Parents Guide for New Teen Drivers

Vehicle crashes the the leading killer of teens in the U.S. In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, for 16 to 17 year old teens, the deadly crash rate per mile driven is almost three times the rate for drivers who are 20 years and older.

And, 1,908 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 died in 2016 in a vehicle crash, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) figures. Having your teen behind the wheel can be worrisome and nerve-racking, particularly when you’re aware of these facts. However, worrying will not keep your teen driver safe, but there are some things you can do.

1. Give Them a Tour of the Car

Before you let your teen get behind the wheel and start driving, go over the vehicle’s features and controls and how they work. These include:

• Seat and steering wheel adjustment
• Dashboard controls
• Turn signals
• Wipers
• Mirror adjustment
• Headlights
• Emergency lights
• Starting and turning off the engine
• Parking brake/release
• Dashboard warning indicator lights (i.e. low fuel, temperature, oil indicator)
• Brakes (particularly ABS), gas

Also show them where the insurance card, registration and car manual are located.

2. Let Them Practice on Different Routes

Have them practice driving the car on different roads so they get good at:

• Braking smoothly
• Taking turns with proper speed and signals
• Determining the right of way
• Accelerating smoothly
• Maintaining appropriate speed
• Using single- and multi-lane roads
• Approaching intersections with red lights and stop signs
• Maintaining a safe following distance
• Driving in a school zone
• Scanning for and identifying hazards
• Using turning lanes
• Sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and school buses
• Reacting to an oncoming emergency vehicle

Once your teen driver begins mastering these skills, go on to exposing them to different levels of traffic (i.e. highways), times of day and weather conditions.

3. Be a Good Role Model

When you’re driving set a good example and drive safely. Don’t do things while you drive that you wouldn’t want your teen to do, such as:

• Driving aggressively
• Texting or talking on phone
• Running yellow lights

4. Have a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement

Don’t simply talk about safe driving, print out this parent-teen driving agreement and go over with your teen before they hit the road. Make sure they understand it and sign it. Put a copy of it on your fridge so it stays visible daily and instills the importance of safe driving in your teen. As your teen gains new skills, update the agreement so they can see the progress they’re making.

5. GPS Tracking For Teens

GPS teen tracking can help improve teen driving. It allows you to monitor the location of your teen’s vehicle and monitor their driving behavior too. It can provide you with alerts if your teen is speeding, out of boundary, harsh braking and more. It provides you with their whereabouts at all times as well as provides you with information you can use to develop safe driving habits.

To learn more about the best GPS solution for your new teen driver, call us here at LiveViewGPS at 1-888-544-0494.

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