Articles Tagged with teen drivers

Teen drivers are at higher risk of being involved in a crash during their novice years than at any other point in their driving careers. In addition to teaching teens about safe driving techniques and forbidding hazards such as drunk, distracted and drowsy driving, parents can help to reduce the likelihood of their teens being involved in car accidents by ensuring that the vehicles they drive are safe.

A good rule of thumb is that when you are deciding between two vehicle models, always opt for the one boasting the most effective and advanced safety features. Preventing car accidents is not always possible. However, reducing the risk that your teen will become injured or perish in a crash can be prevented in many cases if the vehicle he or she is driving is as safe as possible.

If you are purchasing a used vehicle, make sure that the air bags in the car have not been replaced with models recently recalled as defective. Auto sellers were not obligated to replace many of these defective air bag models, so it is imperative that you do your research with regards to this critical safety feature.

Becoming a licensed driver is a rite of passage in the lives of American youth. Some parents take an active role in their children’s initial driving years, while others adopt more of a “sink or swim” approach. Regardless of their methods, most parents care deeply about their children’s safety behind the wheel. However, evidence strongly suggests that teens whose parents actively teach, monitor and enforce restrictions related to their driving habits are less likely to be involved in devastating car accidents.

As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently urged parents to create and enforce driving safety limits and general rules for teens who are old enough to be behind the wheel. While it may often seem as if teens do not care how their parents act or what they say, evidence supports the premise that parental modeling and rule enforcement have a significant impact in the driving habits that teens develop.

This message is critical, given that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among older American teenagers. So what can parents do specifically to keep their teens safer? The NHTSA suggests the following: