Although parents want to give their children the best life, keep them safe and teach them how to think for themselves, it is still a challenge learning to let go the first time their teen driver passes their driver’s test and is allowed to drive alone.

Handing over the keys may not be so easy for some parents who worry if their child will be okay and safe without them in the car. While there is no real rule book for parents learning to deal with their child’s newfound freedom, there are some tips that our Sarasota car crash lawyers would like to warn parents against certain behaviors when it comes to their teen driver. These tips include:

  • Do not text your teenage driver to find out if he or she is doing all right or made it to the destination safely.  Teens will be tempted to text back, which causes them to take their hands off the wheel, eyes off the road and mind off the task of driving—increasing their chances of crashing. You do not want to instill in your teen that texting while driving is allowed, even if it is a text to you. Instead, make a rule that your teen needs to text you or call you when he or she arrives safely at the destination and the engine is turned off.
  • Do not call your teen driver while you know he or she may still be driving.  Even if your teenager has a hands-free system in the car or a Bluetooth earpiece, talking while driving is still considered a distraction and can increase your teen’s chances of having a Sarasota car crash. Instead, wait for your teen to call you once he or she gets to the destination safely.
  • Do not allow your teen driver too much freedom. Parents still need to establish rules and enforce them. Rules could include: do not transport other teenagers in the car, do not text and drive, do not eat and drive, and do not talk on a cell phone and drive. Additionally, curfews should be enforced, so that your teen driver is not driving the roads too late.
 
It is important to not forget to have ongoing discussions regarding driving safety. Parents need to prepare themselves and their children for driving. To help prepare for this day, parents should continually have discussions about what to do and what not to do on the road to prepare their teen driver.

Help keep your child safe by following the safety tips listed above, and call a skilled Sarasota car crash lawyer if your child is injured in a Florida car accident due to no fault of their own.  Despite your best efforts and rules, a car accident may occur and injure your teenager.  Call an experienced Sarasota car crash lawyer today at Mallard Perez at (888) 409-3805 to find out more about your rights in a free, no-obligation consultation.
Damian Mallard, Esq.
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Board Certified Sarasota Personal Injury Attorney