Teen drivers can turn reckless behind the wheel, especially after graduating from teen driving schools. As a parent or instructor, you must monitor your teen’s driving behaviors. Here are four ways to monitor teen drivers so that they drive responsibly and stay out of trouble.
1. Use Monitoring Apps
Every parent or supervisor is worried when their teens start to drive independently. Regardless of your worries, there comes a time when you must allow your teen to drive alone. If your teen driver attended a teen driving school and acquired their driver’s license then they are eligible to drive without supervision.
Teen driving does not have to be nerve-wracking for parents. With modern-day technology, you can install apps on your devices and monitor your teen’s driving behaviors. Many of these apps allow you to receive real-time updates about your teen’s driving habits. You can even install the app on your teen’s device and let it run in the background.
The best teen monitoring apps include Mama Bear, SafeCar, Textecution, Automatic, Life360, and RoadReady. These have various features to help you learn more about your teen. For example, if your teen driver texts, goes online, or makes calls while driving, the app instantly sends you notifications. You can also set the car’s speed limit and get notifications when they exceed that limit. Some apps come with location settings as well as crash and aggressive driving detection.
2. Install a GPS Tracking Unit
Teens, just like adults, value their privacy. To ensure a good relationship prevails, you may install a GPS tracker in your teen’s car.
A GPS tracking unit is easy to install and is reliable when tracking your teen’s driving habits. It is a great way to track the location so you can ensure they don’t drive beyond the agreed boundaries. For example, you can agree with your teen to drive within your neighborhood where there’s less traffic. Once your teen driver has gained enough experience, you can allow them to drive to the highways. The GPS tracker will also be beneficial when monitoring your young driver’s speed and braking habits. You will always stay informed about your teen’s driving behaviors anytime they are driving.
3. Install a Car Video Camera
Parents may want to know what is happening when their teens are behind the wheel. Are they eating snacks, texting, fiddling with the radio, or talking with passengers while driving? While teen drivers want to experience the freedom of driving, they might be tempted to break some important traffic rules. Even though an app or GPS tracker will not help you see what is happening in the car, a car video camera can fill this void.
Despite learning all traffic rules in their teen driving schools, your young driver may ignore a few, such as wearing a seatbelt. However, a car video camera will keep them on track, knowing that something is there to monitor their driving behaviors. You can contact your insurance company to determine if they can install a camera in your teen’s car. In case of an accident, you can review the car camera footage to determine the source of the problem. If the accident resulted from your teen’s driving habits, you have the opportunity to advise them accordingly.
4. Discuss With Your Teen
Parents may need further assurance that their teen will be safe even after installing apps, GPS trackers, and cameras. Sometimes, all you need is to hold discussions with your teen driver to express your expectations. Let them know you are concerned about their driving behaviors and safety. You can agree on the speed limit and braking. If they must use phones, eat snacks or fiddle with the radio, advise them to pull over somewhere safe before doing so—preferrably having them take care of these activities before they start their drive.
You can also encourage them to revisit their driving school’s traffic rules to stay safe on the road. If your teen fails to meet your expectations, inform them that driving is a privilege. As their parent, you can revoke their driving privileges anytime they fail to meet your expectations. That will keep your teen alert and avoid distractors when driving.
Get Started With the Best Teen Driving School
You can easily monitor your teen driver to ensure they are always safe when driving. Whether you would prefer to use monitoring apps, GPS trackers, car cameras, or discuss your expectations, you can monitor your teen’s driving behaviors.
Before allowing your teen to drive, make sure they learn how to drive from a teen driving school like iGottadrive. We will teach them necessary defensive driving skills so they can always drive safely. We also provide driver training resources for adults. Our online drivers ed programs are designed to help people get their licenses quickly and easily.
