If you have a new driver in your home, it’s time to help them adjust from summer driving to fall driving. With more young children heading to school and school zones to consider, your new driver may need to change their driving habits. If your teen is going to be driving to school for the first time themselves, now is the time to review safety.
Here’s how to start the conversation:
- Encourage your teens to use extra caution at school times: Young drivers may not be prepared for the extra busy school zones during the school year. Encourage your teens to slow down and to drive defensively, since young children can come running out onto the road unexpectedly.
- Go over school zone safety: Remind your teen driver that speed limits change in school zones. You may want to drive through a few of these school zones in your area, to point out the signs.
- Review school bus safety: Your teen has learned that they need to come to a complete stop behind school buses and wait for all children to disembark and get on the bus. This is a good time to review best practices.
- Discuss potential routes: If your teen needs to drive by especially busy school zones during the start or end of the school day, you might want to discuss alternate routes. If your teen is driving to school themselves, discuss the safest ways to get to their school. Review parking options, too. You may even want to make the trip together a few times to gauge early-morning traffic.
- Set rules for back-to-school driving: If your teens will be driving to school, make sure you set some boundaries. For example, you may want to create a “no distraction” rule to make sure your teens are not texting and driving. Or, you may want to limit the number of friends they have as passengers or limit night driving for evening classes. Have consequences in place if your teen disobeys the rules.
- Time for a tune-up: If your teen has a used car, make sure it has had a tuned-up recently so it brakes and responds in a reliable way. Your child may need to make sudden stops or maneuver to avoid a collision. Paying for a visit to the mechanic can be an excellent back-to-school gift.
If your underage teen has been injured in a car collision you think may have been caused by someone’s negligence, call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation with an attorney. Our team has a track record of securing over $100 million dollars on behalf of our clients and we belong to the exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which less than 1% of U.S. attorneys qualify for. Our team has more than 60 years of combined experience, bilingual offices in three South Florida locations, and a genuine passion for helping those who have been injured. With us, you’re in good hands. You can also contact us online to set up your consultation.