Teen drivers need a lot of practice — and other drivers on the road
need to watch out for them. So how do we let others know our teen is
behind the wheel? Enter RookieDriver.net.
RookieDriver.net
offers removable magnets for your car that let others know there’s an
inexperienced driver behind the wheel. Rather than have an “uncool”
Student Driver magnet, your teen can have a “Rookie Driver” or “New
Driver” magnet designed by another teen to look and sound cool.
We lost an average of 15.5 teen drivers per day over the last 4 years
due to teen crash fatalities, an “epidemic that faces our nation,” says
RookieDriver.net co-founder Connie Fortenbacher. She suggests that
parents enroll their teens in the best driver’s ed program in their
community. But that’s just the beginning. A driver’s education program,
while good, isn’t enough. Parents should actively involve themselves in
helping their teens become safe drivers by riding with their kids.
Connie Fortenbacher and her son, Austin, founded RookieDriver.net to help improve teen driving safety and awareness. They also have a blog
with tips for parents and safe teen driving. Fortenbacher advocates
school districts requiring an educational class that teaches students
the staggering statistics of teen driving accidents and defensive
driving techniques to help protect them on the road.
If your teen is approaching driving age, make sure you spend time in
the car talking to them about safe driving. Refrain from talking on
your cell phone without a hands-free device. Wear your seat belt. Use
your signals when you turn and change lanes. Obey the speed limits. Set
an example for your teen so when you tell them the rules, they’ll learn
from a positive example.
By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor
drivers education
