As we watch our kids drive off for the very first time, it can feel as if we’ve lost the last piece of parental control. But  if you’ve done all you can to develop their skills and awareness of safety issues (and you’ve taken out an Indiana car insurance policy!) then you have to trust and hope that your teenager is one of the majority who will go on to become a safe and experienced driver.

The U.S Department of Transportation figures showed that in 2006, drivers aged 15 to 20 made up 16% of drivers in crashes.  

So how can you do the best by your young driver?

• Make sure their vehicle is safe and consider car safety features when purchasing.
• Encourage them to take a defensive driving course. This should help when it comes to driving in rain, driving a friend’s more powerful car, or dealing with someone else driving erratically on the road.
• Discuss driver distractions like cell phone usage (even with
• hands-free devices), eating, music and dealing with friends in the car.
• Reinforce alcohol’s contribution to poor driving and the need to have back-up plans in place for getting home.
• Driver fatigue affects young drivers too: point out the dangers and if they’re working late or long hours, consider picking them up.

It’s because young drivers are prominent in crash statistics that buying Indiana car insurance can be so costly for them. But no matter how comprehensive the policy – or how costly – nothing in this world would compensate for losing your teenager to a road accident.