The ultimate checklist for teenage drivers
**A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver.
Lots of parents start to panic when their teenager begins to drive. Even though they will have plenty of lessons and get tested before they are allowed out on the road on their own, parents still worry about their children’s safety. It’s understandable as driving can be very dangerous when it isn’t done correctly.
Well, if you have a teenager who is coming up to driving age, you don’t have to worry about them quite so much. This ultimate checklist for teenager drivers should help keep them safe and secure when behind the steering wheel.
A Safe Car
Firstly, and probably most importantly, your teen needs a safe car to drive. Cars come in different shapes and sizes, and that means some will have larger engines than the others. Generally speaking, the bigger the engine, then the faster the car can go. These aren’t considered safe cars as there is the potential to go too fast and lose control of the vehicle. Ideally, you need to find your teen a car that has limited top speeds so that they can always stay in control.
Insurance
Next, you need to find plenty of insurance cover for your teen. Unfortunately, teenagers are quite expensive to insure as they are considered very risky drivers. However, there are ways to get around this. You might want to use a multi-car policy, like the ones from Safe Auto, and then you could add your teen’s car onto your own car’s policy. You will find that buying them a car that is considered to be safe will also help as lower the price of their premiums as well. After a few months of good driving, though, their premiums should reduce as they will gain plenty of experience on the roads!
No Radio
As well as things that your teen will need, this list also includes things that they shouldn’t have when they drive. One of those things is the radio. The radio can be a big distraction when you are new to driving. It could take all of your teen’s focus away from the road, and they could end up putting themselves at risk of causing a car accident. So, they should drive without the radio or have it on at a very low level.
Maintenance Checks
Your teen should know how to do some very basic car maintenance checks. For instance, they need to know how to change a tire in the event that they get a flat while on a journey. Some other necessary checks to know include changing the antifreeze and the car’s water.
No Distractions
Any potential distractions should be removed from the car before your teenager sets out on their journey. They need to leave their mobile phone in the glove compartment, for instance. That way, all of their focus and concentration will be on the road in front of them.
Hopefully, this useful checklist helps reduce your worry about your driving teenager – it will help them be a lot safer out on the road!