4 Ways to Help Teen Drivers Avoid Collisions
While it might feel like yesterday that they were in diapers, you might now have a teen in your home anxiously counting down the days until their 16th birthday. Or the date when they are eligible to take the test for their license. Learning to drive or getting your license can be a thrilling time in a teen’s life, but parents need to take steps to help their novice drivers prevent an accident.
Teen driving has accounted for several accidents over the years. By helping your teen practice things like defensive driving and teaching your teen to respect the driving experience, you have options to help better prepare them for the open road.
Parents can always use a little help to prepare their teens for driving a motor vehicle in the real world. Peruzzi Collision Center, the top auto body repair shop serving Bensalem, PA, has laid out some of our top tips to help get your teens ready for the road — and not in need of our collision repair services.
Ease Their Anxiety
The anxiety behind the wheel of a car is a natural feeling for first-time drivers, and in certain situations, even experienced ones. For teens, the combination of lack of experience and the various changes that they deal with as they grow up can lead to higher levels of anxiety while they’re driving.
Many teen drivers underestimate how stressful driving can be, which increases their probability of getting into an accident on busy roads. While they may think that they have everything under control, specific situations can cause their anxiety to spike and make mistakes. Reassure your teen that there’s nothing wrong with pulling over and waiting for traffic to clear before heading back onto the road if it is safe to do so.
Prevent Cell Phone Usage
According to the National Safety Council data, cell phones play a role in 23% of collisions. Though no driver should be using a cell phone on the road, teens are more likely to do so. While they may think that they are the exception to the rule, distracted driving can lead to severe accidents and more severe consequences due to a momentary lapse in judgment.
Encourage your teen to avoid the temptation by informing them of the dangers of distracted driving. You can even encourage your teen to leave their phone in the backseat, in the center console, or somewhere else out of reach.
Limit the Number of Passengers
Whether on the way to the next party, school, or other social function, bad things can happen if they’re packing too many people into the car. The more people in the car, the more likely the driver doesn’t have their full attention on the road. This hazard increases exponentially as more of their friends pile into the car.
For teen drivers, carrying too many passengers increases the chances of an accident exponentially. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that the presence of a passenger in the car raises a teen’s chance of getting into an accident by 48%, and two passengers increase this chance by 258%.
Model Great Driving Habits
The best way to instill in your teenagers good driving habits is to showcase good driving habits. Always make sure you wear your seat belt, always use your turn signals, don’t look at your phone while driving, and practice safe driving tactics while your teen is in the car with you.
As a parent, your teen will look to you to learn how to stay safe when driving. You can do a world of good — and save on extensive repair work — by practicing good driving habits with your teen in the car. By modeling good driving habits yourself, your teen will be more likely to follow the rules of the road themselves.
If you or your teen finds themselves in an accident in the coming year, get the collision repair in Levittown, PA that you need to get back on the road fast with Peruzzi Collision Center! 800-736-4450