5 Lesser Known Safe Driving Habits Your Teenager Should Follow
One of
the scariest moments in a parent’s life is watching a child get behind the
wheel of a car. The statistics are sobering. The CDC lists motor vehicle crashes as the
leading cause of death for American teenagers. Driver inexperience is
repeatedly cited as the causative factor in fatal crashes. Every parent stresses
common safe driving habits to their teenagers – belt up, don’t drink and drive,
stay within the speed limit, and no texting while driving. Here are 5 lesser
known safe driving habits your teenager should follow:
Keep a safe distance
Rear-end collisions
are the most common type of motor vehicle crash, accounting for nearly
one-third of all accidents. Teach your teenager to keep a safe distance
from the car in front. This allows more reaction time to slow down and pick an
escape route should the vehicle in front stops suddenly. It’s especially
tempting to tailgate when in a hurry. But keeping a few extra seconds of trailing
space is a good habit for young drivers to develop. It will buy a lifetime of
protection against rear-ending someone.
No extra passengers
The NHTSA in its 5-to-Drive
campaign lists “no extra passengers” as a critical driving practice that
parents must discuss with their teenager. Studies have found that peer pressure
is one of the key contributing factors in teenage motor vehicle crash deaths.
The likelihood of risky driving
behavior increases to by up to three times when the driver has one or
more teenage passengers. As a rule, don’t permit your teenager to drive with
friends in the car until they’re more confident drivers with a couple of years’
experience on the road under their belt.
Hands on the wheel
Experts agree that keeping the hands at the
3 and 9 o’clock positions on the steering wheel of the car affords the maximum
vehicle control. Teenagers are lazy creatures and apt to drive with both hands
resting at the bottom of the wheel or one hand at 12 o’clock, or worst of all,
one hand off the wheel. In the event that the driver needs to quickly maneuver
the car, the hands need to be in this optimum position to avoid a potential car
crash.
Pick the right lane
On multi-lane roads, the center and slow
lanes allow the driver more escape room should problems arise. Most highway
accidents occur in the fast lane. By driving in the center or slow lane, your teenager
will have a better chance of quickly changing lanes or pulling off onto the
shoulder. Repeatedly switching lanes is a risky driving habit. The correct use of lanes
will go a long way in keeping your teenage driver safe.
Scan the road
Traffic hazards come in many shapes and
sizes. A small child could run out from behind a blind spot. A red-light runner could cross an intersection seconds
after the light turns. Teach your teenager to scan at
least 10-15 seconds into the area where they’ll be driving. Slow down in residential neighborhoods and near schools.
Be especially careful when passing an 18-wheeler.