Best Ways to Talk to Your Teenager about the Dangers of Texting and Driving
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There comes a time in a parent's life where they have to deal with their teenager driving for the first time. The sheer panic of driving with a novice driver while trying to find your air brake on the passenger's side of the car is enough to cause you some justified anxiety.
A teen who is trying to get their driver's license must get some practice in to be successful at the DMV. Along with the practice of maneuvering a vehicle must come with the knowledge of the risks that one may endure while driving. Turning, changing lanes, sign verbiage, and weather are all things that need to be learned and with teens especially - understanding the dangers of texting while driving.
With a teenager, sometimes how to approach them with things that they know can become complicated. Your teen has probably seen the PSA that warns of texting while driving although they may not fully comprehend how dangerous this can really be. Trying to articulate the situation they are putting themselves in when they are texting behind the wheel may prove to be difficult but must be done to keep them safe.
Be honest.
The stories that you share could be morbid or tragic, however, the truth may be the only way to scare them into doing the right thing. The National Safety Council (NSC) has reported that texting and driving causes 1.6 million crashes every year with over 390,000 injuries occurring from accidents.Suggest using driving mode.
Temptation to use a phone is almost automatic in this society of around the clock cell phone use. Checking the notifications on a cell phone have become as natural as checking for the time and teenagers do not even realize they are doing it before they get completely distracted. Driving mode will protect them from getting and receiving text messages because the phone can sense the movement of the car and will block any texts that are coming in.Do as I do, not as I say
Being a good example for your teen is the absolute best thing you can do for them. If you are driving and texting, most likely they will follow suit because teens model the behavior that they see. Put your phone down and use your driving mode so that your teen knows that you mean business. Texting and driving is by far is the most dangerous action of all cell phone functions according to the NSC because your teen's eyes can be off the road anywhere from at least 5-15 seconds when answering or reading a text which is enough time to cause an accident. Anytime that someone's eyes are not on the road, they are making the roadways and highways unsafe for everyone involved.Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center employs a well-trained medical staff that is qualified to manage the stages of withdrawal for our adolescent clients. We offer on-site detoxification to help keep our clients as comfortable as possible.
Call us today to start living your recovery: 662-598-4214
