Tips to Prepare Your Teenager for Safe Driving

As a parent, watching your kids grow up can be both rewarding and bewildering. Seeing them take on major responsibilities, like driving a car, can be especially nerve-wracking. While you want your child to enjoy the freedom and mobility that comes with a driver's license, you also want them to stay safe — and it's no secret that younger drivers are more prone to accidents. This is due in part to simple inexperience as well as the higher likelihood of younger drivers to take risks, like speeding. Find out what you can do to keep your novice driver safe on the road with the following tips.

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Get a Safe Starter Car

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases a list of the safest cars from that year. You don't have to splurge on a brand-new model to keep your teenager safe, however. You can also take a look at previous lists and scope out the used car market. Just make sure to do thorough research to ensure the automobile is still in good working order and that elements like airbags are intact. Ask about the vehicle's history, whether the owner still has the original title, and where they take the car for inspections. It's also smart to have a full inspection done before buying.

Invest in the Right Insurance

Unfortunately, you will have to resign yourself to the fact that your teen's car insurance will cost extra. Insurers know that young people are more prone to accidents and reckless driving behavior, and they will charge accordingly. Gender also makes a difference (insuring your son will cost more than your daughter), as does location. When looking for an insurer, shop around and don't settle on the first offer. You can keep rates low by getting a practical car, which is less costly to insure; Forbes advises on steering clear of flashy SUVs or sports cars, for example. Some companies give price breaks to kids who demonstrate good grades.

Educate Them About Common Driving Mistakes

While you can’t make up for a lack of experience, you can encourage safe driving with education. So, practice with your teen driver as much as possible; you can help correct common mistakes from the passenger seat. Also teach kids about common dangers, such as distracted driving. This is especially important for social media-addicted young people. Beware that many states even have laws against texting and driving; teens that get caught may face fines and even a license suspension. More important, texting while driving is very dangerous: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claims some 3,177 lives per year. To keep your teen from texting and driving, you could invest in a mount to keep their phone in place so they can utilize GPS but not text.

Teach Them the Basics of Car Maintenance

Finally, ensure your child knows what to do when roadside emergencies happen. Provide them with a hands-on tutorial regarding basic car maintenance. They should know how to change the oil, tires, and spark plugs, at the least. Also, make sure they know who to call in case of emergencies, such as your state's AAA operator. Equip their car with an emergency package containing reflectors, a first aid kit, and jumper cables. Hopefully, they won't ever need it but it's best to be prepared just in case!

With these steps, you will be able to instill safe driving habits in your teen and also equip them with the security gear they need. This allows them to feel secure on the road and also allows you to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they are well-equipped to handle whatever may come their way. As a parent, knowing your child is safe is the most important thing.