Getting behind the wheel for the first time is one of the most significant milestones in a teenager’s life, a symbol of independence that comes with real responsibility. However, according to NHTSA, drivers aged 15 to 20 made up 10.6% of all drivers in 2023 but accounted for 8.9% of drivers involved in fatal crashes. Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of preventable death for U.S. teens, with 3,048 teenagers killed in crashes in 2023, an average of eight deaths per day. While this may be a nerve-wracking time for parents, there are practical steps you can take now to prepare your teen driver and reduce their risk significantly.
Get Insurance Before They Start Driving
Before your teen ever sits in the driver’s seat, make sure they are added to your auto insurance policy. While car insurance for teens can be expensive, having the right coverage in place protects everyone involved in the event of an accident during the learning process. Additionally, many insurance providers offer teen courses and parental resources to help young drivers build skills and awareness before they hit the road independently. These tools can open the doors of communication between you and your teen so you can both talk about what to expect.
Enroll Your Teen in Driver’s Education
While you can teach your teen good driving habits, enrolling them in driver’s safety and education courses can help reinforce those habits with professional instruction. A professional instructor helping your teen understand local rules and regulations, safe driving behaviors, and driving techniques can give them a good base education and reinforce what they learn from you outside of a classroom setting.
Many local North and South Carolina school districts offer driver’s education courses through public schools. You can also find driver’s education courses at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, and DmvEdu.org. When evaluating courses, look for programs with up-to-date curricula, experienced instructors, and interactive learning tools such as simulations and practice tests.
Consider allowing your teen driver to take a written test first to demonstrate that they understand the basic concept of driving and local road rules before moving on.
Teach Defensive Driving
One of the most important skills you can give your teen is a defensive driving mindset. Defensive driving means anticipating hazards rather than simply reacting to them. Teach your teen to scan intersections before entering, maintain safe following distances, and adjust their speed based on weather and road conditions, not just the posted limit.
Practice, Practice, Practice
You may feel tense about driving with a teen or new driver, but start small, like in parking lots, and remain calm. The goal is to build trust so they feel comfortable making mistakes in a low-stakes environment before encountering real road pressure. You want your teen to trust you and know you are there to help. As they become more comfortable driving, have them practice at different times of the day, in different lighting and weather conditions.
Another benefit of enrolling your teenager in your car insurance for teens before they start driving is that some insurance programs offer apps that can help you track and log the time your teen practices. North Carolina and South Carolina also recommend that parents use the RoadReady app, which is an app that helps teens and parents track driving hours and supervised driving time.
A Teen Car Accident Attorney Can Help
If the unimaginable occurs and your teen is involved in an accident, the Charlotte teen car accident lawyers at Stewart Law Offices are here to help. Our South Carolina teen driver accident lawyers can help determine if a teen driver was at fault and can gather evidence to demonstrate the parents’ responsibility, which may include falsified driver practice logs. Contact a Charlotte teen car accident attorney today to set up an initial legal consultation.