Safe driving for teens is extremely important since teen drivers cause more car accidents than any other age group. By practicing safe driving techniques such as defensive driving, these teens can increase the odds of keeping safe on the road – and give more chances of getting a more affordable car insurance for good driving record.
Tips On Safe Driving For Teens
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Cory Bouthillette
Whether you’re a teen ready to hit the road or a driver of a few years now, here are some tips on safe driving for teens:
Keep your phone off.
Studies indicate that using a phone while driving is equivalent to the drunk-driving – even when you are using a hands-free phone.
In fact, some states already prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, and more of them are creating laws about texting and other cell phone use. As a safety precaution, younger drivers are said to face stricter laws.
Avoid texting.
Research showed that texting, on average can cause a loss of focus on the road for about 4.6 seconds – enough time to drive the length of a football field. That being said, that length and time of distraction can cause a lot of accidents, so remember to keep your eyes on the road.
Don’t try the “texting-while-stopped” approach either as most states ban texting while behind the wheel – with your head down, you won’t notice what is going on around you. Just because you are idling doesn’t mean that nothing else is happening. Always be alert while behind the wheel.
Turn on headlights
Headlights increase your visibility and will help other drivers see you, even when you feel that it’s still light out. In the early morning or early evening, it is necessary to use the light for visibility purposes – otherwise the likelihood of road accidents or disasters could increase significantly.
Follow the speed limit
Speeding is one of the major contributors to teen accidents. This is especially true when driving on roads with lots of traffic that you are not familiar with. Don’t feel pressured into keeping up with the traffic when everyone else seems to be flying by.
Safety is better than speed in this case, as running on a safe and comfortable speed will ensure your well being and keep you away from traffic tickets. Remember that these tickets can cause a sharp increase to your insurance premiums as it can be considered reckless or unsafe driving.
Minimize distractions.
While it is tempting to eat, drink, or flip the radio dial – especially on long drives, all these things can cause distractions when driving and may cause your mind to wander for a few seconds.
For inexperienced and teen drivers, this could be a reason to lose control of your car, and can increase chances that you will not notice impending danger, or realize it too late, or you will lose the ability to control your vehicle. Remember to stay alert while on the road – the slightest mistake could cost a life.
Practice defensive driving
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When on the road, you should be aware of the traffic ahead, behind, and next to you, and you should be able to screen the road properly in case of less-than-ideal circumstances coming your way. Stay at least one car length behind the car before you in slow speeds, but maintain a large buffer zone in faster speeds to ensure safety.
Take note, some car insurance companies will give you discounts if you have taken an approved driving course to improve your skills on the road.
Choose a safe car.
Today’s vehicles are equipped with safety features such as anti-lock brakes, stability control, and airbags. There are also those with excellent crash safety record that you should look into, and GPS tracking systems that could have an emergency response feature to ensure safety, especially if the main driver of the vehicle is the teen in your home.
The short of it:
There can be no substitute to safe driving that comes with experience, but whatever age you are, the tips above can help ensure that you won’t be part of the statistics. We hope that you consider these tips on safe driving for teens so that you can be a better driver on the road, and equipped with Trackimo GPS tracker, you will worry no more about where your teen is heading and how fast your teenager is going.
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