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Being a teenager isn’t easy – there’s so much pressure to contend with… from parents, from teachers and even from friends.  While teenagers might be willing to blow off their parents or teachers, blow off a friend?  Never.  There’s too much at stake.  But, herein is the heart of the problem:  “Friends” tend to put the wrong kind of pressure on your teenager, contrary to the way you’ve been trying to raise him or her.  Reckless and dangerous behaviors are encouraged, many times as a rite of passage or initiation into a clique… “just have one drink, one little drink isn’t gonna kill ya” or “go on and take a hit, what are ya, a weenie?” or “crank this baby up to 90 and let’s hit the mall; your parents won’t even know you were there.”  Peer pressure – it’s a frightening reality for many parents and many teens.

When “friends” are putting pressure on your teenage driver to drive too fast, too far, in the dark, with a drink under their belt, too many people in the car, without seat belts, etc., etc., it will take a lot of courage for your child to withstand it.  Saying “no” is never easy, but with practice (and a deep breath) it can be done.  It’s a matter of coming up with some “excuses” that are plausible enough to get you off the hook.  But when all else fails, there’s always the clincher, “No way.  My parents will freak, and it just ain’t worth the lecture.”  And, should that fail to persuade your “friends,” it’s time to accept that you need to find real friends – the kind who’d never put you in harm’s way.

Tip: Despite all these questions, have you looked into car insurance for teenagers?

In N.J., a law was recently passed which will affect only teenage drivers.  Or will it?  Kyleigh’s Law, which will take effect on May 1^st in the Garden State, requires, among other things, that a brightly colored sticker is placed in the windshield of a car identifying the driver as a teenager.  Opponents claim that it is purely and simply age discrimination.  Certainly, there are valid arguments on both sides of the issue. 

Under the new law, teens that are 16 years old and who possess a learner’s permit have to be accompanied by a driver with at least 3 years experience and who is considered an adult (over 21); they must also wear a seat belt, must not use any wireless or handheld device, and are not allowed to drive between specific hours. 

Teens that have reached the age of 17 can drive with a provision license and may drive unsupervised for 1 year.  All passengers but one must be from their household (i.e. same address).  Seat belts, cell phone restrictions and hours within which a teen driver cannot drive are still in place. 

Finally, between the ages of 18 and 21, a driver can earn a basic driver’s license provided that they’ve completed a full year of driving unsupervised, but must continue to adhere to all other restrictions. 

The (infamous) teenage driver sticker is transferable, and must be visible at all times, and can be removed only after the driver reaches the age of 21.  Arguments about the sticker abound… it’s a form of profiling, cops will unjustly target teens, predators will be on the lookout, it won’t force a teen driver to perform better, etc., etc, etc.  Whether or not the legislation becomes law depends on many factors and the success of appeals. 

FYI:  Six thousand teenagers die in motor vehicle accidents every single year. Oh my — not very happy statistics — it is imperative that you check out car insurance for teenagers.

If this is the first time you’ve heard that expression – car surfing – you’re probably thinking, “What the…?“  Obviously, you’re not a teenager, then; living your life to the fullest, in the fast lane, doing wild and crazy things, playing video games like Grand Theft Auto.  Car surfing is one of the latest thrill seeking activities (with origins in virtual games like GTA) that teenagers have become real life participants in – whether they’re the crazy kid driving the car or the even crazier kid up on the roof.  Sadly, it’s an activity becoming more and more prevalent, another threat to the lives of our children (and the sanity of their parents).  The Centers for Disease Control indicates that 31 states have reported injuries as a result of car surfing, and the average age of the injured person is 17.6 years old, with males being more likely to be car surfing than females. Be safe and ensure your teen has great car insurance for teenagers. 

Certainly, the person at highest risk of injury or death is the crazed surfer dude.  But that doesn’t mean that the driver won’t pay for his or her serious lapse in judgement… payment rendered in the form of jail time (vehicular manslaughter), civil liabilities (there goes the college savings) and guilt the likes of which he or she may never recover. 

Want to try your hand at car surfing?  Fine, but don’t do it in the real world.  Virtual, all the way, dude.

It has been said that driving is a full time responsibility, and that distraction – whatever it may be – is the single-most often cited reason as the cause of an accident… “I was distracted… I was looking at… I took my eyes off the road for a single second because…”   Whatever the case may be, it takes a lot of concentration and focus to drive safely.  Teenagers who suffer with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are at a significantly higher risk of being involved in an accident, simply because of their unique medical condition.  What that means is that they need to take special precautions in order to drive:

Unless you’ve taken your medication, a teenager with ADD or ADHD should NOT get behind the wheel.  

• Consider taking an addition dose of medication or an extended-release version of it, if you will be driving for an extended length of time or driving late at night.  
• Reduce distractions, i.e. no radio, no friends, no phone, no food, nothing.  Just concentrate on the drive.  

And finally, if you’re a teenager with ADD or ADHD, and you find yourself getting angry or annoyed, pull off the road, and use whatever method you use to calm yourself down.  Driving enraged is equally as bad as driving distracted. And be certain you have great car insurance for teenagers.

The first destination of choice for most parents who attempt to teach their teenage child to drive is an empty parking lot.  And that’s a good choice because it allows your teenager to get a feel for the way the car handles, learn how to adjust the seat properly, use the mirrors to maximum advantage and practice a K-turn without embarrassment.  It also gives teenagers a chance to drive without worrying about other drivers (or sniggering neighbors) interfering with their concentration.  What big empty parking lots and wide open spaces don’t do is give your teenager practice in navigating narrow roads, or making turns or avoiding obstacles.

The next logical step in the driving progression should be the roads and streets of your local neighborhood.  But even in a quiet residential area, it can be nerve-wracking to a novice driver – all those little kids darting after their soccer balls and mini vans backing up out of driveways.  But where’s a driver to go that simulates the winding streets and intersections and obstacles of a real life neighborhood without the dangers of running over anyone or anything?  A cemetery, that’s where.  Sure, craziest thing you’ve ever heard, right?  But think about it, it has roads and intersections and plenty of obstructions and things to avoid.  But one thing it hasn’t got (if you time it right, that is) is living breathing people walking around creating a distraction.  On a weekday morning, a cemetery can be as silent as a tomb, and as long as you’re not afraid of ghosts, the perfect opportunity to put in some practice driving. 

And don’t forget to protect your teen with car insurance for teenagers!

It takes some individuals many, many years of driving experience to gain the wherewithal (i.e. skill, quick thinking, faster reflexes, etc.) to get themselves out of a dangerous situation.  It’s called “defensive driving” and it’s an important ability to master.  Unfortunately, a teenage driver is equally capable – if not more inclined, in some instances – to get themselves into a position that requires nothing short of a miracle to get safely out of.  Also unfortunate is that teen drivers don’t have the kind of experience necessary from everyday practice sessions, or just driving back and forth to school or the shopping mall.  Ensure your teens are well covered with car insurance for teenagers.

That’s why defensive driving courses can be a tremendous benefit to your teenager, and well worth the cost of enrollment, especially if you consider that it could make the difference between life and death.  In nearly every state, the first step toward a teenager getting a driver’s license is taking an approved driver’s education program, either in-person or on line.  Once completed, you can take your certificate to the state motor vehicle administration and sit for the written portion of the driver’s licensing examination.  With that in hand, the real fun begins:  The actual driving. 

A defensive driving course can teach a teenager everything they need to know to prepare themselves for situations that they someday might encounter on the highway – such as the right way to brake in an emergency (it is not just slamming hard on the pedal, ya know), maneuvers to avoid an accident (you are picturing yourself in a bumper car right now, aren’t you), even proper seating (who knew seating was important?).

Sure, you yourself know all about defensive driving.  The real question is can you quickly impart that knowledge to your teenager?  Before they need to know it?  Probably not.  You may have to do some investigation to track down a local program that can teach these important skills to your teenager over a short period of time.  But the real benefit won’t just be to your insurance premium (which should go down fairly significantly upon the successful completion of the program).  No, the real benefit is to your peace of mind, and there is no price on that.

Seen on the bumper sticker of a person with ADHD:  Warning:  Driver Distracted by Everything!

If you’re the passenger in a car being driven by someone you know who suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), you’re probably quite vigilant in watching for signs that distraction is creeping into their periphery.  But, unless you have been specifically told that a person has been diagnosed with a disorder, it’s probably not something you’re aware of.  Kept under control with medication, a person with ADD is just like everyone else, so you’d never even know.  

But there are specific driving actions (or no actions, as the case may be) that are indicative of ADD or ADHD and which may interfere with their ability to safely drive, and you should be aware of them: 

• Driver fails to notice road signs or traffic signals
• Driver doesn’t yield or give right of way
• Driver has a significant number of fender benders
• Driver tends to allow the car to drive
• Driver appears uncoordinated
• Driver forgets to check mirrors or turn around while backing up
• Driver can’t concentrate on the road if there are too many things going on
• Driver can’t anticipate potentially dangerous driving situations
• Driver doesn’t maintain speed

 If you find that you or someone you’re driving with exhibits any of these symptoms, they’re putting their (and your) life at stake.  It’s important for them to get checked out by a physician, and if the diagnosis is ADD or ADHD, they have got to remember, it’s not the end of the world.  It is a second chance – for everyone who gets in their car. And don’t forget to find the best car insurance for teenagers.

Did you ever notice that teenagers seem to possess this innate ability to understand all things electronic?  Give ‘em a DVD, CD or MP3 player and they know exactly what to push to get it to work.  Maybe you’ve just installed a GPRS system in your SUV (which has got you pouring over the manual just to figure out how to turn it on), but your teenager will, instinctively, know how to operate it.  “Mom, just do it like this” or “Dad, wait, you’re doing it wrong.”  It’s amazing, isn’t it? 

With all that teenagers can figure out without our help, it becomes even more important to acknowledge that you can’t take anything for granted.  It is important that you have great car insurance for teenagers. At least, not when it comes to the “important” functions in a car.  Have you ever been curious as to why you got into the car after your teenager had used it the night before and found that the high beams were on?  Know why?  It’s because your teenager didn’t know how to turn them off – heck, he didn’t even know the high beams were on (though he did wonder why so many people were flashing him as he drove last night – he just thought it was because he was popular).

Little car/driving-related intricacies that you’re aware of – use of high beams, when to switch to a lower gear (if your car is automatic), turning your tires into a curb when parked on a slope – these are simple things that are taken for granted.  Experienced drivers do them by rote, without thought.  Your teenager may have a driver’s license, but that doesn’t mean he knows it all (of course, he thinks he does, but that’s a teenager’s prerogative).  It’s up to you to help him learn it all.

Sadly, the numbers don’t lie.  Teenagers account for only 1/10^th of the entire population of the United States, but slightly more than 1/8^th of persons killed in motor vehicle related incidents.  If your high school math is a bit fuzzy, let’s put that into real numbers:  More than 400,000 teenagers are injured in a car accident every year; here’s some more perspective – Giants stadium holds 80,000 people, so visualize five times that number and you’ve got the number of teenagers injured.  Of that, 4,500 teens (of driving age) die each year – that’s more than a dozen a day.  

Male drivers in their teen years are more likely than their feminine counterpart to get into an accident in the first place – 1½ times more, in fact.  Males also don’t like to wear their seatbelts; according to the statistics, 12.5% of all teenage males (not necessarily drivers) don’t wear a seat belt compared to 7.8% of female teens.  And the presence of other teens in the car tends to exacerbate reckless behavior.  

Makes you want to lock your teenager up until he or she’s well into their 20’s, doesn’t it?  Alas, that’s illegal in most states.  You’ll have to come up with another plan to keep your teenage drivers alive and to ensure you have the best car insurance for teenagers .  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

You’ve no doubt heard (or perhaps uttered) those same words before. Tattletaling may not be a “nice” thing to do, but it can be an invaluable tool to learn that your child is not exactly the innocent angel you thought he was. While it probably takes a lot of self control not to roll your eyes up into your head when you’re informed that your teenager said a “bad” word or showed someone a rude gesture, you’ll nonetheless likely offer the standard parental response, “Thanks for telling me, I’ll talk to him about it later.” Meanwhile, what you’re really thinking is “Oh, give me a freaking break and get over it” because you’ve got other (more important) things to worry about than your kid insulting someone.

But what if one of those “more important things to worry about” concerns your teenager – your newly licensed teenager – who was seen driving inappropriately? Wouldn’t you want someone to tattle on him? Sure you would. That nosy old biddy from down the street has probably got your phone number on her speed dial. But your teenager probably drives with the utmost care as he approaches the house, and unless Biddy is following him around in her electric scooter, who is left to tattle when he’s out and about and out of sight of the homestead?

Everyone! That is, if you’ve got a “how’d you like my driving?” bumper sticker on your car. You’ve seen them on 18-wheelers, but now they make them specifically for new teenage drivers. Brilliant, isn’t it? Sure, your teen will be mortified and complain vociferously about how you don’t trust him, but you hold your ground and insist that that bumper sticker be displayed prominently. You do need to know that he’s driving with care. And, besides, what’s the point of becoming a parent if you can’t embarrass your child now and again.  But you will come out on top by ensuring you have the best car insurance for teenagers.