Top Tips for Preventing Teen Driving Accidents
Summer is a key time for many Omaha, Nebraska teenagers to practice their driving skills in anticipation of earning their driver's licenses. Start your teens right by encouraging them to practice safe and careful driving.
Because our teenagers learn by watching us, experienced Nebraska car accident attorneys recommend modeling these safe-driving behaviors yourself in addition to reminding your teens to follow them:
- ALWAYS wear a seat belt. Safety belts are one of the simplest ways to prevent and reduce the risk of death and serious injury in a crash. Make it a rule that your teen should always buckle up whenever he or she is in a car, and commit to doing the same yourself.
- Get plenty of practice in controlled conditions. Teens who receive ample practice in driving become better able to handle sudden emergencies and tight situations on the road when they drive alone. Create a practice schedule with your teen and stick to it. Use parking lots and other controlled situations to practice more difficult skills, like steering out of a skid or parallel parking.
- Turn off the cell phone. Most states now limit or prohibit the use of cell phones by young drivers. No matter where you're traveling this summer, make it a rule to use the cell phone only after the car is parked in a safe place and the engine is shut off.
- Limit passengers. For young drivers, the risk of a fatal accident increases with every additional passenger - especially when those passengers are young people, as well. New drivers should limit themselves to one additional passenger until they have gained significant driving experience.