Winter roads are notorious for being risky to drive on, so it’s important to take extra precautions on the roads at this time. If you have a teen who drives, make sure they’re as safe as possible whenever they’re driving in winter by taking the five precautions below.
Invest In Snow Tires
The tires on a car are the most important physical part of a car because of their role in maintaining a grip on the road. When winter arrives, it’s good to install snow tires on your teen’s car. This is advisable because these tires are wider and have deeper grooves on them, making it possible to better control your car and drive safely in winter. As a parent, it’s good to do this for your teens as well as yourself so that everyone in the house is safe. While many drivers get all-season tires for their cars, it’s often a better option to invest in snow tires due to their enhanced consideration for snowy and icy roads.
Cancel Unnecessary Trips
Unless it’s completely important for your teen to be somewhere, ask them to reschedule their plans or cancel them altogether when the weather is unsafe to drive in. This is because the less time spent on the road driving, the less likely your teen is to be involved in an accident. It’s important to make this call as a parent and also cancel any unnecessary trips of your own so you lead by example. There will be plenty of time to go where you would like to go when it’s less risky to drive, so sit tight, especially if the forecasts call for a storm in your area.
Set a Curfew
Being a parent means that you sometimes have to do things that are going to make your teens think of you as no fun, but that are crucial for keeping them safe. One of these things is setting a curfew in winter and letting your teens know that they must be home at a certain time. This will be a good way to keep them safe because, given the extra issues to consider in winter, the darkness also poses additional issues for drivers. To avoid having your teens put themselves at risk, it’s good to ensure they’re not on the roads in the dark and in winter. Also make sure they know not to drive while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, which are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle fatalities. Staying off the roads at night will also lessen the likelihood of your teen being involved in this percentage of fatalities because other drivers may be unsafe!
Give Their Car a Maintenance Check
To make sure that your teen’s car is in the best condition possible when winter comes, it’s good to take it for a maintenance check-up before the weather worsens. Making sure that it’s functioning optimally will go a long way in ensuring that no unwelcome surprises await your teens as they’re out and about in the snow and ice, so make it a habit to have the cars maintained when winter sets in.
Prepare an Emergency Kit for Their Vehicle
The final precaution you should take is to prepare an emergency kit for your teen’s vehicle so that if anything happens, they will be prepared to deal with it. Make sure that this emergency kit has road flares, a warm blanket or two, snow boots, a shovel, and some dry foods and water to help them if they ever get caught in a snowstorm. With the automotive collision repair market projected to cross the $280 billion mark by the year 2024, it’s good to make sure your teen is prepared to deal with a vehicle emergency and maintain the car’s condition so you don’t undergo an extra cost.
The five tips above should help you make sure that both you and your teen are safe while on the road in winter. And remember, on top of those five tips, you should also invest in teen driving insurance to make sure all of your bases are covered! Work with a checklist to make sure that you have everything you need to be done out of the way, and you will have peace of mind knowing that you’ve played your part.
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