Things To Teach Your Teenage Driver
Is it hard to communicate with your teenager about issues in his or her life? Regardless of the communication problems, there are two issues you need to discuss with them: driving and insurance. The following are four things to teach your teenage driver.
1. Driving is a privilege, not a right.
From a state’s viewpoint, they will not hesitate to suspend or revoke a driver’s license if too many violations are received in a short period of time. If the driver receives a DUI or is involved in an accident and he or she is not adequately insured the state will suspend or revoke a driver’s license.
From the parents’ viewpoint: if the teenager is a minor or a dependant, the state may hold the parents liable for his or her actions. Also, since parents usually pay for the teenager’s bills, they should be honest and let the teenage driver know that driving his or her driving privilege will be revoked by THEM, if she or he does not meet their expectations for driving responsibility or anything else.
2. Insurance for teenage drivers is expensive.
Due to the accident statistics for teenage drivers, their rates start out high that is a fact. It only gets
higher with accumulated violations. Also, with accumulated violations, the parents’ insurance company and other insurance companies, may not choose to insure them. This lack of supply by insurance companies creates a higher demand, and as a result creates higher premiums.
3. Teenagers need to know there are consequences to their actions - especially if it involves auto accidents.
The teenage driver needs to know that people get hurt and possibly DIE in auto accidents. Teenagers seem to be oblivious of their or anyone else’s mortality. There are laws of physics that need to be understood when an accident takes place. Also, it may not seem cool, but the teenage driver needs to make sure everybody in the vehicle wears his or her safety belt.
4. Last, your teenage driver needs to avoid distractions and concentrate on driving.
Unfortunately, a safety belt and an air bag do not totally protect the human body. Only avoiding accidents will keep everyone safe. In order to do this, the teenage driver has to know why she or he is driving. Most of the time, it is to reach his or her destination SAFELY.
Besides fastening safety belts, the teenage driver needs to set radio before she or he starts to drive. Teenagers need to be advised not to use a cell phone until he or she is done driving. This will allow them not to be distracted by either looking down to switch stations as they drive or by concentrating on their phone conversation instead of the road ahead.
Also, while driving, the teenager needs to keep his or her eyes moving. This will help keep the driver from ‘dazing’ and allow him or her to concentrate on the surroundings, especially the other cars sharing the road with them. The teenager needs to expect the unexpected while he or she is driving. In particular, he or she needs to be aware of the unpredictably of children, people on bicycles, and aggressive drivers.
Talking to your teenager may not be easy. She or he may not want to participate with you in an in-depth driving conversation. However, the previous four things should be taught to him or her not only to keep teenagers safe on the road but so you can sleep at night knowing that you have communicated to them the finer points of driving and the insurance that goes along with that.
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November 1st, 2007 at 8:25 am
Love and Logic has great tips for dealing with teen drivers. Three strategies for handling teenage driving issues
1.Wise parents consider offering their teens “good guy” auto insurance. This means parents pay the premium based on teens maintaining a B average in school, achieving a flawless driving record, and in most states, having completed driver’s education. Then, if your teen gets a ticket or declining grades, you can respond with sorry, not anger, as you say, “Gee, what a bummer for you. Your insurance is going to go up now. How do you think you’ll pay for the increase?”
2.Wise parents do not buy cars for their teens unless their teens are responsible, nose-to-the grindstone young adults. Parents should buy a car for their teen only if the teen has demonstrated that he or she can handle the responsibility. And then the car they buy should be an old one. If the teen has an accident, the parents don’t have to get bent out of shape – only the car is bent out of shape.
3. Parents have the right to restrict who rides with the teen when the teen is driving.
To learn more about Love and Logic techniques, visit http://www.loveandlogic.com.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
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