Teen driving: part 4

  On average, cell phone use makes drivers go out of control, and crash. In the amount of time it takes to check a phone, you may have already driven the length of a football field.

  According to hg.org, young drivers ages 16-19 are the most likely age group to talk and text on their cell phones. It always comes back to distractions.

  Humans can be the worst kind of distractions. Parents teach their children driving habits their whole life. They teach the child what is and is not okay — seat belt, speeding, racing, drinking, eating, and cell phone use.

  Other teens peer pressure. They probably see their parents drink and drive, think it is okay, and tell their friends to. They can distracting as passengers. Most teens that drink have somebody to drink with, so they pressure their friend who can drive into drinking on the road.

  Although parents show bad habits to their children sometimes, they should always look over their shoulder to keep them safe. Even when your child is going out on their own, look over their shoulder from time to time.

  “When you have parents involved, your teens are 70 percent less likely to drink and drive, twice as likely to wear their seat belt, 30 percent less likely to talk on their cellphones — all great reasons for a parent to be involved,” Stacy Johnson, manager of a campaign dedicated to ending roadway deaths, said.   

  Not everybody cares about the cost of the car, cleanliness of the car, or looks of the car. Not everybody cares about the model and year of the car. Not everybody cares about getting dents fixed after a hit. Not everybody cares when the check engine light goes off. Teenagers are going to be teenagers, and no adult can force anything. Giving just the right freedom is the only thing at this stage.