In the United States and many other countries in the world, driving is such commonplace that it’s second nature. It becomes odd for anybody over the age of 16 to not yet have their license. This fact is obviously dependant on the region of the country of the world that one lives in.
For a young adult living in New York City, the need to drive becomes less important as public transport is such a part of the way of life it’s unnecessary to use one’s own car to get around. For other areas, the need is much greater. Things are spread out over longer distances, and a teenagers ability to drive can have a large impact on a family unit as a whole.
With this being said, driving is one of the most dangerous ways to travel that is out there. A person is substantially less at risk getting in a plane crash than getting in a car crash. As the world develops and automatic cars make it so that a person can easily text and drive, or adjust the radio, the dangers stack one on top of another.
Here are the most effective ways to keep your child safe once they start to drive:
Make Them Practice
In anything, practice is the way to improve skill. The same can be said for driving. Teenagers are more likely to not see a circumstance for what it is when it comes to driving. It all chalks up to experience. The longer you put them at the wheel before letting them loose in the world to fend for themselves, the less likely they will be to make judgement calls while driving that will put themselves and others at risk.
Practice skills like parallel parking and backing out, as well as changing lanes and driving on the freeway. You’ll both be more comfortable knowing that your young adult can recognize distances and dangerous situations behind the wheel.
Have Open Conversation With Them
When a young adult starts to drive, they’re going to be far more likely to drive themselves to and from light nights hanging with their friends and attending parties. The reality of the matter is that alcohol might be involved in their choices, and you need to have an open dialogue with them about drinking and driving.
No matter your outtake on the situation, the open conversation will at least make them aware. If you lay out a foundation that you’ll always pick them up if they’re ever in a situation where they can’t drive because of alcohol, you’ll have created a foundation that will potentially save the lives of multiple people out on the open road.