Many teens are on the road now and they are among the most inexperienced drivers among us. It is critical to help them understand the rules of the road and to teach them about safety precautions that they can take when they get behind the wheel so they can avoid getting into a Connecticut car accident and causing injury or property damage to themselves or others who they are sharing the road with.
While teens can be notoriously challenging to convince of their own mortality, it is critically important that they understand that driving is a privilege and that getting behind the wheel of a vehicle can become deadly quickly. In order to bring this point home for them it is important that parents talk with their kids about the dangers of driving and how the teen’s actions can lead to life altering situations.
Many parents may not believe this, but when it comes to driving, one thing your teen respects is YOU. It’s true, teens have been known to ignore a parent or two over the course of time, but when it comes to driving safety they model their own driving after how you drive and your behavior behind the wheel will directly impact theirs. It is for this reason that talking to your teen is not the only thing you can do to keep them safe; you can also model the appropriate behavior of a safe driver so when your teen watches what you’re doing behind the wheel, they can mirror that back when it is their turn.
What should you be talking to your teen about so that they can stay safe behind the wheel?
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The most important piece of driving wisdom that you can impart on your teen is to make sure she/he is always wearing a seatbelt. A seatbelt is the most significant piece of safety equipment that any driver can use to keep themselves safe. If you are able to successfully convince your teen that they should wear a seatbelt you are more than half way to keeping them safe behind the wheel.
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Slow down. This is a tough one because teens think they are invincible and getting behind the wheel of a car and racing over the speed limit is one way they can prove that, but excessive speed is one of the most dangerous things you can do in a car. Getting this information into your teen’s head is critical to their safety. You must impress upon your teen that following the speed limit is her/his best defense against serious injury.
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Always signal a turn. This is a good rule of thumb for all drivers who tend to get lazy and feel a turn signal is not always needed. A turn signal is ALWAYS needed.
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Pay attention to the road in front of them. Teens have a LOT of distractions in the car like their cell phone, food, friends, etc. and if they are more focused on those distractions then the road in front of them can have devastating impacts. It is important that your teen is not distracted when driving.
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Maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of or behind you. Keeping your vehicle safely in front of or behind the vehicles you are sharing the road with can be one of the best ways your teen can increase her/his reaction time and avoid getting struck.
Truth be told, if you can get your teen to follow a majority of the tips above, you will be well on your way to helping keep her/him safe from a Connecticut car accident and any injury or property damage that may result from this type of accident. Teens are not biologically worse drivers than those who are older, but they are just inexperienced so sharing these safety tips with them can help keep them safe. Most importantly though, you should model these good behaviors for your teen while they are riding along with you as the driver.
In the event that your teen is in an accident and is injured you may need to speak with an experienced attorney. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will speak with you about your situation and work with you on protecting your son or daughter’s long-term interests.
