When your teenager finally gets their driving license, it’s the best thing ever – for them. For you, on the other hand, it can be terrifying to think of them out on the road by themselves.
You know that the ability to anticipate, and react to, what some road users are going to do comes only with experience. Sometimes you need to have eyes everywhere to watch out for potentially dangerous and reckless driving of other people. So, what can you do to help your teen be aware of what to look out for?
Stay alert at all times
When teenagers get together in a vehicle, it can get loud. There are also so many other distractions such as eating, drinking, using their cell phone and playing music. As a new driver, they may not realize just what impact all of these activities can have on their ability to concentrate on their surroundings. It only takes a split second for another road user to make a bad maneuver or take a dangerous turn.
Encourage your teen driver to focus only on driving while they’re in the car. That doesn’t mean not having any music or passengers, but it does mean keeping distractions to a minimum. Let them know that, as a driver, you can often hear a dangerous driver before you see them so it’s important to be able to listen out for risks.
Always keep a good distance from other vehicles
Maintaining an adequate distance from the car in front of you can be the difference between a crash occurring and being avoided. Advise your teen driver to always make sure they’re leaving enough stopping distance between themselves and the car in front. That way, if the driver makes any sudden stops, they’ll have enough space to be able to brake. Emphasize that in bad weather, this distance should be even longer to account for wet and slippery roads.
If your teen has found themselves injured in a car accident that was caused by the negligent or dangerous driving of another vehicle, they should not have to suffer. There are damages available to account for their injuries and potential losses that occurred as a result.