Teen drivers are far more likely to cause or get into an accident than older drivers. This is mainly because teens have far less experience driving. Driving experience can only come from spending more time behind the wheel of the car. There are however some steps that teen drivers can take to be safer and better drivers.
Turn The Phone Off
Texting and driving is fast becoming one of the major causes of car accidents among teen drivers. Simply turning off the phone or other mobile devices before driving is highly recommended to prevent getting distracted or being tempted to take a call or text. Calls and texts can wait and if it is urgent, simply pull over in a safe area and text as much as you please.
Drinking And Driving
Most teens think that they can get away with drinking and driving. However, even one drink can impair coordination, reflexes and other factors that are important to driving safely. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is not to get behind the wheel of a car if you have had any alcohol to drink whatsoever.
Vigilance
Part of being an experienced driver is being vigilant and being able to predict what other drivers on the road are going to do before they do it. Being aware of your surroundings, other drivers and keeping your eyes on the road can go a long way to reducing the risk of getting into an accident.
Driving Courses
There are advanced driving courses available for teens to increase their driver experience and teach them what to do when faced with certain challenges on the road.
Taking one of these courses is the ideal way to improve driver safety and may even get you a discount on your car insurance. Drivers Ed is a good start and defensive driving is also recommended.
Practice Makes Perfect
Although there is no such thing as a perfect driver, practice can improve the ability to stay safe on the road. Drive in secure, quiet areas to get to know your car better. Different cars handle differently and it is important to get to know your car. Drive on all types of roads at different times of day including freeways to get experience of various roads and driving conditions. It is however recommended that teens avoid driving during rush hour when the most accidents are likely to occur – between 3pm and 6pm.
Safety Belt
The safety belt is there for a reason – to protect you in the event of an accident – so wear it. Whether you are in a major accident or simply hit the brakes to hard, your safety belt will help prevent injury and could even help you avoid a fatality. Make sure that all the safety belts in the car are functioning properly before driving. It is recommended for teens not to drive with passengers in the car, especially other teens who aren’t belted in.
Speeding
It is in the nature of every teen to drive as fast as they can but this is incredibly dangerous. Stick to the speed limit. Although you might not understand the reason for a limit, road conditions and other variables have been carefully assessed to improve driver safety in specific areas at specific speeds. That said, it is just as important to pay attention to following distance and avoid overtaking slower vehicles who are adhering to the speed limit.
Simply following the rules of the road and increasing driving experience can lead to a much safer teen driver.
