Ideas for your family during Teen Driver Safety Week – October 18 – 24, 2020

We get calls monthly from customers who inform us that their teen is about to drive or just got his/her driver’s license.  The tone of the call is always a bit reluctant from the parent.  I’ve been there – I’ve felt what they feel!  I get the emotion involved in giving the keys to your child to drive your car alone. 

During this National Teen Driver Safety Week, I thought it might be good to share some of the rules of the road for teen drivers!  We do our best to educate our clients with these items and more hoping to help make their next ‘teen driving journey’ a little easier to handle!

RISK FACTORS!

Your teen sees a driver’s license as a step toward freedom, but you might not be sure your teen is ready for the road. One thing is certain: teens aren’t ready to have the same level of driving responsibility as adults. Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their immaturity, lack of skills, and lack of experience. They speed, they make mistakes, and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car. To help your teen stay safe behind the wheel, all 50 States and the District of Columbia have a three-stage graduated driver licensing (GDL) system that limits high-risk driving situations for new drivers. This approach can reduce your teen’s crash risk by as much as 50 percent.

What Can You Do?

• Learn about your State’s GDL laws. Note that the laws and restrictions can vary from State to State. Familiarizing yourself with the restrictions placed on your teen’s license can better assist you in enforcing those laws. You have the opportunity to establish some important ground rules for your teen driver. Restrict night driving and passengers, prohibit driving while using the phone or other electronic devices, and require seat belt use at all times.
• Talk to your teen about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. Remind them that it is illegal to drink under the age of 21, and it is illegal—and deadly—to drink and drive. If a teen is under 21, his or her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) should always be at .00, not just under .08, which is the legal limit for drivers over age 21.
• Be a good role model. Remember that your child looks to you as a driver, so practice safe driving yourself. Set aside time to take your teen on practice driving sessions. It can be a great way to spend time together and to allow your teen to improve some basic driving skills. Your teen’s learning starts at home.
• Don’t rely solely on a driver’s education class to teach your teen to drive. Remember that driver’s education should be used as just part of a GDL system.

Bottom Line:

You have more influence on your teen than you may think. Be a good example and get involved in their driving habits from the beginning, and stay involved for the duration of their teen years.

We insure many teenagers here in the agency.  We’ve seen some great driving with no claims or tickets for these drivers because parents heed the advice above.  We’re here to help with your teen drivers as well as all of your insurance.  Feel free to TEXT or CALL us at 615.377.1212.  You can email us at info@BentonWhite.com.

Stay safe and healthy!

(portions of this article taken from the NHTSA – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website – www.NHTSA.gov)