Driving. It’s a true teenage rite of passage and one that elicits feelings of sheer excitement and freedom from teens, but potential anxiety and trepidation from their protective parents. Ready-or-not, it’s time for your new licensee to learn how to drive safely and smartly. And we want to help with these LOF-Xpress™ approved Tips for Teen Drivers. Some may seem like no-brainers, but they’re worth discussing and enforcing for our (sometimes forgetful) teens!
Buckle Up!
Seat belts are the #1 vehicle safety feature and a habit worth creating. They can be the difference between fender bender and devastating tragedy. Teach your teen that buckling-up while driving or riding is a non-negotiable.
No Cell Phones or Texting
Distracted driving is a major cause of accidents, especially among teenagers. We encourage teens to set their phones to silent AND place them out of sight (the glove box is a great choice!). Parents, modeling good behavior makes this is easier to enforce.
Drugs and Alcohol are NOT an Option
Impaired driving is NEVER a good idea, but the consequences for teens may be more than they can handle. From open container charges to DUIs, it’s important your teen is aware of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.
Follow the Law
Drive curfews, speed limits, safe following distances, and navigating roundabouts, just to name a few. Laws are in place for a reason and should be followed for the safety of teens and all other drivers.
Practice
Practice makes perfect! The more time teens spend behind the wheel, the more prepared they will be various driving conditions. Practice driving on different roads, during different times of the day, and in different weather situations. A well prepared driver is a safe driver.
Utilize Safety Features and Technologies
Many automakers have proactively installed vehicle technologies to encourage safe driving. Some of these include: top speed limitation, volume restrictions, seat belt monitoring, and remote vehicle tracking. Rest assured, parents, even if your teen’s vehicle isn’t equipped with these, there are options for you, too! Life360 is a family networking app that can monitor your child’s whereabouts AND provide you with details of their driving history. Another, more vehicle specific teen driving app is the TrueMotion Family Safe Driving App, which allows parents to virtually tag along on your teen’s trips and monitor their safe driving habits. TrueMotion also allows you to see where is teen is at and how they got there.
Be Prepared
Watch the weather, have an emergency kit on hand and, most importantly, always make sure you are driving a well-functioning vehicle. The Green Team at LOF-Xpress™ can help keep your car running well with regular oil changes and our MORE Services. This month we’re offering great specials, perfect for preparing your vehicle for teen drivers!
