someone and using it to text or check the Internet. In fact, it’s best if the phone is turned off completely and stored away in the glovebox so that it can’t distract them at all.
Drive Defensively
Drivers need to always be aware of the other traffic and road users that are around them. As well as this, they need to drive defensively as this can increase their awareness and drive as safely as possible. To help them achieve this, tell your teen that they always need to leave plenty of space behind the car in front of them and to constantly check their mirrors.
Cut Out Distractions
It’s not just your teen’s mobile phone that could prove to be distracting for them. There are other distractions in cars, such as the radio and passengers. For new drivers, these distractions need to be kept to a minimum. Make sure they don’t drive with the radio on too loud or that they have too many passengers in the car with them at once. Just the slightest distraction could put them at risk on the road.
Keep The Lights On
Let your teen know that they should keep their exterior lights on as well. This will help to make their vehicle a lot more visible to other drivers, especially in the middle of the day.
You don’t need to worry too much about your teenager learning to drive. These tips will help them stay as safe as possible!