Since kids nationwide have returned to school in the last few weeks, there are many young drivers on the road. The increased number of cars during common commute times coupled with the inexperience of these new drivers makes the roads more dangerous for everyone.
The key to keeping the roads safe lies with the parents of the new teenage drivers. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) participates in the “Parents are the Key” campaign, which provides numerous resources to parents to help them educate their teen on the dangers of driving. Below are a few of the tips provided to parents.
Practice!
Make sure that you spend as much time as possible letting your teen practice driving before they get their driver’s license. Spend the time in the car discussing traffic laws and good driving habits and why both are important.
Lead By Example
If mom or dad is texting while driving, speeding or not wearing a seat belt, then don’t be surprised to see their young driver making the same mistakes.
Share
Don’t be afraid to share the rules you have for your teen with other parents. Doing this lets them know that you have expectations for your child as a driver and a passenger in another teen’s car. It also adds to the number of eyes watching to make sure seat belts are buckled and phones put away.
The CDC also lists eight “Danger Zones,” which are types of driving parents should make sure to discuss with their teens and monitor.
- Inexperienced driving.
- Driving with teen passengers.
- Driving at night.
- Not wearing seat belts.
- Distracted driving (texting or talking on the phone).
- Drowsy driving.
- Reckless driving (speeding, tailgating, insufficient scanning).
- Impaired driving.
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