Smart Safety: Teen Driving Tips

One of the most stressful moments for parents is watching their kid morph from a teen, to a teen with a car. So how can mom and dad manage their blood pressure every time their former bundle of joy jumps behind the wheel blasting T-Swift? Well luckily, technology is on their side.
  insuranceQuotes researched dozens of apps and interviewed experts to compile the “ 5 Best Apps and Devices for Parents to Monitor Teen Drivers."
 
These powerful digital tools can alert parents when their teen reaches their destination, monitor driving habits, and even remotely control the radio volume (take THAT, Taylor). And that’s just a few of the helpful features. 


Please find the full article here: http://www.insurancequotes.com/auto/apps-devices-to-monitor-teen-drivers.
 
I had a chance to interview insurance expert Laura Adams to learn more.
  

• What are some common teen driving behaviors that parents can curb using technology?

Clever technology from GM gives young drivers an in-car alert when they break a parent’s speeding rule, such as never driving over 60 mph on the highway. Smartphone apps can shut down phone service and texts after a teen starts driving.

Programs like Star Driver tip off parents about key behaviors like how fast, where, and when a teen drives. Mom and dad can also get reassuring text alerts that say their young driver has arrived at his or her destination. These types of technology make it much easier for parents to stay involved with their teen driver, even when they’re not sitting in the passenger seat.

• Why are tech tools so helpful?

Teens don’t know a world without technology and many have smartphones, which are a common cause of distracted driving. So having an app that encourages safe driving or an on-board system that monitors your behavior behind the wheel is natural for them.

Parents can use technology to discuss safe driving with their teens and let them know that they’ll be watching out for them. If they maintain good habits, parents can reward young drivers—or take away driving privileges when they don’t follow the rules.

• How else can parents instill good driving behavior in their teens?

The best way parents can bring up safe drivers is to give them plenty of education. Make sure your teen takes an in-person or online defensive driving class to improve his or her skills.

Teens need to understand that every drive puts their life at risk as well as the lives of other people in their car and on the road. Consider creating a driving contract with your teen that outlines the behavior that you expect and what will happen if he or she violates your agreement. 

Laura Adams Bio

Laura Adams, author, spokesperson, and national media source, helps consumers improve their personal finances by making money easy to understand. Millions of readers, viewers, and listeners benefit from her advice.

Laura is the Senior Insurance Analyst for insuranceQuotes and host of the top-rated weekly Money Girl Podcast. She is the author of multiple books, including Money Girl’s Smart Moves to Grow Rich, which won the 2011 Excellence in Financial Literacy Education (EIFLE) Award.

Laura is frequently quoted in the media and has been featured on FOX News, FOX Business, NBC News, CBS News, ABC, PBS, Al Jazeera, NPR, USA Today, US News and World Report, Consumer Reports, Huffington Post, Sirius XM, and many other radio, print, and online outlets. In 2014 and 2015 alone, she completed over 800 interviews with national show hosts, news reporters, and print and online journalists.

Laura earned an MBA from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business Administration and a BS from Sewanee, The University of the South. She lives with her husband and yellow Lab in the San Francisco Bay area. Visit http://www.insurancequotes.com/expert-bio or http://LauraDAdams.com to learn more.