Teaching Your Teen How To Drive: Rules You Need To Impose
A teen driver can add quite a bit of stress/anxiety to the parents of the teenager. You might be constantly questioning whether your teen is mature enough to drive or not. There are some teens that are more than ready and then those that might need more time before driving in the car alone. The rules that you put in place are going to be very important when it comes to safety. There are certain rules that will make a huge difference in the level of distraction that your teen has while driving. Below are examples of rules you need to impose when you have a teen driver.
State Curfews
A curfew always seems to come up as a point of contention for a teen. Sticking with the curfew on a teen driver that the state imposes can wash your hands of the issue. A teen that is caught driving after this curfew can lose their license if it happens more than once. The state can also suspend a license of a teen that is skipping school as well. You should have your own rules though as letting the government do any of the parenting of your teen is the last option.
Driving In Certain Weather Conditions
The weather can be the cause of accidents due to spots of ice or visibility being low. Restricting driving on certain roads can be very important during times of bad weather. The time to enforce a strict curfew is not when your teen needs to get home safely in the rain or snow. Checking the traffic before leaving is going to be important as dealing with terrible traffic can add to an already stressful drive.
Restrictions On Passengers In The Car
Distracted driving is a huge problem in today’s world especially with technology like that of Bluetooth. Even with a limited number of passengers, your teen can still be involved in an accident that is not their fault. Limiting the number of passengers can allow your teen to have fewer distractions. The passengers can be just as distracting if not more than texting or other forms of distracted driving. You won’t want a car or truck accident lawyer to question whether your teen was distracted when the accident was obviously the fault of the other driver.
Zero Tolerance Policy For Intoxicated Driving
Driving under the influence can be deadly and impact the future of your teen for years. Getting arrested can be the best-case scenario when compared to crashing into another driver. There should be no acceptance of driving after drinking in the slightest. Breathalyzers are more affordable than ever before so investing in one of these can be important. You don’t want a lost argument of whether your teen smells of alcohol or not leading to your teen driving again after drinking.
Teen driving can be a tough phase to go through as a parent. After a few years, you will find that your teen is either a great driver or one you still dread getting into the car with. Take the time to create a list of rules to ensure safe driving as driving should be seen as a privilege.
