At this time of year, many new and young drivers in Hollywood and across Southern Florida are looking forward to a summer of freedom and driving. If you have a newly-licensed motorist in your family, they may be eager to hit the open road and even go on a road trip.
Here are some ways to ensure your teen is safe on the roads if they’re interested in going on a road trip before fall:
1) Make sure your teen is ready for a road trip.
Drive with your child to see what type of driving habits and skills they have. Don’t let your child go on an extended trip unless they have the discipline to put away distractions and to drive carefully and safely. Your child will likely not be ready for a road trip immediately after getting their license. They should get some practical on-the-road experience first.
2) Make sure your teen’s car is ready for a road trip.
Even if your child is ready for a road trip because they have the skills to go on one, their car needs to be ready, too. Consider paying for a tune-up of your child’s car as well as an evaluation by a professional mechanic. A mechanic can tell you whether the car is roadworthy for an extended adventure.
3) Get extra driving practice.
It can be useful to have your child get some defensive driving classes or some one-on-one lessons from a driving instructor. Additional training and practice of any kind can help your child further develop their skills so they’re ready for a longer drive. Better skills may also help your child’s avoid a car accident in Hollywood or anywhere they drive.
4) Set some rules.
Before your child goes on a road trip, set some rules. For example, your rules may limit the number of passengers in your child’s car, may require your child to check in regularly, or may limit how many hours your child can drive every day before taking a rest break.
Discuss the importance of safety on long road trips. For example, will your child be driving with friends? On the one hand, friends can mean distractions. On the other hand, they can help share driving duties and can ensure your child isn’t alone in a strange location.
5) Plan ahead.
Work with your child to develop a plan for staying safe on a road trip. Map the route, find locations for rest stops and locate hotels where your child can safely sleep for the night. Make sure your child has everything they need for a road trip – including an emergency kit, first aid kit, good insurance, and more. Put a check list together of things they’ll need to keep in mind and things they’ll need to take to stay safe.
Have you or your child been injured in a car accident in Southern Florida? Contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Our law offices in Homestead, Hollywood, and Miami are proud to serve the entire southern Florida area and would be happy to offer legal support and advice to you if you have been injured.