As summer is coming to a close and school is right around the corner, it is important to prepare your teen drivers on how to be safe on the Arizona roads. Teaching your teen to drive using defensive driving techniques will give them the awareness and knowledge to avoid potential Arizona car accidents.
Arizona Teen Driver Checklist
A typical driver checklist would consist of checking your mirrors, adjusting your seat, and making sure your oil or brake pads must be changed. When your teen is learning how to drive, going through this checklist provided by Statefarm will help you cover all the bases:
- How to break smoothly and come to a gradual stop
- Proper speed to take a turn and use of turn signals
- Steady acceleration and maintaining the speed limit
- Determining right of way for intersections
- Adjusting car mirrors and driver’s seat
- How to change lanes and merge
- Paying attention to other drivers’ behaviors and looking out for hazards on the road
- Keeping a safe distance behind other drivers
- Driving in a school zone safely
- What to do when emergency vehicles are approaching
- Limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle
- Understanding what different road signs mean
- Car maintenance with seat belts, brake pads, oil changes, tires, and airbags
Driving Safely on Arizona Roads
After going through the driving training, teens will get the rest of their knowledge from driving out on the roads. Role modeling safe driving behavior to your teen driver is the best way to influence them to follow your lead! This means not using your cell phone while you drive, wearing your seat belt properly, and keeping music at a normal volume. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teen crashes are often caused by being distracted.
Distracted driving is when drivers perform an activity, like texting, that takes their eyes off the road. Talking to your teen about the dangers of texting and driving is essential! In Arizona, it is illegal to talk or text on a smartphone or other device unless it is used through the Bluetooth capabilities of the vehicle.
The Hands Off law outlines all the specifics of how you can interact with a smartphone and a GPS system. Removing other distractions like eating, loud music, and noisy passengers will also help your teen stay focused while driving.
Staying calm while on the road is another way for teens to drive safely. Road rage and becoming impatient during times of traffic can lead to an Arizona car accident. Erratic switching through lanes and rapidly increasing and decreasing vehicle speed will eventually cause an accident. Practicing how to stay calm and avoid rash decision-making will keep your teen driver safe on the road.
Keeping all of these tips in mind, it is imperative that your teens take driving safety seriously when you factor in driving at nighttime. Dangerous activities occur at night, like drinking and driving. Drunk driving is the leading cause of death for Arizona teen drivers. When driving at night, remind your teens of the warning signs of a potential drunk driver.
Teen Drivers: How to Handle An Arizona Car Accident
A part of driver training should include what to do if your teen is ever involved in an Arizona car accident. Contacting the police after any type of car accident, major or minor damages, should be the first thing your teen does. If they or any of their passengers are injured, they should seek medical attention immediately to ensure their injuries are treated properly.
Gathering photos of the Arizona car accident scene and vehicles involved will help provide evidence if you decide to pursue a claim with our Esquire Law Arizona car accident attorneys. Your teen will be able to be placed on your car insurance when they start driving. So having proper car insurance coverage will benefit you and your teen driver.
You don’t want to make the mistake of only speaking with the insurance companies about your teen’s Arizona car accident. Insurance companies are never on your side when you experience a car accident and suffer injuries; they will try to give you the minimum amount of compensation. It is better not to sign or accept any offers from insurance companies, yours or the at-fault drivers. Our Arizona car accident attorneys will help you receive the full compensation your teen deserves for their injuries and damages.