Five Safety Tips for Your Teen Driver

Ask any parent about his or her most anxiety provoking moments, and handing over his or her keys to the new driver in the family will almost certainly be near the top of the list. And it's no wonder; teenagers are more at risk behind the wheel than any other group. But, there are some things parents can do to reduce the risks.

First and foremost, be very vocal about your opposition to drinking and driving. My father told me I would not drive again until I became a legal adult if I was ever caught driving after drinking, and I believed him. Thus, although my friends and I did consume alcohol before we were adults, neither I or any of them drove after drinking.

And, practice what you preach. If your children see or hear about you driving after drinking, they're not likely to take your warnings seriously.

Make sure your teen driver knows that following too closely is the cause of hundreds of thousands of avoidable accidents every year. And, teach him or her that following the two second rule...passing landmarks no sooner than two seconds after the car you are following, will virtually eliminate the possibility of rear ending another automobile.

Studies have proven that the more teenagers there are in a car, the higher the risk of accident. Limiting your teen to one or two passengers, especially when he or she first starts to drive, can reduce risk.

No matter how well your teenager appears to do in a driver education program, evaluate his or her skills yourself, supplement the driver education instruction with your own if necessary, and do not let him or her drive without adult supervision until you feel he or she has mastered basic driving skills.

Like alcohol, cell phones and driving are a dangerous combination. Encourage your teen to pull over when using a phone.

Let your teen know that one of the best ways he or she can demonstrate the responsibility and maturity necessary to drive is to protect everyone in the car he or she is driving by being certain that everyone wears a seat belt.

Remember that learning comes through repetition. Don't stop preaching about the need to drive defensively and the potentially life changing results of even a second of carelessness or inattention while driving. With vigilance and persistence, you can make your teen a better driver.

Article Source: http://www.aword2thewise.com

Daniel Z. Kane is an educator and a parent. He has created websites on online colleges and online degrees.

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