HOW TO KEEP YOUR NEW TEEN DRIVER SAFE
Standing in your driveway and watching your teenager drive away for the first time is an incredibly unique feeling. It can be a source of pride and joy in knowing that your child is growing up, but that can easily be overshadowed by the fears and anxiety about teenage driving habits.
In America, teens are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident compared to an adult, according to the CDC. Car crashes are the second leading cause of death for young drivers, as well. Knowing these concerns, here are several tips to keep your new teenage driver safe when they hit the road.
Safety Tips
Make sure your teen keeps their cell phone down and away from their hands. In some states, it’s legal to use a phone to make calls or for GPS. However, in Ohio, anyone under the age of 18 is not allowed to use their phone under any circumstances while driving. We all know that teens love their cell phones; however, distracted driving among teens is one of the highest contributing factors that lead to crashes.
Take time to ride along with your teen. Although they may have gone through a driver’s ed course, they will still be inexperienced until they have at least several years worth of driving under their belt. Extensive time spent driving around with your teen in different environments will expose them to dynamic situations to which they’ll have to adapt. It will also allow you an opportunity to provide guidance as these situations arise, thus allowing your teen to develop new habits on the spot.
Keep up with vehicle maintenance. Most teens don’t get their license with a firm understanding of vehicle mechanics. This includes the basics such as knowing about oil changes, how to change a spare tire, and how to drive in such a way that does not overwork or overstress certain parts of the vehicle.
Monitor who your teen is driving with. Younger people are susceptible to peer pressure on all fronts, including how they drive their car. If they are in a vehicle with other teens, it is a new and exciting experience for everyone involved. This can lead to reckless or unsafe driving if your teen driver is “dared” to drive in a reckless manner.
Avoid night time driving at the start. Although your teen will eventually want to leave the house at night to visit friends, it is wise to avoid nighttime driving until they have some more experience. While your teen may lack experience, there is also the additional concern that nighttime is when drunk drivers are more prevalent on the roads. Your teen may employ safe driving habits, but it is impossible to defend them against someone else who is disregarding safety and the law.
Contact Diehl & Hubbell
If your teen was involved in a crash, or if you have other concerns about your teens driving and need legal advice, please don’t hesitate to contact Diehl & Hubbell for a consultation.