In 2017, approximately 3,166 people were killed in distracted driving crashes. Unfortunately, the number of people who drive while distracted is significant, since smartphones, GPS systems and other distractions are prominent.
As a parent, you may not be sure how you can prevent your child from being involved in a distracted driving collision, but there are a few simple things you can do. Here are three ideas.
Set their phone to Do Not Disturb
One thing you can insist on is that they place their phone on do not disturb when they are in their vehicle and driving. Some phones have automatic responses that will be sent when the vehicle is in motion, letting anyone who sends them a message know that they’re driving.
Take them to driving school
While driving school is often needed for licensing exams, it’s a good idea to sign your child up for distracted driving courses. Let them learn about distracted driving and how it hurts people, so they know what to look for and how to reduce their risk.
Lead by example
Finally, lead by example. Talk to your children about distracted driving, and then make the effort to avoid driving while distracted yourself. By showing that you’re taking distracted driving seriously, you may be able to reduce their likelihood of driving while distracted as well.
These are three ideas to help you keep your teen safe on the roads. Our website has more on distracted driving and how it may affect you or those you love. If a distracted driver impacts you, you may have the opportunity to make a claim for compensation.
