Distractions

You’ve been driving for a while now - you are, after all, an adult - so you know that when the radio is at a certain volume or when there is a particularly heated conversation going on in the car, your attention on the road naturally decreases. Your teen, however, doesn’t have this experience and doesn’t know just how serious a packed car or other distractions may be.

When you can hear the music system from a mile away, when the bass speakers in the trunk of the car shake your house windows as the car pulls into the driveway, or when friends begin to pile out of your son or daughter’s vehicle like a clown car, you know your teen is driving distracted. But how do you stop it without sounding like you’re making a mountain out of a molehill?

• The law is on your side. In most states, teen drivers are only allowed to have one other teenage passenger in the car at any given time. If you notice your teen is acting like a car service for their friends, enforce this law in your house.
• Noise pollution does exist, and there are laws in place to prevent it. Let your teens in on the fines one disgruntled neighbor can inflict if they call the police.
• Don’t let your teens have a car of their own until they can prove they can handle it. According to a joint study from State Farm and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, teens with primary access to a vehicle are more likely to use a cell phone while driving and speed compared to their peers who share their car with another family member. If they share the car with you or a sibling, chances are they won’t be able to have unlimited access to the vehicle. This means no supped up engines or elaborate speaker systems. It also means your teen will spend less time chauffeuring their friends around.
• At the end of the day, remember that you are the boss. You make the rules and are responsible for seeing them through. And, most importantly, you set the example.