One of the most significant milestones in a teenager’s life is gaining the freedom and independence that comes along with driving. However, statistics cited by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicate that although teen drivers constitute a lower portion of the people driving on local roadways, they represent a significantly higher proportion of those involved in crashes and fatal accidents. While this may be a nerve-wracking time for parents, there are practical steps you can take now to prepare your teen driver.
Get Insurance Before They Start Driving
Part of preparing your teen for driving is getting them on your car insurance plan before they even get behind the wheel. While car insurance for teens can be expensive, you want teenage car insurance to cover anyone who is harmed if an accident occurs while your teen is still learning. Additionally, many insurance providers have excellent teen courses and parental resources to help prepare your teenage driver for what it’s like on the road. These tools can open the doors of communication between you and your teen so you can both talk about what to expect.
Enroll Your Teen in Driver’s Education
While you can teach your teen good driving habits, enrolling them in driver’s safety and education courses can help reinforce what you teach them at home. A professional instructor helping your teen understand local rules and regulations, safe driving behaviors, and driving techniques can give them a good base education and reinforce what they learn from you outside of a classroom setting.
Many local North and South Carolina school districts offer driver’s education courses through public schools. You can also find driver’s education courses at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, and DmvEdu.org.
Consider allowing your teen driver to take a written test first to demonstrate that they understand the basic concept of driving and local road rules before moving on.
Practice, Practice, Practice
You may feel tense about driving with a teen or new driver, but start small, like in parking lots, and remain calm. You want your teen to trust you and know you are there to help. As they become more comfortable driving, have them practice at different times of the day, in different lighting and weather conditions.
Another benefit of enrolling your teenager in your car insurance for teens before they start driving is that some insurance programs offer apps that can help you track and log the time your teen practices. North Carolina and South Carolina also recommend that parents use the RoadReady app, an app that helps teens and parents track driving hours and supervised driving time.
A Charlotte Teen Car Accident Attorney Can Help
If the unimaginable occurs and your teen is involved in an accident, the Charlotte teen car accident lawyers at Stewart Law Offices are here to help. Our South Carolina teen driver accident lawyers can help determine if a teen driver was at fault and can gather evidence to demonstrate the parents’ responsibility, which may include falsified driver practice logs.
Watch our Legal Minute segment going over these essential tips with QC Charlotte:
Contact a Charlotte teen car accident attorney today to set up an initial legal consultation.
