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Creating a safety plan for the teen driver in your family

Few milestones in adolescence are more thrilling than becoming a licensed driver. If you are a parent, though, you may worry about the safety of the young drivers in your family. That makes sense, as automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

You probably do not want to prohibit the teen driver in your family from driving altogether. After all, learning how to be a safe driver is part of becoming a successful adult. Still, you do not want to leave your child’s safety to chance. Instead, you may want to create a comprehensive plan to help your young driver stay safe on roads in the St. Louis area. 

Address driving after dark 

Driving after dark is different than driving during daytime hours. Not only must young drivers contend with decreased visibility, but they may also encounter drunk or distracted drivers. As such, you may want to ask the teenager in your family to refrain from driving after dark. If he or she needs to go somewhere, requiring an adult driver or passenger to tag along is not a bad idea. 

Limit passengers 

Even responsible teenagers sometimes have trouble acting reasonably around their friends. If the young driver in your family has too many passengers in the vehicle, he or she may not be able to maintain focus. Therefore, consider limiting the number of passengers your teenager may transport. 

Monitor weather conditions 

Adverse weather conditions may make roadways dangerous for even experienced drivers. Until your teenager understands how to drive in rain, snow, fog or sleet, ask him or her to avoid driving during bad weather. Also, be sure your young driver has a weather app to monitor changing conditions. 

You probably cannot eliminate your teen driver’s chances of an automobile accident. You can, though, develop a safety plan. By asking your child to help you come up with some smart rules, you do what you can to keep everyone in your family safe.