Safety tips for parents of teen drivers

Car crashes are the leading cause of death among adolescents and the risk increases during the summer.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death among adolescents and the risk rises again during the summer months. More free time, curfew relaxed parenting, and less overall supervision combine to create a higher risk for road accidents and teenage deaths when school is out. In 2009, more teenagers died in the months of July and August than any other month of the year. Here are 10 key safety tips to help your teen stay safe on the road during the summer.

1. Buckle up. Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest utilization rate of seat belt and the majority of teenagers involved in fatal crashes are unbelted. Parents should set a good example by buckling up themselves and make adolescents aware of the importance of using seat belts.

2. Turn the phone. Sixteen percent of all teenage drivers involved in fatal accidents are distracted. Texting or talking on the phone combined with the inexperience of young drivers is a recipe for disaster. Set the rules on land use in the early phones in the car. The Department of Transportation Reports and consumers set up a brochure describing distracted driving six steps parents can take. Download the brochure and share it with your teen.

3. Limit passengers. Do not let your teen’s vehicle left the bus. Friends in the car can be a serious distraction. Limit the number of passengers your teen can carry. Most of the licensing laws already graduated set limits, but make sure your state laws or define your own rules. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that limiting passengers is an area to help reduce fatal crashes among teenagers.

4. Slow it down. Parents are the greatest influence on how teens drive. Teen accidents are more likely to result in excessive speed, especially with male drivers. Make sure your teen knows that driving above the speed limit can lead to a ticket (which they should pay for), higher insurance rates, or even a fatal accident.

5. Do not drink and drive. Adolescents are at increased risk of death in crashes involving alcohol, even if they are below the legal drinking age. They may be less likely than adults to drive drunk, but their crash risk is much higher because of their inexperience with both drinking and driving. Make sure your teen is home calling comfortable if they feel they can not drive or are in a situation where a friend is drinking and driving. While parents do not want to condone drinking, it is best to keep communication open, so that a teen can call for help if necessary.

6. Do not drive at night. In 2009, 17 percent of the deaths were adolescents between 21 pm and midnight, and 26 percent occurred between midnight and 6 am To reduce night driving is a way to address this hazard. Parents need to set curfews and be aware of where and when your children are at the origin.

7. Turn down. Teens love music, but it is important to be able to hear road noise around you. Also, make sure that your teen not to drive with headphones on. Encourage them to turn off the radio and concentrate on the road. It is important to be aware not only of sight but also the sounds of the road as well.

8. Do not drive if you do not have to. If the weather is bad or your teen is tired or upset, do not let them drive. Take unnecessary risks just increases your chance of getting in an accident. And talk to your teen when it rains, the roads are much smoother, especially in the oldest part of the storm, where a thin layer of water, sand and oil can produce very slippery surfaces.

9. Wear comfortable and functional. With summer here, many teenagers go around in flip flops and everything is fine for the beach, it is not clear behind the wheel. A flip-flop can easily get caught in the brake pedal or accelerator. The same goes for high heels or boots wholesale. Ask your teen to wear a proper pair of shoes behind the wheel and save the fashion statement for later. Sneakers may be left in the car just in case.

10. Make sure your teen has a car safe and well maintained. To ensure that the tires of the car have a lot of bearing left and the pressures are set correctly. Make sure all lights work, brakes are in good condition, and the air bags function properly (as in, there are no warning lights on). If you can not afford a new car, a recent vehicle model years will do.

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