“Every year more than two thousand teen drivers are involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Time and again we hear stories about teens whose inexperience, when combined with unnecessary risk-taking, like not wearing a seat belt, results in tragedy.
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Safe Kids Worldwide recommends the following top driving safety tips for teen drivers.
- Talk to your teens about how to be safe while driving. Remind teens to buckle up in every car, every time, follow traffic signals and laws and take extra time to scan for pedestrians when entering and exiting driveways and alleys.
- Make a formal agreement with your teen and enforce it. A 2016 research report by Safe Kids Worldwide showed that formal parent-teen agreements regarding driving restrictions help reduce risky driving, traffic violations and crashes.
- Let your actions speak as loud as your words. Kids are always watching, even when you think they’re not. So, set a good example when kids and teens are in the car. If you buckle up, they will buckle up; if you speed, they will likely speed.
- Ensure your new teen driver gets at least 50 hours of experience under a variety of driving conditions. Having more experience behind the wheel helps new drivers manage driving in the dark and driving with other teen passengers in the car, situations that can increase the likelihood of crashes for young drivers.
- Take action against distraction. Teach teen drivers to put cell phones and other distractions in the back seat or out of sight until their destination.
- Be alert around neighborhoods and schools. When driving, be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones and be on the lookout for bikers, walkers or runners who may be distracted or may step into the street unexpectedly.
- Watch out for pedestrians. Give pedestrians the right of way, make eye contact with them and look left, right and left again when making a turn to help spot any bikers, walkers or runners who may not be immediately visible.
To learn more safety tips, visit: https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_risks/teen-drivers
Download a sample family agreement.
The Safe Kids Buckle Up program is a national initiative established 19 years ago by Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motors™ to keep children, teens and families safe in and around cars. GM and Chevrolet’s long-term commitment to educating families has helped the child safety program evolve into one of the most comprehensive in the nation and covers children from birth to the time they become drivers.
Anllelic Lozada “Angie” is a proud P.A.N.K (professional aunt with no kids), a Personal Marketing Strategist in NYC and Los Tweens & Teens “Tia-in-Charge,” based in New York City. Anllelic wants you to best your best life so you can positively influence your tween and teen. Subscribe to her weekly e-newsletter in Spanish in marketingparatucarrera.com/Vendete, where she shares personal marketing strategies to help you “Comunicar lo genial que eres.”