Learning how to drive is one of the most exciting things a teenager can do. This landmark event indicates that they are one step closer to adulthood. Getting behind the wheel is a vindicating and liberating experience.
The same excitement cannot be imitated by the parents of these teens, as getting a license adds to the already stressful experience of raising a teenager. You have a more challenging time keeping track of your kid, and you don’t always know that they are following directions you gave ahead of time.
Adding teen drivers to your household can also take an ax to your wallet, as car insurance for teens is more expensive than any other age. Add in the male qualifier, and you have the ultimate auto insurance risk client. The newness of the driver is what concerns the agent, and it should.
Not only are these young ones novices when they first put the key into the ignition, but they also don’t always have the emotional maturity to improve. It may be tempting to force your child to find alternative transportation methods. Still, you shouldn’t deprive them of this rewarding time in their life.
We’ll give you a few tips on how to keep your teen driver safe while still allowing them to enjoy long road trips with friends and nights out on the town.
Get a Smart Ride Device for Your Kid’s Vehicle
Say you want to show your teen how much they’ve grown as a driver from the first time they took the wheel to the present. You also want to get discounts on your auto insurance. You can do this by downloading a smart ride device app.
These applications track things like braking, speed, time of night that the person is driving, and other important information that shows whether they are driving safely. The insurance company that you are going through will then give you discounts on your auto insurance if your teen shows they are making smart decisions and following their driver’s education.
Showing your kid these results will encourage them to continue doing the same things that help keep them safe, and you can give them more leeway if they prove they are not a risk to your vehicle and the insurance company’s pocket.
The most important thing for you, though, is knowing that your child will come back home when they leave. And no matter how much you tell them this, they are going to want acknowledgment that you believe in their maturity. This leads perfectly into our next tip.
Give Teens More Privileges as They Improve
If you see that your child is taking your advice to heart, reward them for this behavior. Don’t do it by giving verbal compliments, though. They need you to show them that they are good drivers by allowing them the freedom they have craved for many years.
Let them go on a road trip with friends one year after getting their license. Have them drive you out of state on your annual family beach weekend. Go over the pitfalls of long drives and take a test run with them before unleashing your grip.
Help them understand the costs that being a high-risk driver can add to their insurance, and how long it takes for insurance points to be removed from their record.
If you have developed trust between parent and child, there is no reason that teen driving has to be a headache.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, CarInsurance.org. He cares about informing families about the pitfalls of student driving and what parents can do to help.