Five Tips for Parents of Teen Drivers

Preparing your teen to be a good driver is a huge responsibility. It requires spending plenty of time with them practicing behind the wheel, and it means making sure they are enrolled in an effective driver's ed program, but that's only the beginning of your support and guidance.

Not only do you need to make sure your child gets plenty of time behind the wheel, you have to make sure they're safe while they are. Here are some tips on how to keep them safe and bring yourself some peace of mind at the same time.

Get Insurance Figured out Before They Get Behind the Wheel

Adding a teen driver to your insurance policy can be nerve-racking. It can be expensive because young drivers cost more. The first few years of driving are the most dangerous for young drivers, after all.

Don't put off figuring out how much your new driver is going to cost, and get them added to your plan the instant they sit behind the wheel. That way, you can budget for your student driver early, and you can make sure your insurance policy will cover your vehicle, no matter who in your family is doing the driving.

Expectations for Checking in with Parents

Although cell phones and teens can be a dangerous combination, they can also provide your teen with a layer of safety. Their cell phone can bring you peace of mind too. They always have an easy way to get a hold of you if they find themselves in trouble, and they can put your mind at ease when they hop in the vehicle.

Set expectations for how often and when you want your teen to check in with someone at home. For example, you may ask that they check in with a quick text every time they arrive at their destination or every time they hop in the car. That way, you know what they're up to, and when they arrive, so you can take a deep breath and know they're okay.

There are apps that enable you to monitor your kid's cell phone and car usage. However, they can be intrusive, so it's best to use them as a last resort.

Reduce or Eliminate Passengers

Few things are as exciting to a teen as getting behind the wheel. That is, besides driving around town with their friends! Not only can it be fun to cruise with friends, but it also means they can carpool to school, events, and functions together.

Unfortunately, that's not a good idea. A single teen passenger in the car can increase the risk of an accident by 44 percent.

Don't allow your teen driver to drive with others in the car for at least the first year after obtaining their license. If passengers are allowed in the car, have rules for how many can be in the vehicle. You may also want to consider having rules around which friends are allowed. Chances are, your teen has both responsible and irresponsible friends!

Maintain the Car

You have to worry about what your teen driver does behind the wheel of the car, but you are likely to worry about the safety of the car too. Having a child behind the wheel is not a good time to let the maintenance of the vehicle go.

Make sure you take the car in regularly and follow the advice for repairs and replacements by your mechanic. Include your child in the process so they know how to take care of the car too.

Maintenance to complete on time includes:

• Change the oil regularly

• Replace serpentine belts when necessary

• Check your battery

• Replace windshield wipers

• Replace air filters

• Rotate your tires

• Check the alignment

Make Sure Consequences Are Clear

Having rules that your teen driver has to follow is extremely important. However, it's not good if you have rules you expect them to follow, but they don't know what the consequences are for not following those rules.

Before your child is allowed to drive the car, it's extremely important to agree upon disciplinary actions and consequences ahead of time. That way, your teen knows exactly what to expect if they break the rules.

Having a teen driver can be stressful, even if they are having the time of their life behind the wheel of the car! Make sure they are safe, the vehicle they are driving is safe, and provide yourself with a little peace of mind when they're away from home by following the tips on this list.