AUTO & HOME
Are You Worried About Your New Teen Driver?
Prepare a new driver for the road with enrollment in the teenSMART™ driver safety program.
Sending a new driver out into the world can be scary. Teens may be legally able to drive, but they are still inexperienced and learning the rules of the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers age 16–19 in the United States are almost three times more likely to be in fatal crashes than drivers age 20 and older. The risk is highest for those who are 16–17 years old, usually the first year a teen has his or her license.
We hear a lot about the possible negative effects of helicopter parenting, but helping your new teen driver become a better driver is one time when you should hover a bit. So, what can you do?
- Continually have conversations about safe driving. Talk with your teen about what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the danger zones. The CDC says the leading causes of teen accidents include: driver inexperience, driving with teen passengers, driving at night, driving while drowsy, distracted driving, and driving recklessly or impaired by alcohol.
- Sign a family driving agreement. This clearly outlines the driving rules for the family. Part of the contract is the parent agreeing to be a good driving example for his or her teen. You can find a driving agreement on the CDC’s site.
- Enroll your teen in the teenSMART driver safety program. The program helps new drivers learn crash avoidance skills by engaging and educating them with realistic and challenging driving simulations. Using interactive lessons and activities for both parents and teens, the program will teach new drivers to anticipate dangerous situations, recognize how risk fluctuates as they drive, sharpen situational awareness, and learn to expect the unexpected.
Get $50 from ADEPT off the normal cost of teenSMART, leaving only $69.95 (excluding tax and fees) by going to teensmartdriving.com.
It can be risky out there but we can’t keep our teens home forever. Parenting is about giving our teens the tools that will allow them to be successful in life. Help your new driver become a better driver by learning the skills to make life-saving decisions in real time.