Age of teenagers is considered to be the most dangerous stage for driving automobiles. In countries, like the United States, around one third of casualties of teenagers are caused by automobile accidents. United States allows graduated driving from the age of sixteen. But in Europe the licensed driving starts from the age of eighteen with lesser rates of accidents than United States. Yet, the US laws are not likely to be changed regarding the driving age as there is far lesser public transportation and people depend more on their private vehicles to move.
These facts have been further added by the studies which prove that teenager’s logic and thinking capabilities regarding the decision making while driving are not good enough. This is because the portion of their minds that make decisions while taking risks are immature till the attainment of the age of around twenty years. Therefore, it does not only count on the learning of driving skills to save this age group, but also on the important lessons which parents should teach their dear ones before they let them out in vehicles for driving. There are some important rules for safe driving that can make parents confident about their child’s safety while driving, and include the following:
1. Handling distractions
Distractions like cell phones, text messaging, GPS etc., are the major causes that deviate the minds while driving and reduce the decision making powers when they are driving. Therefore, you need to stress hard on these points and make them agree some terms regarding avoidance of all the above distractions. You can in addition provide them the alternative ideas to such bad habits, like going into parking lots or parks to make and answer phone calls. In fact, you can provide the lead examples by doing so yourselves in front of them.
2. Restricting the night time driving
While as most of the countries don’t allow night time driving for teens, yet parents need to take extra care by banning their teens and making them to agree and understand the consequences. Driving at night between 9 pm to 6 am for the new learners has been found to be more accident prone. Hence, parents can act accordingly, for example by taking hold of car keys and prohibit them from moving out late at nights.
3. Add-on passengers for the ride
There are different rules for allowing the count and ages of passengers that could accompany teens while driving. You should find out the rules in your state and permit them with others based on your child’s driving familiarity, outlook, and the driving circumstances likely to take place. You can forcibly start this by ruling out your child from driving with other people, then relaxing the limitations as they gains familiarity and soothe. It is to be remembered that statistics have shown that company of teens makes it more vulnerable to accidents.
4. Fast Driving
An important thing to discourage is moving with greater speeds. Make sure that they understand and visualize how deadly are the crashes caused by higher speeds, and remember the facts that less than half of teens killed in accidents are due to speed driving. In addition, there are speed limits on each and every locality, which you should make sure your child knows well and will drive below those limits.
5. Wearing Seatbelts
It has been observed that teens wear seat belts very less often, so you should stress them on wearing seat belts and making other passengers also do the same. There are huge fines imposed for not wearing seat belts, and wearing seat belts has reduced the rate of deaths by nearly half in all accidents.
6. Maintenance
Make your teen learn the car maintenance, keeping car in good condition and properly maintained ensures safety and comfort. The things in maintenance include checking the oil, sustaining correct amount of air pressure in tyres, checking of lubricants and engine oils, every time one goes out for driving inspection of tyres is must before leaving; checking of brakes, steering, keeping windows clean and adjustment of mirrors.
7. Drinking and driving
Alcohol drinking can be fatal, and most of the times teens drink and drive. So, make your teen agrees neither to drink alcohol nor to go alongside for ride with such drivers who are drunk or can do so. One fourth of accidents are caused by alcohol drinking and driving.
Make a contract agreement of all these above rules and lessons and make sure you take these guidelines seriously and your child endorse that they will take the rules seriously too. Sit aside with your child to ensure his comfort and driving abilities so that you should remain confident about them afterwards.
