Driving Safety Tips: Teach Your Teen to be a Safe Driver

Teaching your teen to drive is a big responsibility. These driving safety tips will help you help your teen to be a smart and safe driver.  

Tip 1. Teen driving safety tip - Eliminate distractions.

Staying focused while driving can reduce the risk of an accident. Have a discussion with your child about common driving distractions such as cell phones, the radio and passengers. Set rules together about the use of electronics and the number of passengers permitted in the car when he or she is driving.


Tip 2. Teen driving safety - Wear a seat belt.

Seat belt use is lower among teenage drivers than any other age group. Make sure your child understands that wearing a seat belt is the best way to be protected in case of an accident. Your teen and any passengers riding in the car must wear a seat belt at all times as required by state teenage driving laws.

Tip 3. Teen driving safety - Know your state’s teenage driving laws.

Driving laws differ from state to state. In addition to seat belt laws, they may include a curfew for teens under the age of 18 or a passenger limit.  Check with your local DMV for specific teenage driving laws, and make sure your teen understands the laws and the consequences for breaking them.   

Tip 4. Teen driving safety - Practice driving skills in different situations.

Teen drivers can improve basic skills by practicing in different environments. After your teen has mastered driving on residential roads, take him or her driving on the freeway, at night and in inclement weather.

Tip 5. Teen driving safety - Only drive when well-rested.

Teenagers require 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night; getting less can impair driving ability. Tell your teen to pull over and rest – or call you for a ride - if he or she is feeling tired or drowsy.

Tip 6. Teen driving safety - Discuss teen auto insurance.

Explain to your child how teen driver car insurance works, and that it offers protection in case of an accident or theft. Talk about how to keep teen auto insurance rates low by avoiding tickets, earning good grades and enrolling in a defensive driving course.  

For additional information about teen driver car insurance, contact a reputable auto insurance company that has a history of protecting teens on the road. You can talk to an agent about insurance rates and discounts for all the vehicles in your household.