(ThySistas.com) The day when your teenage son or daughter passes their driving test is a day of celebration. Finally, after months (or maybe years) of practicing, possibly waiting for one of these driving test cancellations to become available so they could take their test as soon as they were deemed ready, and gaining their license, they will have the freedom to travel wherever they please, and you will no longer have the burden of ferrying them around, be that to school, college, the shopping mall, or anywhere in between.
However, the day they pass their driving test is also a concern for many parents. With worrying teen driver statistics suggesting 16-17-year-old drivers are nine times more likely to be involved in a car accident than adults, it is understandable that many of us fear the moment when our teenagers finally get behind the wheel of cars of their own.
Still, as you have always done, you can help your teen avoid trouble. While you can’t monitor their every move on the road, there are a few things you can do to steer them to safety.
#1: Drive home the need for safer driving
Okay, so while there is the risk that your teenager will think you are nagging them, you should still sit down and talk to them about safe driving behavior. You can do this by sharing the statistics we linked above, as well as pointing out the legal consequences of a first offence DUI, alongside other pieces of information you can pull from the internet. You will have better peace of mind after having the conversation, and while you can only hope your teen will listen to you, they will still be better informed than they might otherwise have been if you hadn’t spoken to them.
#2: Be a good role model
What kind of role model would you be if you regularly exhibited unsafe driving behavior? If your teen notices you going over the speed limit, sees you get into the car after drinking alcohol, and watches you engage in road rage with other drivers, then they might decide such behavior is acceptable. Be mindful then, and whenever you’re on the road, make sure you commit to safe driving habits as a positive example to your teen.
#3: Be firm with your teen
Remember that you are still the parent, so you are allowed some control over your child. If you notice them driving unsafely, or if you hear word that they have taken the wheel while under the influence of any substance, then you do have the right to take the keys to the car away from them at any time. You aren’t doing it because you are being unfair or too strict, no matter how much your child protests that you are. You are doing it to keep your teen safe, and you can remind them of that fact (as well as the teen driver statistics you found) should they get upset with you. Hopefully, they will then learn from their mistakes.
#4: Book them onto an advanced drivers course
We appreciate this is a little like asking them to take a school exam they have already passed, but it’s for your teen’s benefit. Not only will they have the benefit of a lower insurance premium when they pass an advanced drivers course (you can use this as an incentive to them), but they will also be better drivers at the end of it. Contact your local driving school or follow the previous link for more information.
Finally
The statistics around teen driving are frightening, but by following our suggestions, you can reduce the risks for your child. Let us know what you think, and if you have any other pieces of advice for any of our worried readers, please share your ideas with us.
Take care, and thanks for reading!
Staff Writer; Shawna Brown