How to Keep Your Teens Safe Behind the Wheel

Teens learning how to drive and becoming licensed drivers can be highly nerve-racking for parents. There are many reasons to be nervous due to the prevalence of distracted driving due to cell phone usage, lack of seatbelt habits, or even the pressure to drink and drive. Despite this, there are methods to keep teens safe behind the wheel by instilling good habits, monitoring driving behaviors, and creating an open line of communication so you can help if they ever need it. If your teen has suffered injuries due to a negligent driver, you may recover compensatory damages with the help of a seasoned Florida lawyer.

Attorney Frank P. Marsalisi of Marsalisi Law understands the importance of keeping teens safe behind the wheel, offering dedicated representation to victims who have been harmed in car accidents caused by negligence. We have recovered millions in settlements and judgments on behalf of countless victims and are here for you to fight for the complete monetary compensation you deserve.

4 Tips to Keep Your Teens Safe Behind the Wheel

If you have a teen driver, you may wonder what strategies you can take to keep them safe behind the wheel. By instilling good driving habits and utilizing other important guidelines, your teen may be equipped with the necessary resources to become a model driver.

The following are four tips to keep your teens safe behind the wheel:

1. Set a Good Example

One of the most useful ways to encourage your teen to be safe behind the wheel is to model good driver behaviors.  Kids often imitate their parents’ behavior. With this in mind, always wear your seatbelt, put your phone away while driving, follow the rules of the road closely, and stay calm to discourage aggressive driving responses.

2. Have an Open Line of Communication

If teens experience an uncomfortable or unsafe situation, it is imperative that they feel safe asking you for help.  Having an open line of communication, without judgment, can help keep them out of situations such as drinking and driving or car collisions that may be caused by driver negligence. Mistakes happen and can be remedied before they worsen if your teen comes to you for support.

3. Use Technology to Enforce Good Driving Habits

Cell phone usage while driving and speeding is one of the most prominent reasons teens get into unsafe driving situations, such as car collisions or traffic violations. There are many technological solutions to ensuring and enforcing good driving habits if you are concerned about your teen. For instance, there are apps that inhibit the phone from operating while the car is in motion.

If you are worried about speeding, some programs and widgets can notify you if they sense speeding, sudden stops, and other unsafe driving behaviors. Keeping track of these bad habits can help you work to adjust them over time with your teen. Additionally, it may be enough for them to know that you are keeping track of their road habits to encourage safer decisions.

4. Consider a Teen Driving Contract

Before your teen begins driving on their own, you may want to consider putting them under a driving contract. The guidelines of the contract may cover the following:

• Car occupants must wear seat belts;
• Drivers must follow the speed limit and obey all other traffic laws;
• Driving while intoxicated is prohibited;
• Allowing someone else to drive the vehicle is not permitted;
• Alcohol, drugs, or weapons are banned from the vehicle;
• Concealing any traffic violation citations received is not permitted;
• Hiding car accident information is not permitted.

There are many templates online, such as the AAA parent-teen driving contract, that can be reviewed and signed before they are allowed to drive.

Speak With an Experienced Florida Car Accident Lawyer at Marsalisi Law

There are many strategies you may take to keep your teen safe behind the wheel. Being a good driver example, using technology to enforce specific rules, and introducing driving contracts are some great examples of methods to guide your teen to develop good driving habits.  At Marsalisi Law, we also understand that you cannot control other drivers on the road. If your teen is in an accident due to a negligent driver, we will fight to secure the complete compensation they deserve for physical, financial, or emotional losses suffered.

Contact us today for a no-cost case consultation at (727) 800-5052 or fill out our contact form. We are fluent in both English and Spanish. Marsalisi Law is Where Law Gets Personal!