Save up to 40%
Get rages from top insurance providers and save big on Auto Insurance
Deals you can't find anywhere else
You can get a quote in minutes!

State:
 

Getting Your Youngster to Drive Safely

Parents and automotive insurance companies have one thing in common -- a strong interest in getting young people to drive safely. We all remember what it's like to be a teen and the strong feelings that go with it. Young drivers aren't children, but they are not quite adults yet, either. Even more problematic, they tend to feel immortal and that bad things cannot happen to them. If they're not automotive enthusiasts they can also be shockingly ignorant about how a car actually works. They probably think the Acura Integra performance chip you had installed to improve your mileage has something to do with fried potatoes...well, they probably don't think that, but you'd be surprised at the things some young people fail to pick up. A little basic education about the ins-and-outs of your automobile -- like why you need to make sure there's enough oil in the engine and coolant in the radiator -- can save a lot of money and, sometimes, a life.

The fact of the matter is too many youngsters think an automobile is only a big sexy machine that goes "vroom." Some sadder-but-wiser youths learn to drive safely after they've had their first minor smash-up, but an accident is an awfully dangerous and expensive way to learn.

Of course, one problem in instructing youths on driving safely is the plain fact that ignoring parental advice, or at least taking it with a larger than healthy grain of salt, is part of being a teenager. Still, if you remind them that you, too, are a human being who understands the fun of driving, they might begin to take what you say somewhat seriously.

Frankly, there's something about being a parent that makes some of us gab on and on and on about our pet theories and how great out car knowledge is. Yes, your thrilled that Integra performance chip we mentioned before seems to have improved your car's performance, but don't behave like that makes you some kind of automotive messiah. If your offspring puts up an argument with one of your pet theories, don't dismiss her as ignorant and inexperienced, even if that's the first thought that comes to mind. In other words, respect your children's thoughts and maybe, just maybe, they will respect yours when you ask them to follow traffic laws, concentrate on the road, and all the rest.