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Driving tips for teen drivers
As parents, you want your teen to make the most of their summer, but you don’t want them to compromise fun for their safety. Share these driving tips and information with your teen to ensure a great and safe summer:
- Never multitask. Stop or pull over if you must put on makeup, reach for something, contact anyone or eat. Keep your hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said drivers aged 20 and below who were involved in deadly crash incidents were reportedly distracted. Drivers are also three times more likely to get involved in a car accident while reaching for something in their car and 23 times more likely to crash while texting.
- Put your phone away. Place your phone in your bag and turn it on silent mode to reduce possible distractions in the environment. In case you are expecting an important call or message, set up your Bluetooth device before starting your car. In a research conducted by State Farm, it was revealed that most teenage drivers are aware of the dangers of distracted driving yet they still engage in the habit. In three-quarters of the study, participants admitted to asking a friend to stop texting while almost half said they read or sent texts while driving.
- Keep the volume low. Be aware of what is happening around. Be careful blasting the stereo because you can’t hear external noise clearly. There is nothing wrong with keeping music in the background while driving, just make sure the volume does not drown out all other sounds. Ford released a study about the reasons for teenage traffic accidents. Two-thirds of teen drivers admitted they were distracted while they are driving. About 42% of them said the radio was turned up too loud while the over half stated they were listening to an MP3 player or iPod.
- Safety first. Put on your seat belt and avoid night driving. According to AAA, a teen driver’s chances of being involved in a fatal crash doubles when driving at night.
As a Kentucky Accident Attorney, I recommend that parents set up rules with their teens about distractions and driving. Discuss with them and enforce rules about night driving and setting a limit for passengers. Above all, be a role model to them. Please drive responsibly.