New teen drivers can cause a lot of anxiety for parents trying to teach them what can go wrong if the new driver is left unsupervised. Things like automobile accidents, driving under the influence, and distracted driving are all concerns a parent will have as they hand over the keys to the family car to their teenager for the first time.
With the thrill of having a new method of transportation, teens can often be a little reckless during their first few months, or sometimes years, of driving. Reckless driving can simply be the result of getting used to traffic laws and the methods required for driving or it could be that teen drivers try to push limits and see how much they can get away with. The best thing to do is to sit down with the new driver beforehand and set up strict rules.
Speeding and distracted driving are the biggest concerns with teen drivers. The need for speed mostly comes from the excitement of being able to go really fast for the first time and being trusted to drive alone. Distracted driving often comes as a result of wanting to do too many things at once. For instance, some teens will eat food or put on make-up in the car while others will text and drive with no concern for safety.
The best speeding ticket attorneys will recommend that leading by example is the best way to teach a teenager to drive responsibly. This means that while a parent will tell their child the laws of the road, they need to practice it themselves or risk looking like a hypocrite and giving the child a “If they can do it, why can’t I?” mentality. Showing a new driver the dos and don’ts of safe driving while practicing them is the best method.
While speeding and distracted driving may not always have long-lasting consequences, there should still be corrections made immediately if the driver is caught doing something wrong. The consequences do not have to be major or serious, just enough to get the point across. It is better to let a budding driver understand the possible repercussions of their careless driving than to do nothing and suffer serious setbacks.