In Florida, kids as young as 15 years old are allowed to drive. This is a good thing for them because being able to move around more freely allows them to manage their time better so that they can accommodate income-generating side gigs.
However, being a driver has its disadvantages, and as parents you must acknowledge this. In this article, we present things that you should bear in mind and prepare in order to protect your teenage kids who drive.
Teenagers are easily distracted
One of the leading causes of crashes in Florida and the rest of the United States is distracted driving. Unfortunately, younger drivers, especially teenagers, are easily distracted. "Novice drivers are more likely to engage in high-risk secondary tasks more frequently over time as they become more comfortable with driving," says Charlie Klauer, who is a group leader for teen risk and injury prevention at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
Given that, we as parents should help our kids be more focused. One of the simplest things that we can do is not text or call them at times when they are most likely driving. Another powerful technique is to set a good example. When we drive with them, we should keep our hands off anything but the steering wheel and our eyes off everything other than the road.
Teenagers are more susceptible to blame
Since we don't have a lot of control over the behaviors of other drivers on the road, hitting the road has risks. When things go wrong, teens are unfortunately more susceptible to being labeled as the culprit even if they are not really at fault because of their reputation as novices and therefore not yet well versed in road etiquette. As their parents, you can protect them by getting the services of reliable legal professionals such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater car accident attorneys.
A good lawyer will play an important role in gathering evidence such as CCTV footage and witness testimonies that prove your teen child's innocence. On top of that, they can even move to get the kid compensated for the injuries that they incurred because of the unfortunate car crash.
As parents, you are still in control
In the introduction, we said that allowing teens to drive gives them to explore and take advantage of opportunities. This does not mean that they are totally on their own, though. As parents, you still have the final say, especially if they are still minors (15-17 years old). You can set rules as to when they are allowed to use the car. If you can, you might also want to find the time to accompany them as they drive, just to look at their driving mannerisms and effectively correct them if they are wrong.
With regards to safety, you can also decide to only let them drive cars that have safety features that are specifically developed for younger and less experienced drivers.
Being allowed to drive is perhaps one of the most liberating experiences in a teen's life, but we parents shouldn't forget that they are still developing individuals who still need our guidance.
