your teen driver

Please! If you or your teen driver likes to blast your stereo while driving, be mindful of the churches that you are passing and turn down your music.

Require your teen to wear a seat belt and set firm penalties for breaking the rule. Seat belt use is the single best injury prevention measure a driver can take.
Eliminate distractions – including cell phone use while driving.
Spend time with your teen behind the wheel. Experience is a skill-builder.
Set a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and drug use.
Know who your teen is riding with and whether that teen is a competent driver.
Prohibit new drivers from taking teen passengers along for the ride.
Set a curfew. Teenagers driving at night with passengers are 4 to 5 times more likely to crash than when driving alone during the day

Spot a Drunk Driver

Be aware of cars that are speeding, drifting across lanes and erratically braking.

Watch for high beams. It's often a sign of a drunk driver. While you might be tempted to flash a high beaming car, be careful not to overdo it. The driver could be distracted by the flashing lights and swerve into your lane.

Drunk drivers often travel with their headlights off or their parking lights on. Some turn on an interior light to adjust the heat or radio, then forget to turn the light off. If you spot these signs in an oncoming car, move to the right-hand lane as quickly (and safely) as possible.

Never pass a driver you suspect is drunk. If you stay behind, you can see and react to problems.

To create some distance between yourself and a drunk driver, safely pull into a parking lot, wait a few minutes, then proceed.

Lose a tailgater by making a right-hand turn when you can do so safely. It may be a drunk driver who's using your tail lights as a focal point. Most drivers under the influence won't be able to respond fast enough to follow you.

Keep your distance at intersections. Drunk drivers tend to cut the corners short or wide.

While it's always a good idea to stay one or two car lengths back from an intersection, on New Year's Eve you should make it three car lengths.

Don't pull off to the shoulder unless you have no choice. A drunk driver can easily mistake your tail lights for moving traffic and may drift onto the shoulder, as if it was a driving lane. Remain on alert after sunrise. Many people will try to `sleep off' the alcohol, then start driving at daybreak. But if they've had too much to drink, they still can be driving under the influence.

Reminder

Parents please remind your teen drivers that they need to be extra careful of small children playing outside and around the parks. A driver never knows if someone might come out between a car chasing after a ball or running while playing tag or other games. Lets make this an accident free summer.