Primarily due to their inexperience behind the wheel,
teenage drivers are much more likely than adults to get into accidents.
Fortunately, there are things parents can do to help keep their teens safe on
the road, while boosting their own peace of mind.
In its new safety brochure, "Can I Borrow the
Car?," GEICO offers these 10 tips for parents to help reduce accidents
among their teen drivers:
1. Limit night driving. Many teen car crashes take place
between 9 p.m. and 12 midnight. Beginning drivers should be restricted to
driving during the day initially.
2. Keep it slow and safe for starters. Remember that teens
need to stay away from fast-moving, high-volume traffic until they feel
comfortable in such situations.
3. Train for poor weather conditions. Limit your teen's
driving during periods of bad weather until the teen demonstrates a high level
of competence and confidence.
4. Restrict cell phones to emergency use only. Don't let
bad habits begin. Provide your young teen with a cell phone for the car for
emergency situations only.
5. Choose safe vehicles for your children. Proper
attention to the vehicle a teen drives is as important as his or her actual
driving.
√ Avoid small cars, trucks and sport utility
vehicles.
√ Look for automobiles with high safety ratings (air
bags, crumple zones, etc.).
6. Remember you are a role model. New drivers learn a lot
by example, so practice safe driving. Teens with poor driving records often
reflect the behavior of parents with poor driving records.
7. Supervise as much practice driving as possible. Parents
should take an active role in the teenager's driving practice. Make a firm
schedule to supervise your future driver and stick to it.
8. Be firm about safety belt use. Require that your
teenagers wear safety belts at all times-no exceptions.
9. Discuss realistic consequences of drug and alcohol use.
Let them hear it from you that alcohol and drug use is totally unacceptable when
driving.
10. Restrict passengers. Having more passengers in a car
increases the chance of greater risk-taking, because of greater peer pressure
and because it leads to greater distractions.
To get a free copy of GEICO's "Can I Borrow the
Car?" Ten Tips brochure and other teen safe driving materials, go to www.geico.com/cars/teen_safety.htm.
see also: Reducig Injury and Death in Teen Drivers<
posted 10/24/02
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as
medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your child’s pediatrician.
Please read our full disclaimer.
