The road ahead

For many parents, handing over the car keys to a teen can be scary. After years of protecting your child, the thought of having them behind the wheel and trusting them to make safe decisions on their own can feel overwhelming.

But safe driving starts long before a teen earns a license. Building good driving habits takes time, practice and plenty of conversations. Parents can help teens develop the skills and judgment they need to stay safe both behind the wheel and when riding with another teen driver.

Jessica Winberry, prevention coordinator for Safe Kids Northeast Florida, which is led by THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, said parents play an important role in helping teens develop those skills and learn to navigate the road safely.

Build skills

The learner’s permit period gives teens an important opportunity to practice and gain experience before they begin driving independently. Even after earning a license, teens need time and experience to continue developing those skills and confidence.

Winberry suggested parents increase independence as their child’s expertise grows.

Tips for parents:

• Start with familiar routes and gradually introduce new roads and driving situations.
• Limit your teen to daytime driving until they’ve shown mastery of driving in the dark, while you’re in the passenger seat.
• Continue practicing skills even after your teen earns a license.

Make a plan

Set expectations before your teen gets behind the wheel.

“Plan ahead. Set agreements in advance of what the expectations are and what the consequences are for not following rules that parents set,” Winberry said.

Tips for parents:

• Talk about texting and other distractions, speeding, seat belt use, impaired driving and the number of passengers allowed.
• Set clear rules about where and when your teen can drive.
• Agree on realistic and enforceable consequences for breaking the rules before your teen starts driving independently.

Limit distractions

Keeping a teen focused on the road means talking about more than just putting down the phone. Distractions can come from inside and outside the vehicle, and even a few seconds of distraction can have serious consequences.

“If we're going 55 miles per hour, when we take our eyes off the road for five seconds, we've traveled the length of a football field,” Winberry said. “A lot can happen in that amount of time and distance.”

Speed is another factor that can increase the severity of a crash. Winberry urged parents to remind their teens that speed limits are designed for the road conditions and surroundings.

Tips for parents:

• Encourage your teen to put their phone away before starting the car.
• Talk about other distractions, such as changing music, reaching for something or interacting with passengers.
• Urge your teen to watch for pedestrians and cyclists, especially near intersections and crosswalks.
• Remind your teen to wait until they’re safely parked before handling anything that takes their attention away from driving.

Watch passengers

Whether driving or riding along, teens should understand how passengers can affect safety. Because passengers can influence a driver’s focus, Winberry recommended starting slowly, allowing new drivers to get comfortable behind the wheel with one passenger before adding more.

Tips for parents:

• Limit the number of passengers while your teen gains driving experience.
• Remind your teen to buckle up every time they ride with another driver.
• Encourage your teen to speak up if a driver is texting, speeding or not wearing a seat belt.
• Talk ahead of time about what your teen should do if they feel unsafe in someone else’s car.

Model safe driving

Parents continue to influence their teens even after handing over the keys. One of the best ways to teach safe driving is to demonstrate it yourself. Winberry encouraged parents to consider whether they would approve of their teen doing the same things they do behind the wheel.

Tips for parents:

• Wear your seat belt every time you get in the car.
• Put your phone away while driving.
• Follow the speed limit and obey traffic laws.
• Avoid distracted driving, even when you’re in a hurry.
• Make safe driving behaviors a family expectation, not just a rule for your teen.

Do you have a teen who’s driving or will be hitting the road soon? Read additional vehicle safety tips for teens from Safe Kids Northeast Florida.