Teen's Role
Your teen is ready to drive solo, and with that freedom comes responsibility.
Make sure your teen understands the many responsibilities involved in operating a vehicle, which include:
- Focusing on safe driving by obeying the speed limit, always wearing a safety belt, not driving when fatigued and avoiding distractions and aggressive driving.
- Checking in with you prior to every trip to give you the destination, route and time expected home. If your teen wants to drive with a passenger, you must provide permission first.
- Making smart decisions about being a passenger, such as asking your permission before riding with a new teen driver, avoiding riding in cars with multiple teen passengers, never riding with distracted, drinking or drugged drivers and always wearing a safety belt.
- Calling you for a ride if there is any concern regarding safety.
- Knowing how to appropriately respond to peer pressure.
- Being responsible for any passengers in the vehicle to ensure they buckle up, ride without distracting the driver and so forth.
- Continuing to practice driving with you, especially before trying an unfamiliar driving situation like rush-hour traffic, city driving, narrow country roads, night driving or poor weather.
- Keeping the car clean and full of gas, among other family rules.
- Abiding by your family’s parent-teen driving agreement.
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Additional resources:
- StartSmart: Drowsy Driving - Teens are at high risk for drowsy-driving related crashes. Find out more...
- Becoming the New Driver - Designed for teens, this brochure outlines tips and responsibilities of being a safe driver.
