Driving is serious business. The consequences of unsafe driving can be fatal. Therefore, it’s vital that you teach your teens to drive safely, for their sake and for the sake of everyone else on the road.
Here are some tips to help your teen get started on the road while avoiding accidents.
1. Drive Defensively
The most important thing for any new driver to learn is to learn how to drive defensively.
Driving defensively is anticipating dangers despite poor conditions or others’ mistakes. The core of defensive driving is to always be aware of your surroundings, expect other drivers to do the stupidest possible thing at any given moment, and be ready to react to that. By driving defensively, you can avoid accidents which can injure you and stay on your driving record for a long time.
General principles of defensive driving include:
Controlling speed
Watching ahead and staying prepared for the unexpected
Being distraction-free and alert
When it comes to other drivers:
Be prepared for pedestrians and other drivers to do all sorts of things
Don’t assume other drivers will do what you would do in the same situation
Watch and respect other drivers
When it comes to your vehicle:
Keep a safe distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you
Drive safely by adjusting for road and/or weather conditions
Slow down before entering curves so you don’t have to apply your brakes while turning
2. Don’t Use Your Phone or Text While Driving
It is illegal to talk on your phone or text while you drive in most states. It is even distracting to talk on the phone “hands-free” via Bluetooth. It is dangerous to drive while distracted. Distracted driving is responsible for most fatal accidents that teens get into.
If you need to call somebody when an emergency happens, pull over to a safe location or the side of the road before making the phone call.
Most smartphones these days have “do not disturb” modes which sense when they are in moving vehicles and stop calls and texts from interrupting drivers. Teens can activate these smartphone features before they drive if this feature doesn’t automatically activate itself.
3. Slow Down
The speed limit is established for a reason. There is no good reason to exceed the speed limit. Everyone knows that speeding causes accidents. Speeding puts everyone in danger. Speeding tickets are also quite expensive!
4. Brake Gently
It’s important that you learn how to brake when you learn how to drive. You can damage your vehicle by slamming on the brakes. When you slam on the brakes, hoses and rotors can develop cracks, causing them to quickly wear out. This can cause brake fluid to leak, which can affect tire balance and brake pads.
Braking properly will reduce accident risk and damage.
5. Know Your Vehicle
Each vehicle handles differently. As an example, it’s a lot different to drive a 4x4 pickup than it is to drive a two-seat coupe.
New teen drivers might be eager to get into any vehicle and take off. However, before you do this, it’s vital to sit with somebody who is familiar with the vehicle, or read through the manual of the vehicle that they are going to drive. New vehicles may have advanced features which teens won’t be familiar with.
Whenever possible, learn to drive using the vehicle that will be your primary car. This will make sure you’re comfortable with operating this vehicle alone. You should also learn basic vehicle maintenance. Any driver at any age can benefit from knowing how to check oil levels, refill wiper fluid, change a tire or check tire pressure.
6. Adjust Your Vehicle’s Settings
Before driving, get situated and enter a routine. Ensure your feet can easily reach any pedals without your dash being touched by your knees. Position the seat so you may easily operate your brake and accelerator pedals without lifting your heels. Adjust the height of your seat to make sure your view of the road is unobstructed.
Adjust your mirrors so you have the best field of view possible, removing as many blind spots as you can.
Adjusting the settings of your vehicle will give you better vision around your vehicle as well as better steering control.
7. Have an Emergency Kit
If you have an emergency kit in your vehicle, you will hope you don’t need it, but will be happy you have it when you do. This kit should have things that will keep you safe in unexpected situations. Consider adding:
Jumper cables
A flashlight
Extra batteries for the flashlight
A first aid kit
Warm clothes and a blanket for the wintertime
A cell phone charger
8. Teach Them How to Handle an Accident
Car accidents are scary business. In the moment, your teen could get overwhelmed, panic, and even drive away from the scene of the accident. For this reason, it’s important to educate your teen on the necessary steps to take after an accident.
For example, if their car has been hit, they should:
Get to safety
Call 911
Exchange insurance information
Get medical attention
Call their insurance company
Keep in mind that if you’re injured in an accident, you have a time limit to file a car accident insurance claim. Make sure you’re aware of the statute of limitations for car accidents in your local area. That said, what’s most important is that your kids are safe if they’re in an accident.
