Posts Tagged ‘drinking and driving’

Smart Ways Protect your Teenage Driver behind the Wheel

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Insuring a teenage driver is often a very expensive prospect, which is why, as parents, we need to do everything we can to ensure not only that our teenagers remain safe behind the wheel, but that they don’t do anything that could result in an increase in their already-high auto insurance rates.

Passing a driver’s test is just the first step in learning how to conduct oneself behind the wheel. It is up to the parents, therefore, to ensure that they enforce a strict set of rules so that their teenage driver, as well as other motorists, remains safe.

The following tips may provide you with the information necessary to talk to your teenage driver about responsible driving habits:

  • Set a curfew - Setting a curfew with your teenage driver will ensure that he or she is not on the roads during the latest (and arguably the most dangerous) part of the night. A reasonable curfew is perhaps one of the best places to start when establishing driving rules.

  • Prohibit your Teenager from Playing Taxi to many Friends - A car full of many friends is sure to cause distractions for your teenage driver, and may increase his or her likelihood of becoming involved in an auto accident. It is therefore in your teenager’s best interest to limit the amount of passengers that he or she can have in the car at any given time.

  • Prohibit your Teenager from Texting/Talking while Driving - Simply put, cell phones can prove deadly for many teenage drivers. It is therefore imperative that you set strict ground rules for texting and talking while driving. A good rule is to require your teenage driver to never talk or text while the car is in drive.

  • Have a Candid Talk about Drinking and Driving - The topic of drinking and driving should not be approached just once. Instead, it should be an ongoing dialogue between teenage drivers and parents. Talk about the consequences, talk about the dangers, and talk about ways to avoid this potentially deadly situation. Your teenager may roll his or her eyes at you, but in the end, ongoing discussions are highly effective at preventing teenagers from drinking and driving.

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Tips for Keeping your Teenager Driver Safe while behind the Wheel

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Have a teenager is scary enough for most parents. Putting them behind the wheel just increases the fear and anxiety in parents even more.

In order to make sure your teenager stays safe behind the wheel, make it a point to detail your expectations. Don’t assume that because your teenager passed his or her driving test that he or she is prepared for what lies ahead out on the roads.

In fact, it is these real life situations that test them as drivers. Don’t assume that your teenage driver knows what to do or what is expected of them. Make it a priority to establish a set of rules that your teenager must follow each and every time he or she slips behind the wheel of a car:

  1. Don’t use your state’s minimum driving age as a gauge for your teenager - Your teenager may be more than ready to drive at 16, for example, or he or she may not be yet emotionally or mentally mature enough to handle this large responsibility. Only you know whether your teenager is ready to drive - not the state.

  2. Consider enrolling your teenager in a respected driving school - Although a driving school should not replace your time in the car with your teenager, it can provide a solid foundation for responsible driving, In addition, many auto insurance companies offer discounts for teenage drivers who complete driver training courses.

  3. Establish clear-cut driving rules - Many parents of teenage children, for example, prohibit them from driving a vehicle with more than one friend present in the car; other parents also prohibit their teenager from driving during the night until they have become more experienced behind the wheel. Strongly consider the rules that you want to establish with your teenager and make a point of enforcing these rules, each and every time.

  4. Discuss the consequences of drinking and driving - The concept of drinking and driving is an important conversation that parents absolutely must have with their teenage drivers. Having this conversation just once isn’t good enough, either. Keep an ongoing, open dialogue with your teenager regarding the dangers of drinking and driving.

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