When your teen passes their test and is finally able to drive when and wherever they like, it’s a thing worth celebrating! But only for them, of course.
As their parent, you can actually start to get pretty worried about how they’re going to do on the road. Especially if it’s your car they’re taking along for the drive.
But no matter what, now your teen has a driver’s licence and is more than capable of operating a vehicle, they’re going to want to be a bit more independent about where they go and when.
And that’s something you need to try and help them get a healthy attitude over. An accident, breakdown, or collision can happen at any time, and they need to know what to do if one occurs. Here’s a quick guide for helping them prepare for an emergency roadside situation.
Show Them What to Do if They’re in Danger
Well, to begin with, you’re going to need to show them how to get their bearings after an accident. Your teenager needs to know how to ‘assess’ a road incident, and they’re going to need some sharp quick-thinking skills on their side.
That takes a lot of prep, no matter how smart they really are. After all, when panic sets in, it’s always ten times as hard to try and think clearly and practically about what to do next.
Plus, they’re young! And that means they’re not going to have the same awareness about what’s dangerous.
You’re going to have to lead the way here. For example, show them how to move the car out of the road, and how to determine if that’s a safe thing to do.
Make Sure They Know Who to Call
Obviously, they’re likely going to be on the phone to you ASAP. And while that can make you feel warm inside as a parent, sometimes there’s a more important number they should be on the phone to instead.
That’s why it’s best to remind them (and more than once, if necessary) that 999 is the first literal port of call whenever a more serious collision occurs. If either they or the other driver is injured, for example, or if their car is letting off some smoke.
For less serious roadside incidents – like a breakdown where they’re safely able to move the car out of harm’s way – they should know the number for a local tow truck service that can get both them and their vehicle home.
Remind Them to Gather Evidence
Whether they have their own insurance, or they’re a named driver on your policy, they need to know how to record the incident for the insurance claim later on.
Now, this can be as simple as just reminding them to take pictures of any damage they see, but you should also walk them through exchanging details with other drivers.
When your teen learns to drive, they could have an accident. They should know what to do!