Car Tech For Teens Allows Them Independence While Reducing Risk On The Road

 3,255 teen drivers were involved in fatal car accidents in 2017, largely owing to distracted driving. Teaching young people how to drive safely and take responsibility for every aspect of their vehicle is paramount, and increased connectivity in modern driving can do a lot to help concerned parents. Teen driver technology allows worried parents to ease their children into driving slowly, monitoring their progress and safety through apps and built-in software. With full insight into their child’s driving, parents can allow teenagers the independence they crave while monitoring them well enough to allow peace of mind and teach important and relevant lessons about safety and vehicle maintenance.Tech For TeensThe technology available to monitor teen driving can largely be broken into two categories: mobile apps and on-board software. As well as the more general driver-assist technology, many modern vehicles now come with onboard safety systems specifically designed for younger drivers. Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick are just some of the models that offer systems that monitor teenagers’ driving, allowing parents to monitor speed and distance, and offering educational displays to the drivers themselves. External devices can also be plugged into many vehicles: Onstar Family Link, for example, has the ability to show linked vehicles on an online map and notify parents of location via text. As well as showing location, MOTOsafety alerts parents to unsafe practices, such as speeding, over-acceleration and braking too hard. This allows parents to intervene and teach their children how to avoid unsafe behaviors.Advancement in cell phone technology allows phones to detect when their owners are driving, paving the way for teen driver apps. From distraction-blocking apps like AT&T DriveMode, which silences and responds to texts and alerts, to apps designed to improve driving behavior, mobile technology allows parents to coach driving practice and ensures greater safety. Some apps, such as EverDrive, generate driving report cards so young drivers can monitor and improve their own practice.Using The Tech To TeachBoth in-car and mobile devices allow parents and teens to spot unsafe driving behaviors, but this is just the starting point for the real lessons. In order to be safe and confident vehicle owners going forwards, teenagers need to take responsibility for driving safety and car maintenance. The use of teen driving tech, for example, might allow a parent to identify the cause of a scratch on their car: perhaps the young driver was going too fast in a residential area and clipped another car. Ensuring that teenagers recognize and own up to such events reduces the risk of the problem occurring again. AutomotiveTouchup.com reviews demonstrate how simple it is for paintwork damage to be touched up at home: showing teenagers how easy it is to correct minor damage and take responsibility for doing so teaches them to be responsible vehicle owners, and helps them to recognize that unsafe driving behaviors have consequences. Teaching them how to attend to small maintenance tasks like touching up paintwork also allows them greater independence, and an understanding that owning a vehicle is a responsibility.Taking ResponsibilityAs teenagers become more confident, parents can remove restrictions and reduce monitoring. Coaching responsible vehicle ownership and driving behavior alongside the technology will train young people to take responsibility for their vehicles and encourage an open dialogue between parents and children. Parents can ensure that young drivers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to repair damage, conduct simple maintenance tasks and make safe driving choices when they’re on the road. When teenagers are ready to take full responsibility for their vehicles and understand the relationship between the car and their driving, they are ready to be independent drivers.Technological developments allow parents to let their children become independent on the road gradually. Utilizing these tools gives parents peace of mind, and encourages responsible driving and vehicle ownership, but it also ensures that young drivers themselves feel confident and safe on the roads, and are able to take care of their vehicles independently in the future.