My parents allowed my brothers and I to share a single vehicle while we were in high school. Three teens (and one tween, who insisted on tagging along) sharing one car–definitely not a pretty situation. Still, that one car provided my parents with freedom some moms and dads only dream of. Not only did we use the car to get to and from school (thus, giving my parents a break from taxi duty), but it also transported us to all of our extra-curricular activities.
Unfortunately, the car did not escape our teen years without sustaining serious damage (all my older brothers’ fault). The good news is that my brothers survived their respective accidents. They were lucky; especially since statistics show that vehicle crashes are the No.1 killer of U.S. teens. Studies also reveal that many of these deaths are the result of driver error to due to inexperience behind the wheel.
With the new school year set to start in a few weeks parents of teen drivers should once again take time to speak with their children about the rules of the road. Here are a few points to discuss:
Seatbelts: In most states buckling up is the law. Insist that your son or daughter put on his/her seatbelt before he or she backs out of the driveway. In addition, make it a rule that all passengers riding in the vehicle buckle up too.
Limit Passengers: Set rules regarding the number of teen passengers that ride with your child. (Some states have laws in place that place a limit on the number of passengers a new driver can have in a vehicle.) Multiple teens in one vehicle translates to more talking, more activity and potentially more chaos.
Eliminate Distractions: Young drivers plus cellphones, BlackBerries, handheld video games, DVD players, loud music, food and friends equal major distractions. Work with your child to eliminate the number of distractions in the vehicle. Also, remind your young driver that he or she should be focusing on the road and not on tweeting pals.
Obey Traffic Laws: Whether they are running late for school in the morning or rushing home from football practice at night, studies show teens have a tendency to speed up to make up for lost time. It’s a good idea to discuss the dangers of speeding with your teens and perhaps, strip them of their driving privileges if they receive a ticket.
No Drinking and Driving: This is a no-brainer, but bears repeating. Drive home the message to your child that drinking then getting behind the wheel is something you won’t tolerate.
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