Encourage Your Teen Driver to Be Safe

If you had to answer the question of what kind of drivers are you most afraid of? , the answer would most likely be inexperienced drivers. In many cases, drivers who lack experience are those who are young. They may be in high school or college, typically under the age of 20.

If you have a young driver in your family, you may feel even more cautious about his or her driving abilities. Fortunately, you can take some steps to help new drivers in your family develop necessary skills behind the wheel.

Eliminate Distractions Behind the Wheel

One of the biggest concerns for the parents of young drivers is that distractions will lead to a terrible accident. In some states, laws exist that do not allow minors to use phones even if they have a hands-free device. While some young drivers think texting is fine when they are stopped, the safety issues persist. Nobody should take their concentration away from the road.

You can also eliminate other distractions from your young driver's vehicle, including radio distractions and friends. A strict rule that does not allow for other minor passengers is one great way to prevent problems from occurring. Even conversation can be a distraction for a young driver who still needs to gain experience.

Encourage Headlight Use

Headlights are one of the most useful tools our cars have. Encourage your young driver to use headlights in any situation in which they need more visibility — including during rain or early morning when the visibility might not be at its best. Some people feel safest using their headlights all day.

Choose a Safe Vehicle

While many parents buy their children old cars as a first car, many of these older cars lack important safety features. Many newer cars offer more advanced safety features that ensure your child does not suffer severe injuries if he or she is in an accident.

Encourage Defensive Driving

Defensive driving is another crucial element of safety for young drivers. Teach your young driver to have vigilance behind the wheel, as well as awareness for the locations of other cars. Defensive driving also requires the young driver to keep a safe distance behind the car in front of them.

Also, a brief lesson involving the different ways you should use the mirrors behind the wheel is beneficial and may even prevent an accident.

Set Rules

Nighttime reduces visibility, and for new drivers who have a lot to learn, this can be a dangerous time to have free reign. Place rules on young drivers to keep them off the road after dark. The first times your young driver will have nighttime excursions, be in the car with them. They will benefit from having you there as a source of guidance, especially if visibility becomes a major issue or you face bad weather.

Finally, implement one of the most effective safety rules in a vehicle: everybody, even adult passengers, wears seat belts when the vehicle is in motion.

Have a Plan in Place

Nobody expects to get in an accident or to get involved in a personal injury case, but this can happen to anybody. For this reason, you are wise to have a plan in place just in case something happens. Know whom to call if something goes wrong.

Wolfe, Jones, Wolfe, Hancock, Daniel & South, LLC ,is a personal injury law firm that understands your needs. No matter your circumstances, we understand your need to receive high-quality and effective legal counsel. Call our office today to make an appointment with a qualified and knowledgeable personal injury attorney who cares about your case.