One of the most important milestone in a teen’s life is getting his or her own car. Parents look also forward to buying the best car for their teenager, seeing them happy and giving them the independence they want. But what would happen if your teen was involved in a car accident? And not just any accident, an accident caused by drink and driving. Not only would parents feel guilty but also regret buying the car for their teen.
Drunk driving is a major issue in many countries, especially the ones where alcohol is easy to obtain. According to statistics, almost 40% of all car accidents include alcohol and drunk driving. Out of those, 73% are car crashes involving teenagers. That means drink driving in teens is a serious problem that parents need to pay attention to.
While drink driving lawyers Parramatta can help you reduce your teen’s legal punishment, no one will be able to help your kid if he or she sustains fatal injuries. Therefore, it is better to be safe than sorry. As a parent, you should educate your teen regarding drunk driving and prevent them from doing so. Here’s a few tips on how you can do it.
Let them know the consequences of drink driving
The biggest thing that can deter teens from drinking and driving is letting them about the consequences. You don’t need to give them a lesson on morality and ethics because they’re not going to care about it. Alcohol is easy to obtain and the peer pressure is huge. Even if they think it’s wrong, they’ll still do it. But when they know exactly what will happen if they drink and drive, they’re more likely to not do it.
Set clear laws in the house, such as no more driving for a month, no allowance, no hanging out, etc for your teen if they drink and drive. Make sure to follow through with these rules so your teen knows you’re serious about this.
Set a good example early on
Children learn from their parents and older siblings. If you were lenient with your older kids and your teen saw you not punishing them for drunk driving, they’re likely to repeat the behaviour and assume that you won’t punish them either.
Similarly, if parents themselves, drink and drive, the teen will do so as well. That is why, it is really important to set a good example early on, in childhood for your teen. If they’ve never seen you drink alcohol and drive, they won’t do it themselves too.
Encourage them to call for a ride when drunk
Even if you remind your teen that drinking alcohol is wrong and even if they have no motivation to drink it themselves, they might still do it. The reason behind this is peer pressure. Your teen wants to make friends and fit in. They’ll likely participate in activities their friends do. Don’t make them feel ashamed about it. Instead, encourage them to call you or an older sibling for a ride when they’re drunk or high. This reduces the chances of getting into an accident because of drink driving.
Teach them safe driving skills
Telling your kids about the consequences of drink driving is good but you also need to teach them safe driving skills. Not drinking alcohol is not enough for them to not get into an accident. Therefore, make sure your teen goes to a driving school and gets his or her driving license. Moreover, teach them how to prepare a vehicle for different weather conditions and precautions to take.
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