Posted in Car Accident,Tennessee Accident Law on April 12, 2017
Teens between the ages of 16 and 19 years old who want to improve their driving skills can register for the Rutherford County School Resource Officers’ Defense Response Improving Vehicle Education Program—or DRIVE—this spring.
Per a report by WGNS Radio, students who register for the class will receive personal training in both classroom and vehicle settings from driving instructors with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
The classes are set for 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 28, with a driving course planned from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. The classroom course will take place at Lascassas Elementary School, and the driving course location will be announced later.
DRIVE’s coordinator says that the course focuses on teaching teen drivers the most effective ways to improve their awareness when they’re on the road and how best to avoid situations and conditions that can lead to crashes.
The driving portion of the course will include maneuvers such as parallel parking, emergency braking, backing, cornering, and angled parking.
Teens and parents who are interested in the course can contact the coordinator at (615) 396-7342. The cost of the course is $55, and teens must show a valid driver’s license, proof of registration, and a safe vehicle to enroll.
Tips for Improving Your Teens’ Safety on the Roadway
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. However, studies show that the risks teens face when they get behind the wheel can be significantly reduced if they’re exposed to effective driver’s education programs and have active parental involvement during the learning process.
You can improve your teen’s driving safety with the following tips:
While teens don’t need the latest and greatest when it comes to vehicles, it’s important to make sure your child has a car that’s reliable and equipped with modern safety features, including seat belts, airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and tire pressure monitors. Other optional features that can be helpful include crash notification/avoidance systems, backup cameras, and forward collision warnings.
Advanced safety features are only as effective as the overall reliability of the vehicle they’re equipped on. Ensure that your child’s vehicle is properly maintained for all conditions, and teach him or her routine maintenance tasks, such as checking tire pressure, filling tires to the proper PSI, replacing headlights, taillights, and turn signals, and determining when tires need to be replaced based on tread wear.
While you don’t need to be present for your teen to legally drive after he or she receives an intermediate driver’s license, it’s important to frequently observe his or her driving habits. Riding as a passenger while your teen drives can be a great opportunity to spot potentially dangerous maneuvers or areas where your teen can improve.
Teens are less likely than drivers in other age groups to recognize the riskiness of behaviors like driving while under the influence and driving while distracted. Have frequent conversations with your teen about the risk factors of these behaviors. In addition, make sure your teen understands that his or her risk factors increase with passengers in the vehicle—and the more passengers present, the greater the risks.
Whether your teen has just received a learner’s permit, an intermediate driver’s license, or an intermediate unrestricted driver’s license, it’s important to be an active participant in his or her growth and learning process behind the wheel.
In addition, it’s also important to make sure that he or she follows the law—and that means no driving without a parent or guardian with a learner’s permit and no driving between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. or with more than one passenger with an intermediate restricted license.
Preparing your teen for the responsibility of safe driving is rewarding and can significantly reduce his or her risks of being involved in an accident. Unfortunately, you can’t control the behaviors of other drivers, and that means accidents can still occur.
If your teen was hurt in a crash that was caused by a negligent driver, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for compensation for his or her medical bills. Matt Hardin Law’s team of Murfreesboro car accident attorneys has two decades of experience assisting victims and their families, and we know what it takes to win. Dial (615) 600-4941 to speak with us today or complete a free online consultation form.
