Be a Good Role Model
By Master Police Officer James Poer
A few years ago while I was teaching my daughter to drive, I caught her making a serious mistake. I asked her where did she learn that from? She told me "From you!"
Well, we discussed this and she explained to me when and how I taught her this. Apparently, when I told her "not" to do something, she didn't hear the word "not" and did exactly the opposite of what I was trying to teach.
It's funny how they sometimes hear something other than what we actually say or mean. I'm not sure why this happens but as parents, our influence on our kids is something we must be constantly aware of.
As you are teaching your teen to drive, you must also be very aware of your actions as well. If you have poor driving habits, your child is most likely going to inherit those same habits. Talking on the cell phone while driving, allowing distractions to occur while you're behind the wheel and failing to check your blind spot are all common habits that many adults pass on to their kids.
You have to remember that kids are very impressionable and although you may be able to drive and talk on the phone, they will most likely not. By adding this distraction to their inexperience, the chance of a dangerous outcome is doubled.
So, remember that you should practice proper driving skills, especially when you child is with you in the car. One way to make this a habit is to always ask yourself if this is an action that you would want your child to replicate.
For more information on how to make your teen a safer driver, visit www.teendriverinsurance.com. They provide several tools including a Parent/ Teen Driver contract, Safe Teen Driver Guide, GPS Teen Monitoring Systems, and much more.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
5 Ways to Teen Driver Safety
Believe me, I know what you're going through. Having raised four drivers, my wife and I can agree that no matter how much education and experience you provide to a teen driver,the concerns about safety can't be relieved.
My most dreaded duty as an accident investigator is to have to notify a parent that their child has been in an accident. We expect kids to out live us and unfortunately, too many don't.
Accidents are going to happen. Kids are going to make mistakes. But there are ways that you can reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents.
Give Your Teen Extra Professional Training. A new driver can never get enough professional training. The amount of education and experience that is required to get a license should be considered just that- "enough to get a license". Professional driving instructors that teach more advanced skills can help your teen learn what to do in potentially dangerous situations and more importantly, how to avoid them. By "investing" in your teen drivers education, you are investing in his or her future.
Give Your Teen Experience. It is recommended that teens get at least 100 hours of time behind the wheel before driving unsupervised. This time can be made more effective by using a structured outline explaining important skills and practice exercises. The Safe Teen Driver Guide is a great tool to use to accomplish this.
Talk to Your Teen. Whenever you are in the car and regardless of who is behind the wheel, talk about safe driving. Explain the dangers and how to avoid them. You can talk about controlling downhill speed, spotting trouble ahead, blind spots, and anticipating other driver's actions.
Keep Your Cool. Ranting and raving about mistakes only causes emotions that can lead to more mistakes behind the wheel. Simply point out the mistake and wait until you get home to get emotional.
Checkup on Skills. As your teen driver gains experience driving alone, bad habits can form. Periodically ride with your teen and make sure your teen is following safe driving practices.
I hope these tips help you make your teen a safer driver. Please use them and most importantly, enjoy this experience with your teen. It is a very exciting time and I hope a safe one for your teen driver.
Resources: www.safeteendrivercourse.com
My most dreaded duty as an accident investigator is to have to notify a parent that their child has been in an accident. We expect kids to out live us and unfortunately, too many don't.
Accidents are going to happen. Kids are going to make mistakes. But there are ways that you can reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents.
Give Your Teen Extra Professional Training. A new driver can never get enough professional training. The amount of education and experience that is required to get a license should be considered just that- "enough to get a license". Professional driving instructors that teach more advanced skills can help your teen learn what to do in potentially dangerous situations and more importantly, how to avoid them. By "investing" in your teen drivers education, you are investing in his or her future.
Give Your Teen Experience. It is recommended that teens get at least 100 hours of time behind the wheel before driving unsupervised. This time can be made more effective by using a structured outline explaining important skills and practice exercises. The Safe Teen Driver Guide is a great tool to use to accomplish this.
Talk to Your Teen. Whenever you are in the car and regardless of who is behind the wheel, talk about safe driving. Explain the dangers and how to avoid them. You can talk about controlling downhill speed, spotting trouble ahead, blind spots, and anticipating other driver's actions.
Keep Your Cool. Ranting and raving about mistakes only causes emotions that can lead to more mistakes behind the wheel. Simply point out the mistake and wait until you get home to get emotional.
Checkup on Skills. As your teen driver gains experience driving alone, bad habits can form. Periodically ride with your teen and make sure your teen is following safe driving practices.
I hope these tips help you make your teen a safer driver. Please use them and most importantly, enjoy this experience with your teen. It is a very exciting time and I hope a safe one for your teen driver.
Resources: www.safeteendrivercourse.com
Friday, October 24, 2008
GPS Teen Tracking Systems- It Can Save Your Child's Life
By Master Police Officer III James Poer
It amazes me when I see kids speeding around town as if they are bullet proof and invincible. All too often, this is why we lose kids in car accidents. Speeding is the number one cause for teen driver deaths and it's because they really don't know better.
Once they get behind the wheel, they think they can control their car at any speed and tend to push the limits. The problem happens when they get into a situation at a high speed and can't react quickly enough. Even professional car racers sometimes can't react quickly enough at high speeds.
When you add speed to any situation, you have what is called the "multiplier" effect. This means that the faster you approach an object, the less time you have to properly react, so the speed of your reaction needs to be multiplied.
So, how can you make sure your teen doesn't speed? Of course, it's up to you to make certain they don't and there is one tool that can almost guarantee your teen driver doesn’t make this dangerous mistake. GPS Teen Monitoring System- In my opinion, this is the best thing invented since sliced bread. This system works so well because the teen understands that if he or she speeds, you will know about it.Here’s how it works.
A small gps unit is installed in your teen’s car, usually under the dash where it can’t be seen. The unit sends a signal to a satellite where it is monitored by the GPS provider. When you teen exceeds the preset speed limit, a signal is sent to you via text message, cell phone, or e-mail.
You can log into a special website where you can set the speed as well as monitor where your teen’s car is at any time. You can see how fast he or she is traveling and on what roads too.Some systems offer other safety features like driving range alerts and driving time alerts. For more information, contact your http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/ agent for special deals on these units.
During my years investigating accidents, I have seen the effects of speeding and witnessed the deaths of too many teens. If more parents had these units installed in their children’s cars, I am certain more teens would avoid fatal car accidents.
Officer Poer is a 30 year veteran accident investigator. He is also a parent of 4 drivers. His experience, conviction, and advice are demonstrated on his website- http://www.parentalcourage.com/. Please visit his site often and remain vigilant about your teen driver’s safety!
Original article and more information on teen driver safety can be found at http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/
It amazes me when I see kids speeding around town as if they are bullet proof and invincible. All too often, this is why we lose kids in car accidents. Speeding is the number one cause for teen driver deaths and it's because they really don't know better.
Once they get behind the wheel, they think they can control their car at any speed and tend to push the limits. The problem happens when they get into a situation at a high speed and can't react quickly enough. Even professional car racers sometimes can't react quickly enough at high speeds.
When you add speed to any situation, you have what is called the "multiplier" effect. This means that the faster you approach an object, the less time you have to properly react, so the speed of your reaction needs to be multiplied.
So, how can you make sure your teen doesn't speed? Of course, it's up to you to make certain they don't and there is one tool that can almost guarantee your teen driver doesn’t make this dangerous mistake. GPS Teen Monitoring System- In my opinion, this is the best thing invented since sliced bread. This system works so well because the teen understands that if he or she speeds, you will know about it.Here’s how it works.
A small gps unit is installed in your teen’s car, usually under the dash where it can’t be seen. The unit sends a signal to a satellite where it is monitored by the GPS provider. When you teen exceeds the preset speed limit, a signal is sent to you via text message, cell phone, or e-mail.
You can log into a special website where you can set the speed as well as monitor where your teen’s car is at any time. You can see how fast he or she is traveling and on what roads too.Some systems offer other safety features like driving range alerts and driving time alerts. For more information, contact your http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/ agent for special deals on these units.
During my years investigating accidents, I have seen the effects of speeding and witnessed the deaths of too many teens. If more parents had these units installed in their children’s cars, I am certain more teens would avoid fatal car accidents.
Officer Poer is a 30 year veteran accident investigator. He is also a parent of 4 drivers. His experience, conviction, and advice are demonstrated on his website- http://www.parentalcourage.com/. Please visit his site often and remain vigilant about your teen driver’s safety!
Original article and more information on teen driver safety can be found at http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Driving is a "Privilege" not a "Right"!
As Americans, we often confuse what are our rights and what are our privileges.
Teens... well, they really don't have a clue. Rights are something that every American has. We have the right to free speech... within the law. You can't go into a movie theater and yell "fire". We have the right to bear arms... again it must be used within the law.
However, there is nothing in the Constitution that says we have the right to drive. Every state gives us the privilege to drive and they can take it away if we abuse this privilege. As a parent of a young driver, you also have the ability to take away this privilege.
We have laws set by the US government. We have laws set by every state in this country. Every city has specific statutes that are really local laws. Your family has rules (or laws) within your household. But do you have specific rules for your teen driver to follow?
Sure, you may have talked about rules before and they may be based on what the state declares as a law, but do you have it in writing? Simply discussing rules and the consequences of breaking a rule is one thing. Putting it in writing gives you much more power.
Imagine if the President of the United States told us that we can no longer put jelly on our peanut butter sandwiches. Congress never passes the law and it is never put in writing. Do you think a judge could convict you if you put jelly on your peanut butter sandwich?
Okay, I may be reaching here but my point is, if you put it in writing, it holds more weight. It shows your teen that you are very serious about your young driver's safety and you will impose punishment for breaking the "Family's Driving Laws". And don't be afraid to take away privileges when these "laws" are broken.
If you find out your teen has been driving while talking on the cell phone, driving with too many passengers, speeding, or any other dangerous action, take away privileges and be swift about it.
If your teen has agreed in writing, he or she will know that the consequences are going to be enforced!
You can download a FREE Parent/Teen Driver Contract by visiting http://www.teendriverinsurance.com. There is also a Consequences Agreement where you can put in writing specifically what will happen if your young driver breaks certain rules. Laws are put in writing to be respected and enforced. Your teen will hold greater respect for your family laws if they are in writing too.
Teens... well, they really don't have a clue. Rights are something that every American has. We have the right to free speech... within the law. You can't go into a movie theater and yell "fire". We have the right to bear arms... again it must be used within the law.
However, there is nothing in the Constitution that says we have the right to drive. Every state gives us the privilege to drive and they can take it away if we abuse this privilege. As a parent of a young driver, you also have the ability to take away this privilege.
We have laws set by the US government. We have laws set by every state in this country. Every city has specific statutes that are really local laws. Your family has rules (or laws) within your household. But do you have specific rules for your teen driver to follow?
Sure, you may have talked about rules before and they may be based on what the state declares as a law, but do you have it in writing? Simply discussing rules and the consequences of breaking a rule is one thing. Putting it in writing gives you much more power.
Imagine if the President of the United States told us that we can no longer put jelly on our peanut butter sandwiches. Congress never passes the law and it is never put in writing. Do you think a judge could convict you if you put jelly on your peanut butter sandwich?
Okay, I may be reaching here but my point is, if you put it in writing, it holds more weight. It shows your teen that you are very serious about your young driver's safety and you will impose punishment for breaking the "Family's Driving Laws". And don't be afraid to take away privileges when these "laws" are broken.
If you find out your teen has been driving while talking on the cell phone, driving with too many passengers, speeding, or any other dangerous action, take away privileges and be swift about it.
If your teen has agreed in writing, he or she will know that the consequences are going to be enforced!
You can download a FREE Parent/Teen Driver Contract by visiting http://www.teendriverinsurance.com. There is also a Consequences Agreement where you can put in writing specifically what will happen if your young driver breaks certain rules. Laws are put in writing to be respected and enforced. Your teen will hold greater respect for your family laws if they are in writing too.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Your Teen Driver's Education- It is Your Responsibility!
By Master Police Officer James Poer
During my years investigating accidents, I have had to witness the results of the careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel. As a father of four, these experiences made it very stressful for me as each of my children became drivers.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions and careless driving plus they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means, it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
The lack of experience is why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It's called the "Safe Teen Driver Guide". This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen's supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
You can learn more tips and strategies on keeping your teen safe by visiting www.TeenDriverInsurance.com.
Master Police Officer, James Poer has investigated countless accidents over the past 30 years. He is also a parent of 4 drivers and his experience and advice is priceless. Please visit his blog often to learn more about how you can make your teen a safer driver.
During my years investigating accidents, I have had to witness the results of the careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel. As a father of four, these experiences made it very stressful for me as each of my children became drivers.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions and careless driving plus they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means, it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
The lack of experience is why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It's called the "Safe Teen Driver Guide". This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen's supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
You can learn more tips and strategies on keeping your teen safe by visiting www.TeenDriverInsurance.com.
Master Police Officer, James Poer has investigated countless accidents over the past 30 years. He is also a parent of 4 drivers and his experience and advice is priceless. Please visit his blog often to learn more about how you can make your teen a safer driver.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Your Teen Driver’s Safety- It is Your Responsibility!
During my years investigating accidents, I have witnessed the results of the careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel. As a father of four, these experiences made it very stressful for me as each of my children became drivers.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions, careless driving and they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means… it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
There is a reason why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It’s called the “Safe Teen Driver Guide”. This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen’s supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions, careless driving and they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means… it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
There is a reason why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It’s called the “Safe Teen Driver Guide”. This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen’s supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The Consequences of Speeding
There are basically four outcomes when your teenager speeds. None of these are good and I'll share with you what can happen.
1. Nothing
If you're lucky, nothing will happen for the time being. You may think, "Well, that isn't so bad". I disagree. Why? Because, if they get away with it one time, they do it again and one of the following outcomes will most likely happen.
2. Speeding ticket
Probably the best case scenario. This can be very expensive though. The points your teen will get along with the fines, can cost you as much as $3,000 to $4,000 over the next 3 years.
3. Car accident
If they are lucky and no one gets hurt, this will also be very expensive. This can cost you $5,000 to $8,000 in insurance points and fines. According to your agent, Tom Wiecek, it can also put you in danger of losing your insurance.
4. Car Accident with Injuries or Worse...
I have had to knock on the doors of many parents who lost their kids in a car accident and almost always, it was because their teen was speeding.
In some cases, the teen driver survives and others are injured or worse, killed. I can't tell you how much this will cost you because there is no way to place a value on someone's life.
So, how can you prevent your teen from making this mistake?
Of course, there is no sure way but by adding a GPS monitoring system in your teen's car, the chances that your family will experience one of these outcomes will be greatly reduced. It is also critical that you continually have conversations with your teen about the dangers of speeding.
I hope this helps and I wish you and your family a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!
Master Police Officer, James Poer
1. Nothing
If you're lucky, nothing will happen for the time being. You may think, "Well, that isn't so bad". I disagree. Why? Because, if they get away with it one time, they do it again and one of the following outcomes will most likely happen.
2. Speeding ticket
Probably the best case scenario. This can be very expensive though. The points your teen will get along with the fines, can cost you as much as $3,000 to $4,000 over the next 3 years.
3. Car accident
If they are lucky and no one gets hurt, this will also be very expensive. This can cost you $5,000 to $8,000 in insurance points and fines. According to your agent, Tom Wiecek, it can also put you in danger of losing your insurance.
4. Car Accident with Injuries or Worse...
I have had to knock on the doors of many parents who lost their kids in a car accident and almost always, it was because their teen was speeding.
In some cases, the teen driver survives and others are injured or worse, killed. I can't tell you how much this will cost you because there is no way to place a value on someone's life.
So, how can you prevent your teen from making this mistake?
Of course, there is no sure way but by adding a GPS monitoring system in your teen's car, the chances that your family will experience one of these outcomes will be greatly reduced. It is also critical that you continually have conversations with your teen about the dangers of speeding.
I hope this helps and I wish you and your family a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!
Master Police Officer, James Poer
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