Teaching teens how to drive defensively can help parents rest easier knowing that their child knows how to be safe on the road. Good habits are best learned early, so the age when most people start learning how to drive is a great time to start instilling good driving practices.
Here are a couple of tips that parents should give their new driver teens in Louisiana.
Watch for erratic drivers
Erratic driving may indicate someone who is impaired or not paying attention to what they are doing. Some examples of erratic driving include:
- Failing to stop at stop signs and red lights
- Weaving in and out of lanes, which is often caused by driving while tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding up and slowing down sporadically
Most drivers cannot control what other people do in their motor vehicles; however, parents can teach teens to be aware of potentially dangerous people on the road so they can avoid them when possible.
Know what to do after an accident
A motor vehicle accident is scary, and new drivers especially might forget what they should do in such a situation. Teach your new driver to do things such as take photos of any damage to their vehicle, contact the police and medical personnel and move cars out of the way, if possible.
Knowing what to do ahead of time will save new drivers from having to remember what to do during a stressful situation such as an accident.
There are many tips that parents and guardians can give teens to drive more safely on Louisiana highways.