To a Kentucky teenager, a driver’s license is the first step to independence. As a parent, however, the legal right to drive may leave you feeling uneasy. With safety remaining the top concern for parents of new drivers, what can you do to compromise with your teen?
The advancement of technology may provide you some relief when it comes to keeping your teen safe on the roads. Find out how new forms of software in vehicles and cellphones may offer a happy medium for you and your new driver.
Vehicle enhancements
Many vehicle manufacturers have spent the past decade developer safer and smarter vehicles. What started with the expansion of airbags has led to automatic braking features. Newer cars have cameras that monitor traffic and obstacles and can alert a driver of an impending collision and stop the vehicle before it happens. What a smart car cannot do is predict with certainty what other drivers will do. Thus, while the automatic braking system is a big step in protecting teen drivers, it does not replace focus and reflex.
Minimize distractions
Distracted driving remains the top cause of car crashes, especially for teens. Since cellphones became mini-computers, people use them while driving. One thing that carmakers have done is create infotainment centers that allow for phones to remain hands-free during driving. However, software on cell phones may allow you to shut down the phone while a teen is driving. Disabling a cellphone while the car is in motion removes a significant distraction from teen drivers.
Your children remain your priority. Even while giving them their space, you can continue serving them as a protector.