Tips for Parents: Teaching Your Teenager to Drive

If you are looking to insure your teenage driver, our agency is here to help. But first, there are several things that you should know beforehand.

Did you know that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers in the United States? It is important for you to know and understand the statistics and risks behind teen driving. By knowing the hard facts, it can help you to better prepare your teen for their life behind the wheel—keeping them safe from the worst case scenario!

Those who are at the highest risk for a car accident are drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 years old. Breaking this down even further, teen drivers who are male get into nearly double as many fatal car accidents than those who are female. If you have a son who is itching to get behind the wheel, it may be a good idea to sit him down and discuss these statistics. Set a good example, too.

Another factor that figures into teenage driving risks is having passengers. This is something that has been proven to increase accidents, and is why there are such strict driving regulations regarding this. For example, your teen driver will have to drive for a period of months without non-family passengers before being able to drive their friends around. These rules are in place to allow teen drivers to get more experience while not endangering the lives of others.

So what is it exactly that makes teenagers such risky drivers? There are many things that contribute to this. To start, new drivers are simply less experienced than ones who have been driving for years, making them prone to errors that could lead to accidents. Practice makes perfect with many things, and driving is no exception. Teens have also been known to do the following:

Allow less space between themselves and other vehicles
Use excessive speed
Forgo the use of seatbelts
Drive under the influence of alcohol
Text and drive
As a parent, it is important that you confront your teen driver about the above activities. Quality education is at the heart of the solution to many of these problems. Take some time to learn about the driver education programs in your state and choose the most comprehensive one for your teenager.

In addition, talk with our agency to get the best possible insurance coverage for your teen. Our trusted agents will be able to help you by crafting an auto insurance plan that covers your specific situation as well as possible, while also saving you money. There are a number of discounts available for your teen driver, such as a good student discount or a reduced premium after taking specific drivers educations courses.

Give us a call at 888-458-3974 to learn more.