Tips for Staying Cool When Your Teen Starts Asking to Drive
November 01 2011 - 10:53AM
Business Wire
“Can I have the keys to the car?” These may be the most
frightening words ever heard, at least to a parent or guardian with
a teenager in the household. This time of year, it's a question
that's asked with increased frequency, with the new school year
well underway and large numbers of teens taking drivers education
courses. The good news is, this unsettling question is a necessary
part of a student driver's passage into adulthood--and experienced
drivers play a big role in establishing good driving habits that
will last a lifetime.
While getting more experience behind the wheel with a licensed
driver can only help improve a teen’s driving skills, the
responsibility of teaching a teen to drive can be quite daunting,
especially during the fall and winter, where roads may be wet or
icy from rain and snow. According to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the
leading cause of death for young people 15 to 20 years of age,
causing roughly one-third of all fatalities in this age group.
“Fortunately, parents can make a big difference,” said Bill
Moore, president of MetLife Auto & Home. “Numerous studies show
that learning good driving habits with a seasoned driver is a very
effective way to decrease the likelihood of crashes and fatalities
for teens. This is especially important during bad weather months,
when good driving is of the utmost importance.”
Moore continued, “Teaching teens to drive doesn’t need to be
stressful or overly scary. Simple things like being supportive,
reinforcing the basics of good driving—especially obeying the speed
limit, yielding the right of way, and turning properly—make a big
difference since these are the biggest contributing factors to
fatal car crashes for teens.”
The key to ensuring a successful learning experience involves
patience—and preparation. To help prepare for your new role as a
driving instructor, Moore encourages parents and guardians to keep
the following tips in mind:
- Set an example, yourself. Even
before your teen “pops the question,” it helps to demonstrate good
driving practices behind the wheel. Always remember that your
teens, and even younger kids, are always watching and
learning.
- Get the passenger’s view. Before
riding with your teen, take a ride as a passenger with an
experienced driver to adjust to the passenger view. You’ll be
reminded how roadside mailboxes, curbs, and signs seem to whiz by
within inches.
- Keep your lessons short. Be
reasonable about what you can accomplish in one lesson. Experts say
that the number of times your teen practices with you is more
important than the minutes that you log during any one session.
Start with 15 to 20 minutes, and take a break if either of you gets
upset.
- Keep a journal of your progress.
In some states, graduated driver’s licensing laws require a new
driver to record and submit the time spent behind the wheel with an
experienced driver. It can also help parents keep track of the
lessons they’ve had with their children, as well as what the teen
driver has learned and what additional skills need to be
reviewed.
- Stay alert and calm. Without
warning, your new driver may need help. It pays to be aware of
what’s taking place on the road, and anticipate any hazards that
your inexperienced driver may not be expecting.
- Be the first one to promote sensible
cell phone/texting habits. Talking on a cell phone or texting
greatly increases the likelihood of a motor vehicle accident, and
if parents are doing it, chances are, their kids will too.
- Warn against “RST” violations.
To remember the top three contributing factors of fatal crashes for
teenager, think of these three letters: Right of way,
Speeding, and Turning. Be sure to regularly and
thoroughly address these potentially dangerous driving behaviors
during lessons.
To help make the teen driving experience as painless as
possible, MetLife Auto & Home offers free materials: a
step-by-step guide called “Teaching Your Teens to Drive (Without
Driving Each Other Crazy!)” and a brochure “Beginning Teenage
Drivers,” as well as a DVD entitled “Young Drivers: The High-Risk
Years.” These materials provide important guidelines to follow
before teenagers get behind the wheel and emphasize the importance
that preparation and planning can play in defusing potentially
stressful situations.
As an additional bonus, in many states, MetLife Auto & Home
offers a “Teens on the Road to Safety” program for its
policyholders. To enroll, teens must complete 20 weekly driving
trips with a parent or guardian and submit a written log to verify
completion. Each teen who drives one year without accidents, claims
or moving violations receives a $50 American Express® Reward Card.
Teens can earn a second $50 card by maintaining a clean driving
record for a second year. For an enrollment kit, copies of these
educational materials, or more information about the Teen Driving
Incentive Program, please call 1-800-608-0190.
MetLife Auto & Home, a brand of Metropolitan Property and
Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, is one of the
nation’s leading personal lines property and casualty insurance
providers, with more than 2.7 million policies in force. MetLife
Auto & Home is a part of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading
global provider of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit
programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. For
more information, visit www.metlife.com.
MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of
Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its
Affiliates, Warwick, RI.
MetLife (NYSE:MET)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
MetLife (NYSE:MET)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024