However, texting turns out to be a huge issue when driving and needs to be addressed immediately. Being distracted when driving not just puts the teen’s life in danger but also that of fellow passengers.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving has led to over 38,824 deaths in the U.S. in 2020. A study on distracted driving conducted on more than 1000 licensed drivers revealed that 86% of drivers text when driving. 

So, instead of contributing to these crash statistics on distracted driving, it is best for teens to avoid mobile phones altogether and encourage others to do the same. In this article, we will discuss nine ways to prevent teenagers from texting when driving.

1. Enroll Them in a Professional Driving Course

Professional driving schools impart interactive driving lessons to the teens. The expert trainers go beyond the basics to teach the teen how to be a great driver. They ensure that the teen follows the best driving practices, such as distraction-free driving, adherence to traffic laws and signs, and safe driving principles.

They also train the teens to drive under difficult conditions, such as heavy traffic, tricky turns, highways, and more that you, as a parent, might avoid teaching because of the stress it could potentially cause. 

2. Set a Good Example

If you want your teen to practice safe driving habits, be conscious of yours first. Teens always observe their parents and copy them. Demonstrate safe driving behavior by restricting cell phone use when driving. 

You can either respond to the texts when you have reached the destination or ask your teen seated next to you to respond to them on your behalf. Act responsibly and follow the driving practices you want your teen to follow.

3. Be Aware of Their Driving Habits

Observe your teen’s driving habits by being a passenger in the car. Pay attention to how they handle situations, such as an urgent phone call or an important text. Encourage teens to attend any texts or calls before starting the car or toward the end of the journey. Correct their mistakes, if any, with simple and clear instructions. 

4. Have an Open Discussion on the Ill Effects of Distracted Driving 

Inform your teens of the dangers of texting when driving, such as accidents or crashes resulting in injuries, fatalities, and sometimes, deaths. Make them aware of the consequences of distracted driving, like traffic tickets, elevated insurance costs, and more.

They should know that texting when driving is illegal and by doing so, they are breaking the law. Show them the staggering statistics about the number of accidents caused due to this distraction. You could also let them watch videos of the aftermath of an accident. 

By making them aware of the dangers, you instill a sense of responsibility in them, thereby encouraging them to drive without any distractions.

5. Set Consequences for Inappropriate Driving Behavior

The teens must understand that driving is a privilege. They must know that it can be taken away by you or by the law if safe driving practices are not followed. 

For example, if your teen is caught texting when driving, take away their driving privileges or have them pay for traffic violations.

6. Monitor Your Teen’s Driving Using Apps

Many mobile apps help you track cell phone activity remotely without any hassles. These apps can also be used to block text messages and calls. Hoverwatch, Cocospy, uMobix, and MSpy are some of the examples of these tracking apps that you can use. 

Inform your teens that they are being monitored. In such situations, they will more likely follow the rules. Convince them that you are monitoring driving habits for helping them become a better driver.

7. Encourage Them to Install Safety Apps  

Installing safe driving apps, such as DriveMode, EverDrive, or TextDrive on your teen’s phone will automatically silence text alerts or phone calls when motion is detected. It can also send automated replies to the people trying to contact your teen. 

Alternatively, teens can use the built-in ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode on their phones. This mode blocks notifications ensuring zero distractions. 

8. Avoid Texting Your Teen When They Drive

Stop texting or calling your teens if you know they will be driving during a certain time. In the fear that parents might get mad, most teens end up returning the texts or calls and land up in accidents. 

Research by Deccan Herald revealed that more than half of teenagers aged between 15 and 18 were talking and texting their parents when driving.

9. Train Them to Effectively Manage Emergencies

Train your teens to pull over and get to a safe place to attend to urgent calls or texts. Stopping the vehicle at a gas station or a parking area to attend a call is better than looking at the phone when driving and risking lives. 

Summing Up

Distracted driving among teens has always been a topic of concern for parents. We hope this article will help you convince your teens to practice safe driving. Take effective measures shared here to ensure that your teens understand the dangers of texting when driving and act as responsible citizens. 

Contributor/Author: Aliza Vigderman is the director of content at AutoInsurance.com, overseeing all content on the site. Previously, she worked as an industry analyst and senior editor at Security.org, a site covering home and digital security. She has also worked as a freelance writer at SquareFoot, Degreed, and The Huffington Post. Her background is in journalism, which she studied at Brandeis University.

Also read:

 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Purpose of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

What Causes of Teenage Mental Health Issues?

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Do you have a teen that is struggling? Are they defiant, driving recklessly? Is your teen doing drugs and driving? Have you exhausted your local resources and at your wit’s end? Learn more about the benefits of residential treatment for your troubled teenager. Contact us for a free consultation.

The post 9 Ways to Prevent Teen Texting and Driving first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Distracted driving kills the same as drunk driving. That’s the message people need to understand. Generations prior it was loud and clear, if you drink and drive, you risk killing yourself or other people on the road.

We must make distracted driving as serious as getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

Survey Suggests Over Half Of Teen Drivers May Be Overconfident In Their Driving Skills

Hum by Verizon released new survey findings to raise awareness of teen driver safety, the needs of young drivers, and the benefits that technology can provide on the road. KRC Research conducted the survey of 1,004 American teens (ages 13-17) between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, 2017.

More than half (57 percent) of teen drivers responded that they are just as good at driving as their parent or guardian, yet nearly three in four (72 percent) have felt unsafe on the road and cited getting into an accident (77 percent) as their No. 1 concern on the road.

Additional findings include:

Opportunity for more driver’s education

·        51 percent of teen drivers wish they had learned more about how to drive safely in ice, snow and wet weather.

·        47 percent of teen drivers wish they had learned more about how to change a tire and 44 percent wish they knew how to jump start a battery.

·        34 percent wish they had learned more about how to handle distractions in the car while driving, either through driver’s education or with their parents.

Teens’ confidence and concerns

·        57 percent of teen drivers would prefer to learn driving skills from someone other than their parent or guardian.

·        77 percent of teens say their main concerns on the road are accidents and 53 percent are concerned with other aggressive drivers, followed by getting a speeding ticket 42 percent and running out of gas 37 percent.

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If you are struggling with your troubled teenager and you have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your teen. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

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Memorial Day marks the start of the 100 deadliest days , when the average number of teens dying from car crashes is 16 percent higher than the rest of the year, according to AAA. That’s because teens are on the road more during the summer months. During this time of year, more parents are also on the road while taking their kids to swim lessons, baseball, softball, summer camp, and more.

AT&T is using the Memorial Day Weekend as an opportunity to remind young drivers, and their parents, to never let their smartphones distract them behind the wheel. And a good first step is to take the pledge at www.itcanwait.com to keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone and encourage your family, friends and neighbors to do the same. AT&T launched the It Can Wait campaign in 2010 to help put an end to texting and driving.

Since that time, AT&T research has revealed smartphone distracted driving has grown beyond texting to video chatting, emailing, web surfing, photo snapping, posting to social media, and more.

In addition to taking the IT CAN WAIT pledge, AT&T encourages drivers to use a free app, like AT&T DriveMode, to help curb the temptation to engage in texting while driving. This is especially important for teen drivers, since texting is their primary mode of communication. The DriveMode app silences incoming text messages and sends an auto-reply to the sender letting the person know you’re driving.

The app’s auto-mode feature automatically turns on the app when you reach 15 MPH and turns it off after you stop. And parents will receive a notification if their teen driver turns off the app. The AT&T DriveMode app is available to customers of all wireless carriers for iPhone and Android users.

AT&T has also added a virtual reality experience component to the IT CAN WAIT campaign to show the potentially deadly consequences of glancing at your smartphone while driving. You can download the free AT&T VR app and buy Google Cardboard at www.ItCanWait.com/VR to use with your smartphone to experience the IT CAN WAIT driving simulation.

Lastly, AT&T encourages you to get involved with the IT CAN WAIT movement and educate others in your community and workplace about the dangers of smartphone distracted driving. You could just save a life.

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If you are struggling with your troubled teenager and you have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your teen. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post 100 Deadliest Days on the Road for Teen Drivers first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Read: 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: Success in Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: Why Residential Treatment Works When Home Therapy Fails.

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Contact us today for a free consultation for your troubled teen and the right therapeutic boarding school. 

The post Summer Months: Higher Teen Death Rate first appeared on Help Your Teens.