Getting your license is a major life event in our modern society.  Learning to drive gives emerging young adults freedom and independence.  With that freedom and independence comes a great deal of responsibility.  During drivers education courses, a lot of information is given in a brief period of time.  Most of this information is forgotten once the focus is put on the practical aspect of navigating an automobile.  Below is a list of basic driving tips young people can review now and later to ensure they are the safest driver possible.

• Always wear your seat belt.   Seat belts save lives.  There is a reason this invention has become mandatory in the American Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.  Prior to the invention, more automobile accidents were fatal.  Extensive research for decades has proven the seat belt to be the most effective life saving device in the transportation world.  It’s there to save you and in most states it’s unlawful to avoid it.  So use it as a precaution.  Your life is worth the minimal effort.
• Never text while driving.  This should not just be limited to sending text messages.  It also pertains to using the website or even a google map for directions when your attention should be on the road.  Nothing is so important that it can’t wait until you reach your destination.  If it can’t be avoided, pull over to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights.  This simple act of using our phones for everything has become such second nature to us.  The truth is that act can result in the end of your life or someone else’s.  There are many new apps available to help resist the temptation of using your phone while behind the wheel by restricting its use.
• Never drink and drive.  Unfortunately driving while under the influence is still a major issue.  Alcohol impairs judgement and response time.  Nobody should get behind the wheel while intoxicated.  Laws have become more harsh because society’s tolerance for unnecessary death is diminishing.  About fifty percent of state laws prohibit young drivers from having any alcohol in your blood.  The other states allow only .02 percent blood alcohol content. This equates to less than 1/2 shot of liquor or  half a beer.  If pulled over and caught with any alcohol in your blood, you will face DUI charges and possibly many other criminal charges as well.  No amount of alcohol is worth risking your future or a human life.
• Follow teen driving laws in the state you are driving.  Laws can now be found online and should be reviewed before getting behind the wheel.  Teen drivers should know driving laws by state, insurance requirements and drivers license requirements.  Each state is a different and it is  the drivers duty to know and understand the laws.
• Minimize distractions.  There’s a reason some states don’t allow teen drivers to have other young people in the car.  Distractions while driving can be harmful and possibly deadly.  When getting behind the wheel, be prepared to focus your full attention on the task of getting to your destination without incidents.   Remember that you are traveling at great speeds in a huge piece of metal that weighs thousands of pounds.  It is capable of destroying brick walls, other thousand pound metal objects, and can very easily destroy a human being.
• Take drivers education and defensive driving courses.  Check with your Department of Motor Vehicle division to find information about basic driver education and defensive driving courses near you.  Paying a small fee for these course will help you decrease your risk of accidents and may also keep your insurance premiums low.
• Get good grades in school. There is a link to doing well in school and safe driving.  Being a good student and a safe driver proves you’re responsible and confident in planning your future.  The similarities include paying attention to details and staying aware of what lies ahead both literally and cosmically.  Making the effort now will pay off in the future.

Francie LeBow

Insurance Professional

8440 Wyoming Blvd NE

Albuquerque, NM  87113

Tel. 505.600.3147