Top Five Things to Teach your Teenage Driver
Provided By: CarInsurance.com
I am fortunate enough to live in a state where you are required to have your learners permit for at least a year.I say fortunate because it took that year for my parents to get used to the idea of me driving. My mom is the picture perfect backseat driver.My father was forced to sit in the front seat and teach me the ropes of driving, due to the fact that if my mother were to be in the front seat she would have a heart attack. Needless to say when I received my learners permit my mother was horrified every time I got behind the wheel.
My mother would sit in the back seat and shriek and cringe anytime I would change lanes or approach an unprotected left turn. However I was learning to drive. I remember thinking to myself "I can't wait until I am sixteen and I don't have to deal with the added anxiety of my parents in the car." After experiencing those couple of years learning the ropes of driving I have done some thinking and come up with five things to teach your teenage driver.
The number one, most important thing to teach your teenage driver is give yourself enough room from the car in front of you.
If your teenage driver is following too closely to the car in front of them and they are forced to slam on the brakes your teenage driver has no where to go but into the back of the other car, resulting in an accident. It is one of the best habits to form. Not to mention if your teenage driver has a habit of following too closely and they are involved in an accident their insurance premiums are going to skyrocket.
The second thing to teach a teenager is to always wear your seatbelt.
This is not just for your teenage driver. If you as a parent do not wear a seat belt, odds are your teenage driver has picked up on that. Seat belts are there for a reason. They save lives. That is why states have seat belt laws. They are not a fashion statement or a driving accessory. So wear a seatbelt!
Keep in consideration the volume of the radio.
There is no reason that the volume level of music must seem like you are standing next to the speaker at a hip hop concert. Not only is it damaging to your teenage driver's hearing, but also very distracting. I know when I was going through the faze, where the music in my car had to be so loud that every car around me was able to hear the newest Eminem jam, I was unable to listen to just one CD, so I was continually searching under my seat for a new one. Obviously my focus was not directed at my driving.
Another very important thing to teach your teenage driver is to service your vehicle on a regular basis.
It is important that your vehicle always be in tiptop shape. If your tires are bald and your breaks are not well maintained you will be unable to stop as sharply and quickly thus increasing your odds of an accident. Also you do not want a teenager to experience a breakdown in the middle of traffic and cause an accident. Always make sure that your vehicle is running to its best potential.
Lastly never drive without Auto Insurance.
Countless numbers of people in the state of Florida are driving without insurance. If you are caught driving without insurance, your license may get suspended. Getting a suspended license is both an aggravating and costly experience. If you are involved in an accident while you are not carrying insurance you may have to carry a SR-22, which is a financial responsibility to the state. Always carry insurance and carry as much coverage as you can afford.
Try to keep all of these things in mind while you are teaching your teenage driver how to drive, be patient and offer your guidance. It is important to be confident behind the wheel.
If someone has not been taught to drive properly they are lacking confidence. A confident driver makes for a good driver. I would also recommend signing your teenager up for a driver's education course. If anything it will reinforce the things you teach them while they are driving. Best of luck to you and your teenager, from the entire Carinsurance.com team.
My call was handled extremely well. I appreciate the patience and service.
Martina F.
Silver Springs, MD
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