Teens driving are what the nightmares of parents are made of for a variety of reasons. A teen’s added freedom is not quite as daunting as the possibility of a severe accident. The thought of a person injured by your teen in an accident can send chills down a parent’s spine. Driving is a huge responsibility as a person’s life can change through one mistake behind the wheel. A teen taking the appropriate courses at school and driving outside of these times should be a requirement. A teen getting their license without real driving experience can be dangerous for everyone on the road. Seasoned drivers panic in split-second situations which could overwhelm an inexperienced teen driver. The following will delve into ways a parent can manage their teen’s driving privileges.
1. No Expensive Cars/Using Dad’s Prized Possession
Purchasing your teen a used car or requiring them to purchase a car is advised. Going to a Land Rover service and repair shop is going to be more expensive than if a used Honda Accord has a dent. Avoid allowing a teen to drive a prized possession or a car with quite a bit of horsepower. A teen driving a Porsche might not have the driving skills required. Driving this type of car can be tough for people that have driven for decades as it has another level of horsepower. Dents are going to happen in a high school parking lot on a daily basis due to distractions. These distractions combined with drivers lacking experience leaves quite a few cars dented.
2. Get Them an Uber Account……Just in Case
People have been injured or arrested due to worrying that their parents will be mad if they are late for curfew. Not bringing the family car home due to being drunk is another fear of teens. Teens might make a mistake by drinking with friends and not want you as parents to find out. A tactic that could work is a few “get out of hell” free cards for your teen where the night before is never mentioned again. An Uber account can also be useful if they break down as a tow truck could take hours to get to certain locations. These accounts can be perfect for parent as a parent can see where their teen is getting a ride to or from.
3. Limit the Number of Passengers Allowed
Distracted drivers come in all ages but a teen tends to be far more distracted while on the road. Ban the use of a cell phone and look at their data/text message usage as texts while driving can be deadly. Driving with too many people that are being rowdy or loud can lead to an accident. Limit the number of people that can be in the car while your teen is driving as a safety measure. A teen is going to blast their music so this is one distraction that will be impossible to eliminate. Do not be afraid to be the parents with various rules when it comes to their teen driving. Rules that help increase the safe driving of a teen are positive regardless of what others think.
4. Rules for Grades, Jobs, Extracurriculars
Rules need to be in place in regards your teen’s grades as education needs to be stressed. A teen that is on track for an academic scholarship should have far more freedom than a teen struggling to pass with a truancy problem. Jobs might have to be required depending on the family’s financial situation to pay for your teen’s insurance. A steady job can teach a teen responsibility as well as how to save money earned. Extracurriculars like sports can take the place of a job as being an elite athlete takes hours of work daily. The car is going to be a source of conflict on occasion so set rules early to be followed and enforce these rules.
5. No Tolerance for Impaired Driving
The consequences need to be swift as well as severe if your teen is caught after driving impaired. Hopefully, your teen is not involved in an accident or arrested for DUI. Regardless of the circumstance, your teen needs consequences for this huge mistake. Banning your teen from driving might be a necessity if they do not learn their lesson. Not allowing your teen to drive anywhere but work or school allows for you to save time as a parent. Looking into substance abuse counseling could be an answer. Substance abuse issues tend to worsen with time so addressing this now is imperative.
A teen driving can be stressful for a parent but with the right structure, a teen can drive in a safe manner. Teach your teen appropriate driving techniques and establish clear rules for their driving. Safety is something that a parent should never compromise on!
Article Submitted By Community Writer
