Young Driver Safety
Helping Young Drivers Stay Safe on the Road
Ever since they were born, you’ve been concerned about the safety of your children. When they get behind the wheel of a car you want to make sure they are fully prepped on the rules of the road and driver safety. It isn’t just about saving money on your auto insurance, it’s about making sure your kids are safe on the road.
Driver Training is Worth the Investment
Let’s face it, the last people that your kids want a safety lecture from are Mom and Dad. Not that they won’t respect what you say, but lessons about safety can get drilled in a little deeper if they come from an expert. Driver training is very inexpensive when you consider the payoff: It keeps your children safe. Driving schools price their services to make them affordable to all households.
Look for certified driver training school, and a commitment to teaching defensive driving through actual in-car lessons. Ask other parents where they are sending their kids to driving school to get some good recommendations. Many insurance companies offer discounts on auto insurance if they have had driver training. This can help offset the cost over the long term.
Teach Your Kids Your Driving Tips
Everyone has their own safety tips that they use every day when driving. One of my favourites is remembering to check my long-range view, or what is going on kilometres ahead of me, especially on highways. This constant item in the back of my mind has saved me more than a few hours of sitting in traffic when a sea of red lights up far ahead of me. You’ve probably got a few similar tips of your own that you can pass on to your kids. The more you can teach them, the safer they’ll be.
Vehicle accidents are a Leading Cause of Death in Young People
While it’s preferable to stay away from unpleasant statistics, this is one that can’t be ignored. Road crashes are the leading cause of death for young people. They were responsible for thirty-five percent of the deaths in Canada in the 15-19 age category in 2001 and they qualify as a public health issue. Driver safety training not only helps your kids, but the rest of the drivers on the road. Show them the statistics and reports so that they understand where your concerns are coming from.
Speed is a Factor in the Deaths of Young Drivers
From 2002-2004, forty percent of drivers in the 16-24 age category involved in fatal crashes, were speeding. Also, eighty percent of young adult passengers who were killed in a crash were riding in a vehicle with a fellow young adult. Make sure your kids know that speed limits are not a suggestion. Remind them that the faster the car is going, the more likely it is that a crash will be fatal.
Give Your Kids a Safe Car
The usual trend in most households is to let the kids drive a hand-me-down car from parents or another family member. While this makes economic sense, giving your kids a car that is more likely to have mechanical issues doesn’t make safety sense. You are better equipped as an adult to handle problems that may arise from driving an older car, where a younger driver may panic at warning lights and not know what to do. If economic realities dictate that you have to give your kids a hand-me-down, get a full safety check done on it before you hand it over to them. If you have the money, avoid purchasing a sports car or a tricked-out roadster no matter how much they beg, as these kinds of vehicles encourage speeding.
Kids and Your Insurance
Make sure to contact your insurance agent as soon as your children get their learner’s permits, and don’t let them drive any vehicles until your insurance agent says that they can. Enroll them in driver safety training as soon as you can so they can start learning what they need to know immediately.
Drayden has many options available for family auto insurance. Contact one of our offices today to get quality advice about how your insurance needs will change when your kids start driving.