Teenaged Drivers

Teenagers are notorious for being bad drivers. This may not be because they’re young, but it may be because they are simply inexperienced at being behind the wheel. They are often also plagued with the whole concept of “peer pressure,” and may not abide by many of the rules of the road because it’s not “cool” to do so. However, if teens are taught the importance of good driving habits, there is a much lower chance that they will be involved in a car accident. Following are a few driving pointers for teenagers. Many of these tips are not always stressed enough by parents to their teenage drivers. If possible, go over these rules of the road repeatedly. Abiding by them can help prevent injuries, tickets, points on a driver’s license, and being involved in any sort of crash.

Refine Driving Skills

Learning to drive involves the need to perform many tasks at once. For example, within one minute a driver may have to glance in the rear-view mirror, step on the gas, step on the brakes, slow down for a pedestrian, be aware of their surroundings, put on blinkers and slow down for yellow and red lights. At the same time teens must watch out for stop sign, school speed zones, and all of the other cars on the road. Learning how to manage all of these tasks can be overwhelming, and many times teenage drivers forget to perform some of them. Therefore, teens must be taught to always use their left and right turn signals not only when they are going to turn a corner, but also when they are going to change lanes. In addition, it’s a good idea to stress the importance of not gunning it when a traffic signal turns green. There are plenty of people who like to run red lights and shooting out into the intersection when the light turns green can be a perfect opportunity for a major collision to occur. Teens are usually very excited to be old enough to drive, and if they have their own car, it’s an added bonus. However, being a driver is not a time to show off to impress friends. When another driver on the road is driving erratically, this is not the time for a teenage driver to attempt to pass the aggressive driver, or do anything to get involved with the other car. This can lead to a bad situation where someone can easily get hurt.

Music, Friends and Phones

One of the greatest aspects of being a teenage driver is the ability to cruise around town with friends in tow. Cars provide the means to be “free” and to be without adult supervision. However, friends in the car can cause major distractions to new drivers, and may cause a teenager to not pay attention to their driving skills. Especially because it seems that many teenagers are very relaxed and confident behind the wheel, despite their lack of experience. Along with friends in the car, cell phones and loud music can also be major distractions to teenagers. While teens may not like these ideas, they should be taught to pull over to the side of the road and park before making or receiving any cell phone calls. In many states, it is illegal to drive and talk on a cell phone at the same time. In addition, music volume should be kept to a minimum and CDs should not be changed while the car is in motion.