Distractions are a way of life, but that doesn’t mean that they’re always appropriate. If you are a parent of a teen, you probably already worry enough without the added issue of smartphones. You know that your child could be distracted for just a moment and end up in a serious crash.
Even if your teen doesn’t want to hear it, it’s time to sit down and talk about the dangers of being distracted behind the wheel. Even a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to distractions.
How can you make sure that your child takes driving seriously and doesn’t use a phone behind the wheel?
It may be difficult to talk to your child about the importance of not using a cellphone behind the wheel. He or she may not want to listen, but it’s your job to make sure that the facts become known. One good way to discuss the dangers of distracted driving is to take your child to a practice course with a virtual reality program designed for this purpose. These programs show what it’s like to drive while adding in unexpected events like a child entering the roadway or an animal jumping onto the street. If your teen gets distracted, he or she is likely to crash, but that’s okay in virtual reality. The point is to show that the few seconds looking away could end up being fatal or result in serious injuries.
Another way to help your teen is to make sure he or she knows to turn off the phone’s vibration alert or ringer while driving. When the phone is there but quiet, it’s less distracting than if it’s ringing or reminding you that you just received a text.