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Parents will be the first to tell you children are naturally curious creatures. All of us are to a certain degree, regardless of age, and some more so than others.
Though there are several potential explanations for why this may be the case, curious teenagers' inclinations may derive from the personality traits associated with attentiveness, researchers believe. As an example, during situations when teens receive text messages, they may feel the need to respond to said texts right away, regardless of whether the situations they're in warrants it or may be inappropriate.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Six teens die each day from motor vehicle injuries. One of the more troublesome aspects of driving distracted is despite motorists' understanding of its dangers, many do it regardless.
Here are some tips and topics to discuss with your teenager about the importance of not driving distracted.
- Minimize the amount of activities going on in the car. Reducing the number of passengers you allow your teen to have in the car can lower the distractions.
- Encourage your teenager to turn their phone off, use an app to block notifications, or give their phone to a passenger while driving. There are many options that will shut off their ability to text or use their phone while driving.
- Get your teen in the habit of choosing what music will be played for the entire duration of the trip, and tell them to not change the station or playlist while driving.
- Set an example. Do not let your teen see you texting and driving, or participating in any other distracted driving dangers. Do not call or text your child when you know they are driving.
- Teach your child the importance of pulling over when it's essential to use their device.
- Talk to your teen about Taking the Pledge, vowing to always pay attention to the roads when driving and to put cell phones on silent mode.
- Set rules and boundaries that have consequences if they are not followed. Driving is a privilege, could be taken away if your child uses their phone while driving.
- Explain the laws to your teen and outline the legal consequences if they do not follow them.
- Show your teen videos about distracted driving and share with them scary statistics. It is important that they understand the reality of what can happen if they drive distracted.
It's important to discuss all of these tools and tips with your teen to help prevent them from driving distracted.
