New Bedford’s Martin Driving Schools Shares Safety Tips for Teen Drivers

This week marks National Teen Driver Safety Week.

We decided to sit down with the people at Martin Driving School in New Bedford to ask them about tips for your teen drivers.

Here's what they had to say.

You Can Impose Limits on Teen Drivers

Just because your child gets their license, doesn't mean you can't limit where and when they drive. Both of my kids went to Martin Driving School, and this was one of the tips that really stuck with me during the parent class.

Start your kids off slowly. Allow them to drive to school, to practice, or on a Dunkin' run, but keep their circle small. The further down the road you can punt them having no limits on their driving, the safer they'll be. The numbers for fatal accidents involving teens plummet after one year of driving experience.

Helena Martins agrees.

"A lot of the accidents that happen involving teens occur after nine o'clock at night, so it makes sense to keep them off the roads after 9," she said.

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Enforce the Junior Operator's License Restrictions

"One of the things that is extremely important is to follow restriction about not allowing minor passengers in the car for the first six months," Martins said. "Kids at that age they have a big ego, and if you have a friend next to you say you're driving like a chicken, the teen driver is more likely to make some bad decisions and take unnecessary risks."

Drive the Way You Want Your Kids to Drive

If you preach safe driving, but you speed and text while you're at the wheel, your kids are more likely to follow your example.

"If you are a good driver, they'll follow your example, and, unfortunately, if you are a bad driver they will also follow your example," Martins said.

Find more teen driving tips at MartinAutoSchool@yahoo.com.