Tips for Prom Night – Part I
Prom season is upon us with all the excitement and challenges associated with this major event in your teen’s life. Your family may be hosting a pre or post prom party for your teen’s friends.
Normally I focus on keeping your teen safe in the car, but it’s equally important that she and her friends are safe in your home. Follow these rules to make sure the party goes as you planned:
- When possible, do not have the party in a separate part of the house.
- Parents need to stay visible during the party.
- Bring in snacks or non-alcoholic beverages, wander through to say hello.
- It is against the law to provide minors with alcohol.
- Anyone who leaves the party will not be allowed to return.
- Explain to your teen before the party that you are legally responsible for anything that happens to a minor who has been served alcohol in your home and that uninvited guests or those bringing in alcohol or other drugs will be asked to leave.
Costly Mistakes Parents Make – Part III
This is the most common – and most dangerous – mistake that many parents make when insuring their teen driver. It could cause financial ruin for any family, and affect their future many years to come. The most critical mistake that parents can make is carrying low liability limits!
Your auto insurance policy provides liability coverage in case you or another driver in your household are responsible for an accident. It includes coverage for bodily injury and property damage.
Many times, parents cut back their liability limits to save premium dollars – thinking nothing will happen. But fact is, teen drivers are five times more likely to get into an accident than an experienced driver, and the average cost of a teen driver’s claim is three times higher. Not to mention – the likelihood of being involved in an accident severe enough to involve a law suit skyrockets with a teen driver. I recommend that parents of teen drivers carry liability limits of at least 250/500 on their auto policy. That means, in case of an at-fault accident, insurance will pay up to $250,000 per injured person, and up to $500,000 per accident.
In addition, parents of young drivers should add a $1 million dollar umbrella policy. An umbrella policy provides liability coverage above and beyond the underlying auto and home insurance policies. $1 million umbrella policies are available starting at as little as $130 per year – making them the best value for liability insurance. But they are only available if the underlying policy’s liability limits meet the minimum requirements.
Costly Mistakes Parents Make – Part II
Carrying a low deductible can cost you extra on your auto insurance!
Your “deductible” is the amount you pay when you make a claim before your insurance “kicks in”.
In other words, if you have a $1,000 claim and a $250 deductible, you pay the first $250 and your insurance company pays the remaining $750. The higher your deductible is – that means, the more ‘risk’ you as a policy holder assume – the lower your insurance premium. In fact, your premium will go down, sometimes as much as 15% to 30% on your collision and comprehensive insurance.
Of course, the disadvantage of raising your deductible is that when you make a claim, you pay more out of your own pocket. But the overall savings on your premium dollars may offset the higher deductible, especially if you have a responsible young driver. So, think about increasing your deductibles – especially for the car your teen drives!
Costly Mistakes Parents Make – Part I
Insurance companies reward preferred drivers with significant discounts. Preferred drivers are considered “good risks”. As a parent of a teen driver, you want to apply as many discounts as possible on your auto policy in order to reap maximum savings. These discounts include:
Claims-Free discount and Safe Driver discount
The longer you go without making a claim, the “better” of a risk you are – in the insurance carriers’ eyes. That deserves a discount.
Good Credit discount
Having a good credit score is a sign of being responsible in other areas of your life. And being responsible likley means that you are also a responsible driver. Responsibility is a quality that insurance companies are looking for.
Good Student discount
Good grades are one way for teen drivers to show that they are responsible.
Multi-car discount and Multi-policy dicount
The more cars or areas of your life you insure with one insurance carrier, the more business you bring. Your insurance company rewards you for your trust with a discount.
Not all insurance companies offer all these discounts. Ask your agent to help you find the company that does – and to help you apply as many as possible.
Practice Is Not Everything
Last week, I talked a lot about the importance of gaining driving experience, especially for young drivers. Practice, practice, practice and lots of supervised driving time is what gets him or her there.
But apart from the practical skills, there is a set of mental skills that you may consider teaching your teen driver: Being an overly fearful or hesitant driver can sometimes be as dangerous as a go-getter, over-confident driver. And driving in an upset, angry, or excited state of mind can be a as much a distraction as driving while talking on a cell phone.
As a parent, you want to build the right amount of driving confidence within your teen, and instill the ability to make the right decisions at the right time.
Talking with your teen, and offering positive reinforcement, can be a powerful tool in making your teen a safer driver. Don’t hesitate to praise him or her for an exceptionally well-handled maneuver, or a flawless driving session. And in addition to providing clear rules – and consequences – you may try offering rewards for long stretches of ticket- and accident-free driving.
Your Teen Driver’s Safety is Your Responsibility
As a Family Insurance Specialist, I help families with teen drivers on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I don’t only help them find the right protection for their needs, but I also hear about claims they make – or worse. I’ve had lots of opportunity to learn the results of inexperienced or careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel.
There are many dangers that teens face on the road: The effects of alcohol, distractions, and careless driving, as well as loss of control over the vehicle, can have severe consequences.
In order to make your teen a safer driver, you have to provide them with as much opportunity to gain 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, 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! And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
On your TeenDriverInsurance.com/McClain website, you’ll find an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this task. 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 that every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen’s supervised driving time most effective. Contact my office today to get a copy – just call 425.379.9200, or send me an e-mail to claudia@mcagent.org. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
Driving is a "Privilege", not a "Right"
As Americans, we sometimes confuse our rights and our privileges. Rights are something that every American has. We have the right to Free Speech, we have the right to Bear Arms… if we do so within the law.
However, our Constitution doesn’t list anywhere a ‘Right to Drive’. Our State Department of Licensing gives us the privilege to drive, and they can take it away if we abuse this privilege. And as a parent of a young driver, you also have the power to award and take away the privilege of driving.
Rights and pivileges are enforced by laws. 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?
Discussing rules and the consequences of breaking a rule is one thing. But 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, this may be a stretch – but my point is, if you put something in writing, it holds more weight. It shows your teen driver that you are very serious about your “family driving laws”, and that you will, indeed, impose punishment for breaking them. It is easier to implement consequences when the rules are set and clear. So don’t be afraid to take away privileges when “laws” are broken. Keep in mind: It’s for your teen driver’s safety!
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 www.teendriverinsurance.com/mcclain . 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.
"Trunking" – The Latest Trend Among Teen Drivers
It is no secret that car accidents are the number one killer of teens in the US. Now, there is a new trend going across the country that is only adding to the danger, and it is referred to as “Trunking”.
Just when you thought you’ve heard it all…
Remember the 1960s, when kids snuck into drive-in movies in the trunk of their friends’ cars…? Today, drive-in movies are long gone, but “trunking” is still widely practised, for another reason:
Almost every state in the country now has laws limiting the number of passengers during the first few years of a teen driver’s experience. These laws were passed to reduce the distractions in the car that have been proven to cause so many accidents (see our blog from February 18th). Attempting to circumvent these laws, kids are now packing themselves in the trunk of the car in order to be able to go with their friends. And they don’t just stay in the trunk for a quick “sneak” through the gates – No! The worst part is that they are being driven all over town and even beyond while in the trunk!
The dangers are obvious, and include suffocation, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat exposure, freezing, not to mention being crushed or thrown out of the car as a result of an accident. You can just imagine how dangerous this could be for your child.
So what should you do? Talk with your young driver and explain the dangers of this type of behavior. Clearly define consequences and punishment for breaking the rules. If you catch your child partaking in “trunking” – take away driving privileges. And share this information with other parents. Driving practice and proactive counseling are parents’ most effective tools in raising a safe driver!
Driving Skills for Life
As I was doing some Internet research the other day, I stumbled upon a very good website, that may be interesting and helpful to teens and parents alike. Check out http://www.drivingskillsforlife.com/, and you will find learning modules, tips on car care and eco-driving, coaching guides and education materials for parents, and even interactive games and quizzes for young drivers.
The program is sponsored and run by Ford. Here is what they have to say about themselves: “Since its inception in 2003, Ford Driving Skills for Life has implemented several successful program initiatives across the country designed to spread awareness of teen safe driving to teens, educators, parents and the community and has won many awards including the World Traffic Safety Symposium’s Community Service Award.”
It may be worth a click…
Peer Pressure puts Teens at Risk
Peer pressure is no fun. It causes people to make decisions that they later regret. While most everyone is to some degree affected by peer pressure, teens probably have to deal with it the most.
The effects of peer pressure can range from mildly annoying to deadly.
Studies show that in a majority of car crashes that involved teens, peer pressure was likely a common factor. Whenever there are passengers in a car, the level of distractions and spoken or unspoken peer pressure rises. Which teen wouldn’t participate in a conversation, but instead tune her friends out to focus on the road? Which teen wouldn’t go faster when his buddy in the backseat says that the game has already started? Which teen wouldn’t try to seem relaxed and in control in front of their friends, despite the heavy rain, blinding glare from oncoming cars’ headlights, and heavy side winds?
With each additional passenger in the car, distractions and peer pressure rise exponentially, and accidents are even more likely to happen. In fact, with 3 passengers in the vehicle, the fatal crash risk is increased by 3 times! Even the ‘good’ kids are more distracted with their friends in the car.
The Graduated Licensing Law addresses this issue: For the first six months of being licensed, a teen is not allowed to drive with passengers other than siblings or immediate family members. This gives the young driver at least a little time to practice driving without the added pressure of peers.
And for the next six months, no more than three passengers under 20 are allowed (which, in my opinion, is a lot. Personally, I wouldn’t ever allow more than one passenger until the teen has at least 2 years driving experience.)
Parents, please talk with your teens! Being cool is not as important as being alive!
