Age Not the only Factor in Determining Road Readiness

 Posted on June 05,2013 in Personal Injury

Many parents will joke about their children driving. However, allowing a child behind the wheel of a vehicle is perhaps one of the most stressful decisions that a parent can make. Most states allow kids to get a driving permit at the age of 15 and a driver's license at the age of 16. However, it is up to the parent to decide if the child is truly ready to drive. The ability to drive is not solely based on the actual skill of operating a motor vehicle. Driving involves the physical act of operating the car, good vision, perception, as well as the ability to properly process hazards that may get in the way. Many kids think that just because they can drive a car perfectly on a video game, it will be just as easily in real life. As adults, we all know that is very far from the truth. Driving opens a new door for both freedom and responsibility for teenagers. As a parent, there are some good driving habits that we need to instill in the children from an early age. Children often do things the same way that they see their parents do things. Therefore, this is the time to lead by example. Here are a few things that you need to discuss with your kids before they drive alone.

• Seatbelt safety
• Texting and driving
• Drinking and driving
• Distracted driving
• Following basic traffic laws and rules
• General driving safety

The parent is ultimately responsible for the actions of the child until they are of legal age. One thing that you need to do is to make sure that your child is properly insured to drive. If you have been the victim of the negligent driving of an underage driver, a qualified and experienced Illinois car accident attorney can assist you.