The number one cause of death for teens in the United States is automobile accidents. Don’t let this keep your little chickies from leaving the nest when the time comes. Being aware of these issues if you are raising a novice driver, can help you guide your teen in steering clear of the 4 common teen driving mistakes.
1. Driving Too Fast
As a young person, one is sometimes instinctively averse to rules. Youth can come with a sense of invincibility. Think back to when you were young, and how you could have acted differently. It’s probable that your baby will break the speed limit. Many teens can be rebellious, so this can be difficult to prevent. It may seem futile to explain why the speed limit is necessary, but try explaining it in a way they will understand.
Something like this:
“I know it can be fun to drive fast. I broke the speed limit when I was your age. That wasn’t wise. The speed limit is there to protect you. If a driver slams their brakes, and you are driving too fast, you run out of reaction time. I don’t mean to nitpick. I just want you to be safe.”
2. Distracted Driving
Can a cell phone can be more dangerous than alcohol?
Statistically, more teens are killed by distracted driving than drunk driving. Eliminate a “Do as I say, not as I do attitude”.If you want your child to take your warnings seriously, then don’t text while driving. Help them learn self-restraint.
It can wait.
In today’s youth culture, most teens expect a text to be answered immediately. Your teen is likely not to heed warnings that tell them to not text at all.
Talk to them about the risks. Offer them the ability to send friends a heads-up. A quick text that says, “About to be driving. Might be slow to respond,” before they begin operating the car.
3. Risk-taking
Because teenagers tend to feel invincible. They may seek to take more risks than adults. The human brain isn’t fully mature until the early 20’s. That’s why, as psychologists explain, young people are more impulsive. Impulsivity can lead to poor driving habits, such as:
- Drunk driving
- Running red lights
- Not wearing a seat belt
- Not checking their blind spot
Just telling them, “Don’t do that!” can cause them to rebel. Once again, explain why all safe driving habits are important.
4. Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can be a menace. Your teen might be a safe driver when they’re alone, but when a teen is driving with a friend in the car, that can change in a negative direction.
This can be especially impressionable for boys who are two times more likely to die in a car accident. However, girls aren’t so innocent. They exhibit some of these same poor behaviors.
Do not let your teen drive recklessly. Make sure to take their safety education seriously and without hesitation. When teens are driving with some of these bad habits it can lead to deadly accidents. Teach them to curb their rebellion and impulsivity. You love them, so keep them safe on the road.
