Summer vacation in Washington is in full swing and teen drivers are on the road more, whether driving to jobs or meeting friends. I was pleased to read that a recent study ranked Washington State ranked No. 9 in the country for teen driver safety.
Let’s please continue to promote teen driving safety. This is the ideal time to review safety lessons and your house rules regarding driving privileges, even if you get a roll of the eyes from your teen.
There are numerous resources available — both for those just starting out with a permit and those that have already earned their licenses. Those resources include:
• Washington State Teen Driver Safety: www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/teensafety.html
• Ford Driving Skills for Life Parent Resources: www.drivingskillsforlife.com/aboutall/resource/Parent-Tools/
If your car has them, make use of programmable safety technologies. For example, Ford’s My Key allows parents to encourage safe driving by selecting top speed settings, control audio volume and more.
Even if you don’t have a teen driver in the house, you have a role in promoting teen safety on the road. Resist the temptation to glance down at that text message when you’re driving. Put your phone out of reach if you need to. A split second is all it takes for tragedy to strike. Parents are now more concerned about their teens being hit by a distracted driver than a drunk one.
With a little extra care and attention to the road, we can all have a safer summer.
– Mark Scarff, president, general manager, Bowen Scarff Ford
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