MyTeenageDriver

Driving Rules

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:16:58 +0000

When a teenager begins driving, it is recommended that parents set rules and clearly outline the consequences of breaking the rules.

Parents should talk to their teenage driver about safety issues and the rules that are being established. Explain each rule and the consequence for breaking it. Write up a contract with your teenage driver to make sure they drive by the rules and drive as safely as possible is also a good idea. The contract should include the most important issues.

Here is a list of topics the contract should cover:

Alcohol: Absolutely No Alcohol
Seat belts: Always Buckle Up!
Cell phone/texting: No talking or texting while driving
Curfew: Have the Car in the Driveway by 10 p.m.
Passengers: No more than one at all times
Graduated Drivers License: Follow your state’s GDL laws

Teen Girls More Distracted

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:25:37 +0000

A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that teen girls are twice as likely as boys to use cellphones and other electronic devices while driving. According to researchers who analyzed in-car video clips of 50 North Carolina families with teenagers, electronic devices were the most common type of distracted driving behavior for both genders

You can find the full report here.

First Car – Pickup Truck

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:22:01 +0000

Parents are constantly wondering what a good first car for their teenage driver might be. Michael Smith, a research psychologist with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says “The heavier the vehicle the better. This is a physics lesson: When two things run into each other, the heaviest wins.”

David Cavano, a manager of auto purchasing services for the Automobile Club of Southern California says “Get into a small, two-door car and pull up next to a sport-utility vehicle. The bumpers just don’t match. The higher you sit on the freeway, the more the chassis and frame are going to absorb the impact.”

“Kids think they’re indestructible, so parents have to do it for them,” he adds. “Parents ought to be trying to protect the lives of their kids.”

For these reasons a pickup truck is a good first choice. Not only does it sit high and have some weight behind it, but there is only room for one other person. Sure they use a little more gas but that might help deter unnecessary driving.

Curbs Cause Flat Tires?

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:48:02 +0000

The other day I was driving with my daughter and we started talking about flat tires. the conversation started by my asking if she knew how to change a flat. Of course she didn’t so I tried to explain it to her. She eventually asked me about how people got flat tires. So I rattled off the list : nail, leaky valve, hitting the curb. It was at this point that she stopped me and asked, “you can get a flat by hitting the curb?” I told her how the curb would rip open the side of the tire. At which point she said, “oh, I better be more careful.”

What could she be thinking?

Tracking Your Teenage Driver

admin — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:39:37 +0000

Last week OnStar announced that it was launching a pilot test of a new service. The new service is known as Family Link and consists of two pilot programs. The first is Vehicle Locate where a subscriber can log on to the Family Link website to view a map with the vehicle’s exact location. The second is Vehicle Location Alert where subscribers can set up notifications to let them know the location of their vehicle. Subscribers can choose the time , day, and frequency of the alerts.

Participation in the OnStar Family Link pilot is by invitation and will include approximately 10,000 OnStar subscribers.

OnStar is also considering adding additional services to the pilot including Speed Alert, Boundary Alert and Arrival/Departure Alert. Subscriber interest from the pilots will determine pricing and ultimately the general launch of this service.

To us this sounds like it is a good idea and something we would consider purchasing if we had a teenager that was in need of some boundaries.

Insuring a Teenage Driver

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 11:39:15 +0000

You know it is going to happen. The moment that your child gets their drivers license your insurance will go up. Well did you know that you will be lucky if it only doubles? According to a recent analysis by carinsurance.com adding a teenager to the mix will be costly. There are a few things you can do to keep your rate low. For the full story go here.

Joyride with the Buick

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:39:52 +0000

During Homecoming Week each class in my high school had to build a float for the parade. The night before the game we trailered our float up the the school. About 25 of us caravaned up there in eight or ten cars arriving at about 2:00 in the morning. Two of us had the brilliant idea of driving our cars through the soccer field and doing donuts. It was unbelievable how my dads Buick Century wagon spun in large circles on the moist soccer field. We did this for about 15 minutes as the field was beginning to get pretty rutted and we had a couple of close calls almost hitting each other.

After getting the car back to the parking lot I realized I needed to do a little cleanup on the car. I was pulling large clumps of grass and dirt from the wheel wells. When I was finally done I dropped off my friends, went home, and parked in the driveway. The next day my father see the car and asks me, “Where are you driving that car? I know it’s not on the road.” When I went out to the driveway I saw what he meant. The car looked like it had been driven through a mud pit. There were lumps of grass and dirt falling from under the car and laying in the driveway. I stood there with a straight face and said I did not know how it happened. I guess he was happy there were no dents in the thing.

Here is a picture of a 1976 Buick Century Wagon in the same lovely mustard yellow ours was.

Mom wants to Build a Rubber Car

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:04:51 +0000

After her two teenagers had four accidents in a little less than two years causing rising insurance premiums she has come up with an idea. With incidents ranging from smashing into their dad’s co-worker’s luxury sedan while pulling out of a tight parking space or scraping the side of a fellow diner’s car in a local pizza joint. She wants to build a rubber car. I don’t know how successful she will be but she is clearly at her wits end.

Read the full story here.

Another No Texting Law

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:43:44 +0000

You will now face up to a $1000 fine for texting in Iowa. Teenage drivers age 18 and younger, however, can be pulled over and cited regardless of any other infractions. Teens with learners permits will also be banned from using any sort of electronic communication device, including phones, while driving.

Photo courtesy of Mark Hagen/Clinton Herald

Read the full story here.

Teens and Texting

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:02:18 +0000

Another teenager was issued a citation for texting while driving.When will they learn? Read the whole story here.