Driving is an activity that requires full attention—something that is rare to find in today’s world of connectivity. It’s important for teenage drivers to get into the habit (from the start) of putting their phones away. Texting, taking selfies, checking emails or scrolling through their Facebook news feed while driving can all wait until they’ve reached their destination. But how do you convince your teenage children how important it is to give full attention to the road and prioritize safe driving? Here are 3 ways to encourage your teenage children to avoid using their phone while driving.
- Let’s start with what you can control–you! It makes sense that when your teen first gets their license, you want to constantly check in and make sure they’re okay. But communicate to your kids that they should never text back while driving. Teach them to either pull over on a side street to text or call you back, or wait to reach their final destination and let you know that they’ve arrived safely.
- Model safe driving habits. Your teen is likely to pick up driving habits from you, both good and bad. So set a good example by putting your phone on silent and in the glove compartment while driving. They will likely do the same as you do.
- Teenagers today have a fear of missing out. That’s why they’re constantly checking their phone to see if they have a text, social media notification or missed call. Fortunately, however, you can fight technology with technology. There are plenty of apps that disable a phone, or certain features of a phone, while driving. Look into downloading the app on your teen’s phone and encourage them to use it before they leave the driveway.
Convincing your teenage children to avoid using their phones while driving is no easy task. But if you consistently communicate the dangers of phone use while driving and valid reasons to stay focused on the road, we can begin to make our roads safer for our children and end the dangerous culture and behavior of phone use while driving.