Protecting your family…from themselves when it comes to impaired driving
Raising kids can be tough at the best of times. Once they get their driver’s licence and head out on the road with their friends, it can be even more nerve racking…for parents. Your kids get that new feeling of freedom they haven’t always had before.
As a parent, we’re always worrying and hoping they’ll make the right choices, especially when they’re with friends, especially the friends who can be quite influential. We trust our kids but parents often need to keep being a parent until their newly licensed kids can make logical, responsible decisions, especially when driving safely is concerned. The good news, there is help out there.
I recently came across a Canadian company that has the goal of protecting our kids…from themselves – and in some cases – from their friends. As with many teens, or even those in their early 20’s, they often become tempted with alcohol. They receive peer pressure to consume while at a party or when hanging out with friends; friends who have access to alcohol. If they have their driver’s licence they may have driven to their friends or the party and therefore not only risk being charged by the local law enforcement for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they could seriously injured themselves, their friends and the general public. Or worse.
I came across Not Your Child Corp. which provides assistance for parents by providing a breathalyzer, GPS & auto locking technologies all in one. Let’s discuss the breathalyzer first. With the breathalyzer, you’ll be able to prevent your novice driver from starting the vehicle if impaired even by the slightest levels.
As parents, you’ll also be able to monitor the driver’s speed & location through their phones while driving – even if you happen to be in another country. Could this be described as having a tight leash on them? Perhaps, but it’s also a good way to keep them honest during moments of temptation. We all know many people do what is expected of them when they know someone is watching them.
As a parent of young drivers myself, I do worry about them. I was a teen when I first learned to drive and although I had good friends who made safe decisions most of the time, I was still a teen and paused to think about the tempting situations I was put in.
Many teens and those in their early 20’s are good at making responsible decisions. But what if a mistake happened
and they consumed alcohol or drugs and had their vehicle with them? Would they also be tempted to drive? The device that Not Your Child Corp. has developed can help to keep them safe by not allowing them to start the engine of the vehicle they’re driving.
In many jurisdictions there is a zero tolerance for younger drivers and alcohol. In Ontario Canada for example, they must have 0% alcohol in their bloodstream before they can operate a vehicle if they are under 22 years of age. This applies to any licence class. The breathalyzer from Not Your Child Corp. detects any impairment after the driver provides a breath sample and works with the interlock system to block the ignition from starting. And the driver can’t hide it from you.
You’ll receive a notification on your phone as the units are paired together. When your teen driver knows this before they go out, they’ll have to make alternative plans to get home. One of the advantages for parents is they have the ability to customize and change the settings so they can personalize it for the needs of their family. Only the parents can change the settings, not their kids.
If you think your teen or early 20’s driver may be tempted more than they or you want, this may be what you’re looking for. Having regular talks with them to remain proactive so they can avoid driving after consuming alcohol is always a good idea. However, it’s sometimes nice to have a backup plan. Their lives are priceless. It’s worth the conversation. Find out more about what Not Your Child Corp. does here. #WhyWait4Tragedy