It is now well known that distracted driving behavior is a leading cause of injurious and fatal accidents involving teenagers. This behavior poses a significant risk to their safety and the safety of others on the road.
From texting and using social media to eating and adjusting the radio, numerous distractions can take a young driver’s attention away from the task of driving. If you are a parent of a teenager, it’s important to educate your child about the dangers of distracted driving and implement strategies to help them stay focused when they’re behind the wheel.
Set a good example
Even when they profess to want to be anything like them, teenagers often emulate their parents’ behavior. As such, it’s important to model good driving habits, even if you don’t think that your teen is paying any attention to your efforts. Avoid using your phone, eating or engaging in other distractions while driving. Demonstrate the importance of staying focused on the road by keeping both hands on the wheel and both eyes on traffic. When your teen sees you practicing safe driving habits, they will become statistically more likely to adopt these behaviors themselves.
Set clear expectations
It’s important to have an open and honest discussion with your teen about the dangers of distracted driving. Explain how distractions, even momentary ones, can lead to devastating consequences, such as accidents, injuries or fatalities. Make sure your teen understands that no text, call or social media update is worth risking their life and the lives of others.
To that end, establishing a strict “no phone” policy while driving can significantly reduce the risk of distractions. Encourage your teen to put their phone in the glove compartment, back seat or trunk while driving. If they need to use GPS, make sure it’s set up before they start driving. Many smartphones have features like “Do Not Disturb While Driving,” which can silence notifications and send automated replies to texts, letting others know the driver is unavailable. Make use of these features to help your teen avoid the temptation of checking their phone while on the road.
Set up a contract
You may even want to consider drafting a family driving contract that outlines the rules and expectations for safe driving in your family, including a commitment to avoiding distractions. Include consequences for breaking the rules, such as losing driving privileges for a certain period. Having a signed agreement can serve as a reminder of their commitment to safe driving and make them more accountable.
While no effort that you make guarantees that your teen will listen to you, doing all you can to help keep them safe will give you greater peace of mind — and them a greater chance of arriving at all destinations safely.