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Teen Driver

Keeping your teen safe on the road

National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 20-26, 2019. What better time to teach your teen about staying safe on the road? It’s nerve-wracking sending your teen out on the road for the first time, but luckily there’s some pretty awesome technology out there built to help them learn good driving habits and drive safely.

 

Plus, we’ve got some tips for teens who are already driving and may have slipped into some bad driving habits… (We’ve all been there.)

 

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving of any kind instantly increases the likelihood of being involved in an accident. Cellphones are a common distraction for drivers of any age, especially teens, so developing self-discipline is an important skill to learn as a new driver.

 

Both Apple and Android smartphones include a “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature that turns off all notifications until you are stationary. You can even set an automatic reply to any text messages that come in while you’re driving, letting your friends and family know you’ll response to them as soon as you’re off the road.

 

If you need your smartphone to navigate, a car phone mount is a great solution. It keeps your teen’s hands free on the road, but still gets them to their destination. The Scosche MagicMount Dash/Window Mount holds your device securely in place at any angle and helps prevent distracted driving.

 

For more helpful information on staying hands-free while driving, check out our Hands-Free blog post.

 

Breaking Down

As a parent, sometimes it’s easy to immediately think of the worst. You want to keep your teen safe, and driving can be dangerous. Luckily, Hum can offer some peace of mind.

 

Hum takes the guesswork out of driving and keeps your family protected on the road. With Hum, you’ll have access to 24/7 roadside and emergency assistance, maintenance reminders, vehicle diagnostics, a mechanics hotline and so much more. Just connect the Hum device to your car’s OBD port and download the free Hum app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to get started.

 

Plus, with the HumX, you can connect up to 10 devices to the built-in WiFi hotspot. Not only will Hum help keep your teen safe on the road, but you’ll gain peace of mind, too.

 

 

Speeding

We’ve all gone a little over the speed limit at one time or another… or maybe a lot. For obvious reasons, it’s important to stop that bad habit from forming or continuing when your teen first gets their driver’s permit or license. That’s where Life360 comes in.

 

Life360 is an app that keeps you and your family safe and connected on the road. With Location Sharing and Smart Notifications, you’ll be notified when your teen comes and goes, how fast they’re going, and if their phone battery is running low.

 

If your teen gets lost or if the car breaks down, you’ll be able to identify exactly where they are and get them to safety. Plus, if they’re going a bit too fast, you can send them a friendly reminder to slow down. This app isn’t just for teens, though – the whole family can benefit from Life360. You can get it for free in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

 

 

Getting Lost

After being a passenger for 16 years, your teen might come to realize they have no idea how to get around town. Though there are several GPS apps out there, Waze is a great solution for teens and new drivers.

 

Not only does Waze show you the quickest route to your destination, but it shows you traffic patterns, police, and road construction and will re-route you, making any trip smooth and stress-free. Waze also identifies the cheapest gas stations along your route and allows you to connect to your favorite music and podcast streaming apps.

 

The road speed limit is also displayed in the bottom left corner at all times, so your teen will always know how fast is too fast. You and your teen can download the Waze app for free in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

 

 

Seat Belts

Let’s face it – it’s easy to forget to buckle up sometimes. But, according to teendriversource.org, an estimated 14,955 lives were saved by seat belts in 2017. That’s major!

Even though you can’t always know when your teen isn’t wearing their seat belt, it’s important to talk with them about wearing one at all times, no matter how short the trip. Teens who say their parents set rules and monitor their driving are twice as likely to wear a seat belt as a driver or passenger as teens with less involved parents.

If your teen struggles to remember, have them set a reminder on their smartphone. Once they get into the habit, it will turn to routine.

 

Even though it can be nerve-wracking when your teen starts driving, it helps knowing there’s plenty of technology built to keep you safe. Swing by any Cellular Sales store to check our more tech products that can keep you and your family safe on the road.

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