Seeing your young child grow and mature is a rewarding experience, but it does come with a variety of anxieties, such as when they reach that magical age of 16 and wish to begin driving! Operating a motor vehicle on the road is serious business, and teenagers need to be taught to respect the vehicle, other drivers, and to drive defensively!
There are many driver training schools available which partner with local public high schools in offering driver training to teenagers. These driver training schools are great, but equally important are the habits that parents set for their teens when they are in the car. If you drive defensively and present good driving habits while transporting your teens to their activities, they will learn from you and become good drivers. It is especially important to show your teen driver that you are not distracted with your phone or car radio, or eating breakfast or lunch, applying makeup or other grooming activities. Taking your eyes off the road even for a second or two can result in a serious accident and loss of life.
It is inevitable that at some point and a motor vehicle operator you or your teen may be involved in a minor collision that requires auto body and collision repair services. The team here at Marksman Auto Body is ready to handle all of your auto body repair needs. However, following safety tips and best driving practices can lower the risk.
Here are several safe driving tips that you and your teenage driver can follow:
- Get to know your car – practice in the vehicle. If you are teaching your child to drive, let them get a feel for the car in an empty parking lot on a weekend.
- Adjust your driver settings. Make sure your seat is comfortable and you can easily reach the pedals. Adjust your mirrors so that you have the largest field of view possible. Remove anything from inside the vehicle that would disrupt the view.
- Remove Distractions. As mentioned above, turn phones to silent or do not disturb. If you want to listen to music, get it setup and playing BEFORE driving.
- Maintain a safe distance. A good rule to follow is one car length for every 10 miles per hour you are traveling. For example, if you are going 50 mph, then you should have 5 car lengths between you and the car in front of you.
- Follow Speed Limits. Most accidents are caused by driving too fast, particularly when road conditions require you to slow down. Follow posted speed limits and drive defensively.
- Driving with Friends. A new teenage driver and a car full of their friends is a bad combination. Most states have laws regarding how many people a new teen driver can have in the car with them. Be sure to know the rules and ensure your teen driver follows the rules.
- Practice with your teen. Go driving with your teen and talk to them without distractions such as phone or radio. Point out potential hazards, other drivers’ behavior, braking sooner rather than later.
- Limit Nighttime Driving. It takes a lot of practice to become a good driver, make sure your teen gets many hours of driving before driving alone at night.
