Reducing Risk of Teen Accidents by Setting Good Example
Teen drivers are in one of the two groups that cause the highest number of automobile accidents. As such, they have higher car insurance rates. With that in mind, it’s important to show your teenager how to drive safely on the roads. You can teach them everything in the driving manual and give them countless hours of real-world instruction on the road; however, another thing you can do is lead by example and show them how you drive the right way. You might believe that your teenager thinks you’re ‘lame’ or doesn’t care what you do, but that’s really not the case.
Children are always watching their parents, even as they get older. When you drive, you can show your teen driver what’s right and wrong, and you’ll help to keep your car insurance lower in the process. Setting a good example for your teen driver includes more than just going out on the road. You should also maintain your car well and take good care of it. A car that’s maintained regularly will run better and have less of a chance of leaving you stranded. It’s much safer that way. When your teen sees you taking care of your car, he’ll take care of his as well.
Out on the road, make sure that you keep calm and show your teen driver that it’s not acceptable to have ‘road rage,’ to talk on the cell phone, or to text and drive at the same time. Part of the reason that the car insurance rates for a teen driver are so high is because teen drivers are often distracted drivers. You can set a good example by not driving distracted. You can’t always stop your teen from doing things wrong, but you can show them what’s right and hope that they follow your example. It will not only help keep your car insurance lower, but it will help keep them safe, too.
Car insurance for a teen driver is expensive no matter what you do mainly because of the risk factors involved with a new driver. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get some discounts. Make sure your teen driver takes a safe driving course, so he can get a discount on car insurance. Give him plenty of hours behind the road, and don’t buy him a car that’s sporty or has a lot of horsepower. That’s just asking for trouble. If you lead by example, your teen driver should be a safe driver, and that’s great news for your car insurance. You won’t be able to watch him all the time when he’s driving, so make sure he knows what’s important before he pulls out of the driveway.
