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| By Lisa Knoll Southwest Kansas Public Affairs Manager |
Parents spend years protecting their children and supporting
them as they grow, holding their hand as they take their first steps, watching
anxiously as they head off to their first day of school and even giving advice
when the first crush hits. Then comes
that magical age — 14.
That’s the age when teens in Kansas can get their learner’s
permit and begin learning to drive. For
teens, this marks the beginning of their transition to adulthood and
independence. For parents, this marks
the beginning of what can easily be one of the most difficult, worrisome times of
their child’s adolescence.
As parents, it’s tempting to try to “scare them safe” with
frightening statistics about teen drivers, accidents and fatalities. However, according to teendriversource.org,
scare tactics rarely work. In fact,
scare tactics may overwhelm teens causing them to shut down completely.
Instead, teendriversource.org
suggests the best way to change behavior over time is with messaging that
promotes positive action. They recommend
using this week to start the conversation with teens about safe driving.
This week – and every week, parents should have conversations
with their teens about the Rules for the Road which are:
1.
No cell phones when driving
2.
No speeding
3.
No drowsy driving
4.
No alcohol
5.
No extra passengers
6.
Always buckle up
These rules address the five greatest dangers for teen
drivers which are alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and
drowsy driving, speeding and number of passengers in the car, says the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In addition to establishing rules and discussing
expectations, NHTSA encourages parents to set the standard by modeling safe
habits when driving, set the ground rules and consequences and put them in
writing. Continue to monitor teen driving until they develop the experience to
drive safely.
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