Teen Driver Insurance in Oregon
You never thought this day would come, your child is a licensed driver. This can be both a nerve-wracking and exciting time! Your HD York Insurance agent is ready to answer all of your questions and explain the insurance process to “Junior.”
Learning to be a safe driver is more than spending a lot of time behind the wheel. Safe driving starts with being a great example for your children and then spending the time to talk to them about the rules of the road before they even take the wheel. It is important to talk to your children about the privilege to drive. Many teens feel that driving is a right that can’t be taken away. Tell your children about the increased regulatory laws regarding teen driving in your state.
A Ticket or Accident?
Just one ticket or accident could mean the end to your child’s teen driving. Insurance premiums often TRIPLE from a single ticket for speeding or an accident making it nearly impossible to cover the cost of them driving. Make sure you talk to your teen about the cost of insurance so they understand the importance of not only driving safe to keep their premiums low, but driving safe just for the sake of being safe.
Five Things to Discuss With Your Teen Driver
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the leading cause of death of teenagers from 15-19 years old in the United States is auto accidents. In order to decrease these numbers, it’s important for parents to sit down with their children to discuss the dangers of driving.
The National Teen Safety Week goal is to make teens aware of the “5 to Drive” Rules.
Keep in mind, in order for your teenagers to be following these five rules, parents need to be leading by example. If you aren’t following the rules yourself, your teenager won’t take these steps seriously. Educate your teen on the importance of each rule. Give real life scenarios and grim statistics so they understand why the “5 to Drive” is so crucial to follow.
Alcohol
We all know not to drink and drive, but be sure to continue these conversations with your teen. It’s also important to discuss the major consequences of getting into an accident when alcohol is involved such as jail time, a loss of driver’s license and fines. If your teen happens to be in a situation involving alcohol, make a deal that you will pick them up to prevent the dangers of drinking and driving.
Seatbelts
This is such a simple habit to stay safe and it’s the best way to protect yourself! According to NHTSA, 64 percent of all young passengers and teen drivers who didn’t wear a seatbelt died in a motor vehicle accident. Train your teenager to buckle up every single time they get into a vehicle until it becomes a habit!
Texting
We all know the dangers of texting while driving. Distracted driving accidents continue to increase in deaths per year. Coach your teen to put their cell phone away before getting behind the wheel or let the passenger take care of any urgent texting.
Speeding
Teenage drivers learn in driver’s education that every time their speed doubles, their stopping distance quadruples. Be sure to continue this conversation to help them follow the speed limit. In 2013, almost one-third (29 percent) of teen drivers involved in a fatal crash were speeding.
Extra Passengers
The more passengers in your teenager’s vehicle, the more risk of a fatal crash. Some states prohibit any passengers from riding in your teenager’s car for a certain period. Check your State’s GDL law to see what your teenage driver needs to follow.
Remember, you will make the biggest impact on your teen’s safety behind the wheel. Show you care about their safety and take about the dangers of driving. Most importantly, follow the five rules yourself. With continued education, you’ll shape your teenager into a responsible driver.
