How to crash-proof your teen

Getting a driver’s licence is a defining moment for most teens — and the beginning of a gruelling, white-knuckle journey for most parents. Your guidance, and a clear agreement on conditions for handing over the keys, can establish life-long safety habits.

Teen drivers are inexperienced, susceptible to peer pressure, and prone to risk-taking behaviour. It’s no surprise that, according to Transport Canada, teens as a group have one of the highest rates of traffic accidents, and these accidents account for the most injuries and deaths.

Experts agree that parental involvement while teens are learning to drive is the key to reducing these risks. Here are some ideas to keep your teen safer behind the wheel (and help settle your nerves!).

Don’t forget to contact your insurance provider when your teen starts driving. When you add your teenage son or daughter to your policy, your premiums may be affected.

1. Look in the rear-view mirror
Be very conscious of your own driving habits. Remember that you’re teaching your kids how to drive every time you get behind the wheel. Are you demonstrating the calm, courteous, safety-conscious skills you expect from them? You’ve got to earn this credibility as a role model.

2. Let a professional do the teaching
If your teen doesn’t follow your instructions for folding the laundry, how much will they learn from you in the car? Some provinces may require a certain number of hours of professional in-class and hands-on driver’s instruction, but even when it is not required, there is no substitute for professional driver training.

3. Review what’s being taught
Make sure any driver’s education program you’re considering will prepare your teen for a lifetime of defensive driving — and not just impart the skills to pass the driver’s test! Look for a comprehensive course (offered over a period of weeks or months) that includes specific instruction in reducing risks, recognizing hazards, and handling skids and emergency situations.
   
4. Consider the type of car driven
According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, injury and death rates are higher among occupants of small cars when there’s a crash. In addition: 

• Trucks and SUVs may be more susceptible to roll-overs.
• High-performance “muscle cars” may encourage young drivers to push the limits.

If your teen will be driving a higher-risk vehicle, speak to the driving instructor about special tips and techniques that can be used to counter these risks.

5. Impose a household graduated licencing policy
If your province does not yet have graduated licencing (or even if it does), place your own restrictions on how and when the car can be used. This might mean no driving after 9 p.m., and no passengers unless there’s an adult in the car. Consider tying driving privileges to school grades.

6. Don’t rush your teen to get a full licence
The more experience your teen gets on the road with a learner’s permit, the safer he or she will be when the time comes for a full licence at age 17 or 18 (minimum age requirements for obtaining a driver’s licence vary from province to province). And remember, whether a teen is ready for a full licence should also depend on the individual teenager’s level of maturity and responsibility.

7. Draw up a driving agreement
Make a contract with your teen, so there is no doubt about rules and responsibilities behind the wheel.

This should stipulate how many hours a week you will be available to help coach behind the wheel (experts recommend a total of 30-50 hours of road experience as a minimum for teens to transition from learners to new drivers).

Depending on your province of residence, your teen may be legally allowed to drive alone. If so, and if you permit your teen to drive a car without you, your contract should include detailed guidelines on how the car may be used (strictly back and forth to work, for example). Ultimately, a contract can’t guarantee your teen will follow the rules, but it does make the point that you’re serious about safety. And it will lay out clear-cut consequences for infractions.

Don’t forget to check out all the helpful safety tips.

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