So Your Teenager Has His Driver’s License: Now What?

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ere it is, finally, the day your teenager has been waiting for, and if you’re like most parents, the day you have been dreading! Your teenager just turned 16, has his driver’s permit (or diver’s license) and now he is ready to hit the road in your brand new Mercedes Benz. Well, before you chuck over those keys, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your new driver is well protected and safe. Tips that could keep your precious one safe and others safe too!

1. Choose a Safe Vehicle. That’s right. Don’t allow your teenager to ride in an unsafe or unreliable car. Make sure that you only allow them to drive in a crash safe car - one that can withstand an impact in case of an accident. One that has good safety ratings and no recalls. One with airbags, working headlights, and with other important safety features installed.

2. Newer Cars Might Be Better. Although the old clunker might seem appealing due to its price and low insurance cost, you might consider letting junior drive your newer car. The fact is that most of today’s cars are better designed than the ones built many years ago. Most of the newer cars have such features like dual airbags and antilock brakes and these are very good features to have and can protect your loved one.

3. No frills are Best. When it comes to your teen’s safety, it is best that you allow them to drive a newer but no frills car. For example, turbo charge is unnecessary as this can encourage speeding-something you don’t want. Allowing them to drive cars with televisions in them should be absolutely discouraged because these cars can distract them and cause your teenager to have an accident.

4. Check Your Car. Before you hand over those keys, make sure that you put your car through a safety check. Are all tires functioning properly? Does your car have adequate gas? Is there windshield wiper fluid? Do you have any leaks in your tires? Do your headlights work? If you answered no to any of these questions, make sure that you fix these problems before letting your teenager drive that car.

Finally, one of the most important things you can do before handing over the keys to your car to your teenager is to talk to him or her about safety. Although they may have their driver’s license, teenagers still have a tendency to make costly mistakes while driving with their friends in the car in order to impress them. Therefore, it is up to you to make sure that they know the importance of driving safely and defensively. Make sure that you talk to them about immature behavior, such as driving with the seat far back, racing on side streets, and other reckless behavior. By doing this-you might save your loved one’s life and the life of someone else.

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