Teen Driving Tips with Auto Safety Kit Giveaway

My 17 year old daughter just took her driving road test last week.  She has had a Learner’s Permit for over a year, but during the test she had trouble with the parallel parking.  She hit the curb when she tried to park – twice.  So needless to say she didn’t pass the test!  That means more weeks of practice for her, and more time before she is driving on her own.

Having teenagers driving makes me very nervous!  There is so much to learn about driving, and they need lots and lots of time behind the wheel.  And when school is out in the summer it is actually the most dangerous time of the year, probably because there are so many more kids out driving and traveling.

Share some tips and resources with you on teenage drivers, and how you can keep them safe.

Set Rules

The more specific the rules are the better. Emphasizing the importance of seat belts, not texting or calling while driving, and of course not drinking and driving is key.  Even the things you think are perfectly obvious should be discussed, because what is obvious to adults is not necessarily clear to teens.  And of course you have to model this behavior too, because if your child sees you getting your phone out while in the car to send a quick text they aren’t going to listen to what you say!

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recommends negotiating a written teen driving contract.  They even have a customizable Teen Driving Contract to get you started.  This makes a lot of sense, because my daughter is a lot more likely to agree to restrictions on things like the number of passengers and time of day she can be driving now, before she actually has her license than if I try to set limits once she been driving on her own.

Be Prepared

Even for the safest drivers accidents happen.  And I know exactly what my daughter would do after an accident – panic!  It is important to make sure that everyone knows what steps to take to stay safe and what information to exchange if an accident occurs.

Know the Cost

Adding a teen driver to your auto insurance policy can be extremely costly. This is the one big benefit for me of my daughter not passing the test – I don’t have to add her to our auto policy yet!  But once she has her license it is going to be expensive, and even a minor parking lot fender-bender from her will make it even more expensive.