Distracted Driving is Dangerous Driving. Use Our Guide And
Help Your Teens to Avoid An Accident.
As many parents can attest, teaching teenagers to drive is an important yet nerve-racking
experience. Teaching young adults that mistakes made behind the wheel can lead to
accidents that can end in severe
injuries and even death is a crucial step in the process. It’s important to know that your
teen’s level of experience on the road isn’t the only
factor to be concerned about. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,142 people in
2019 alone. The most common distracted driving accidents are caused by
operating a cell
phone while driving, passenger-related
distractions and multitasking. We’ve
created
a guide to help you teach your teens how to
avoid distracted driving overall.
Before Your Teen Starts Driving
The best way to teach teens safe driving
habits is to lead by example. Set the bar high and remember that kids tend to pick up on a lot
more than we realize. If you happen to make a mistake while driving, be sure to
point it out and share out loud what you should have done differently. Things
like changing the radio station while you’re driving may be a habit
you need to correct yourself. Pointing out your own “little” mistakes as early
as possible will help reinforce safe driving practices.
How to Set A Good Example:
● Never Text and Drive – Never operate your phone for any reason once the car is in
motion. We know that this is easier said than done, however this
should be non-negotiable. These days, most cars come equipped
with Bluetooth technology for streaming music, voice
activated dialing, and reading text
messages for you. If your car does not have these features, it can
wait until you reach your destination.
● Don’t Adjust Your In-Car Tech – Distractions come standard in our
vehicles. There are buttons that control the music, others that
control the temperature and the
list goes on and on. Be sure to make any adjustments to your car’s technology
settings before getting on the road.
Make sure that you ask front
seat
passengers to control the music or any other tech while you drive.
● Avoid Eating While You Drive – Fast
food places are everywhere; drive-thrus make it easy to get what you want and
get back on the road when you’re in a hurry. Remember that eating and driving can make
it difficult to focus on the road. It’s best to
pull over for a few minutes in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant to eat, rather than risking your
safety and the safety of others for a quick bite.
Teaching Your Teens to Drive
Just as you did before your teen was officially learning how to drive, you
will want to continue practicing safe
driving habits and point out
mistakes. Be sure to point mistakes out in a way that is informative and empowering to your teen rather than in a
way that might be aggressive or embarrassing. These can be highly emotional
moments for both you and your teen and trust will be important going forward. Best-case scenario – your teen will be
an exemplary driver and will respect the rules
of the road. If you feel that your teen is prone to driving
distractions and will need
more training and instruction, this is common! It’s important to get
safe-driving practices in place before ever letting your teen drive on their
own. Time, consistency, and structure can help correct any distracted driving
habits.
Having your teen complete a driver safety
course is also a great way to help them learn the rules and laws of the road.
While using a cellphone is dangerous, it’s also against the law in certain
states, New York being one of them. Professional driving instructors review
every aspect of driving, so this route is a great way to prepare your teen and
provide additional tips on how to avoid distracted driving.
It’s important to remember that even if your
teen is involved in an
accident, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they
were at fault. Other drivers may not be as aware of the potential
dangers of distracted driving or may have a blatant disregard for them. Once
you’ve taught your teen basic safety and driving rules, be sure to remind that
that they also need to remain cautious
of other drivers at all times.
Setting Ground Rules
You’ll want to start by setting realistic
expectations for your teen. Being unreasonably strict or cautious can
cause teens to rebel or be too afraid to drive! When you discuss driving with
your teen, you might consider setting up a reward
system for good driving habits. You
can create an agreement where your teen is obligated to abide by the safety
rules set by you and the state you
live in. It’s best to list those rule out to avoid any confusion. You can then
set targets for your teen and offer incentives for achieving those goals. For example, if they can go without getting any traffic tickets for an extended period of time
and are able to drive safely on a regular basis, you might reward them with a
bonus to their allowance, a movie night with friends, or offer to pay for
gas.
If Your Teen Breaks A Rule
Traffic violations, fender
benders, and close calls can not only shake
their confidence, but yours as well. Often, it is instinctual to have an
emotional reaction, whether it be fear or anger, to a
situation where your
child’s safety is at risk. It’s important
to keep calm, be patient and then go back to review safe
driving habits with them.
Teaching your teen to take responsibility for
his or her driving mistakes will be critical. While some parents may result to
extreme punishment, for example revoking driving privileges or long-term groundings,
you might consider creative discipline as an encouraging alternative. Consider
the following corrective discipline options for your distracted teen driver as
they can reinforce real-life consequences:
● Completion
of a defensive driving course and/or
online safety videos
● Mandatory
community service to reinstate driving privileges
● Limit
driving to fewer hours with increased stipulations
● Require reimbursement payments for any damages that might
have been caused
Being patient with your teen
driver is often a lot easier said
than done. When it comes to your child’s safety, you want to do everything in
your power to protect them. With that being said, you might consider including a
safety kit in any vehicles your teen may be driving,
including your own. The truth is, there’s no such thing as over-preparing.
Check out the link below to learn more about building your very own car safety
kit!
