Eager to teach your kids to drive themselves, but worried about the dangers that come with this self-sufficiency? The following tips will help you prepare your children to drive safely and effectively.
Safe Driving Incentives
Before you let your teen out on the road, make him or her sign a driving contract that stipulates your expectations for safe driving and the consequences of violating those expectations. Also, offer positive incentives if your child drives safely for a long period of time. If he or she goes for six months without driving unsafely or getting in an accident, buy him or her something they’ve had their eye on.
Another strategy is to make your child shoulder the financial consequences of his or her driving. If your child gets a speeding ticket, for example, he or she should have to pay it. If, on the other hand, your child drives safely for a long time, your insurance premiums will go down; consider giving him or her some of the money you save.
Essential Items
Never let your child out on the road unprepared. In anticipation of accidents, breakdowns, and other misfortunes, make sure your child has access to the following items and knows how to use them:
- Jumper cables
- Spare tires
- A tire pump and pressure gauge
- A first aid kit
- A flashlight
- Health bars or other non-perishable food
- Water
- Blankets
- An ice scraper
Parking Lot Practice
Before your kid takes to the road, make him or her practice with you in a parking lot. Parking lots provide opportunities to practice a wide range of skills, including quick starts and stops, sharp turns, speed bumps, and, of course, parking. Never practice in a parking lot unless it’s empty. Look for a lot around an abandoned building or in a sparsely-populated area to minimize the danger your child presents to other drivers and pedestrians.
Car Crash Preparations
While it’s best to avoid car crashes, they do happen, and your child should be prepared to deal with the consequences. Download our Car Crash Checklist and print it out or store in on your teen’s phone. If they do end up in a car accident, they can refer to the list to see what they need to do.
And if you or your child has been injured in an accident, don’t hesitate to call Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle, P.C. in Amarillo, Texas, for representation.