Few things are as frightening to a parent as handing the car keys over to a teenager, and with good reason. Accident rates for teen drivers, especially males, are far higher than for almost all other groups. While there is no way to fully protect your teenage driver, there are some things you can do to improve his or her odds on the highways.
Perhaps the best thing a parent can do for a teen driver is to establish a no second chances rule about driving after drinking. The last thing a teen wants to lose is his or her driving privileges, so a drink once and it's over policy may well achieve the desired result. It worked for my father, and my kids tell me it worked for me.
And, set a good example. I never...not once...saw my father drive after having more than one drink.
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.
Statistics show that the more teenagers there are in an automobile, the greater the chance of an accident. During the first six months your teenager is driving, you might want to limit him or her to two passengers.
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.
While there are no reliable statistics, there are lots of stories about cell phones and accidents. As tough a sell as it might be, try to get the young drivers in your family to promise to pull off the road if their cell phones ring or they feel the need to make a call.
Seat belts can't prevent accidents, but they do prevent serious injuries and death. Impress that on your teen.
Remember, preaching safe driving is not a one time event. The more you remind your teenager(s) about the principles of safe driving, the better.
