First Car Safety

In regard to first car safety, you know what? Safety comes first. Okay, so that may be a cliché but it is so true. For those buying a first car, such as teenagers, they usually don't think about safety as much as their parents are guardians.

First car safety can come in two forms including the car itself and driver behavior. First, let's talk about what a first car needs in order to be safe (more information can be found on the SaferCar.gov website).

There are must haves such as an engine and transmission in good working order, rear view and side view mirrors, seatbelts, tires with tread on them and driver side airbags. Then there are some nice to have features like passenger side air bags, side impact air bags, stability control, and anti-lock brakes.

Then there are some super nice to haves such as traction control, lane change alert, tire pressure monitor, auto dimming rear view mirrors, rear view camera, daytime running lights, auto door locks, automatic crash notification, built in child seats, interior trunk release and anti-theft devices.

Now, let's turn to driver behavior when talking about first car safety. Every day in the news there are stories about drunk drivers, drag races, low speed and high speed police car chases, accidents because of talking on the cell phone while driving, texting while driving and many other reasons for automobile accidents.

On the roadsides in Southern California where I live are crosses and monuments marking where someone has died because of a car wreck. And, these monuments are all over the place. Often, teenage boy drivers feel invincible and empowered with a ton of steel and glass around them traveling at high speeds.

Teenage girl drivers are often distracted with applying makeup, chatting on phones, or talking to others in the car. These are generalities of course, but there is also truth to them. A first car needs to be taken seriously by the teen and the teenager needs to know from the parent or guardian that driving is a privilege and not a right and that privilege can be revoked at any time for unsafe behavior.

The parent can even draw up a contract with the youth about obeying curfews, not drinking or drugging, no traffic tickets, no racing and no other reports of unsafe driving, wearing seatbelts, no talking on the cell phone and no texting while driving in order to retain the privilege to drive one's first car.

Make sure that the teen knows they have the right and authority as driver of the car to refuse to drive any of their friends who act in an unsafe or distracting manner. As driver of the car, they are the boss.

This means as the driver the teens requires all the passengers to wear seat belts with no exceptions. The driver's vision or hearing is not impaired by their friends. No horseplay in the car.

Driving is a challenge for adults, let alone a teen with his or her first car. Repetition of good driving habits is the key to a long and healthy life on the road. Drive defensively, watch out for bad drivers on the road and keep a safe distance. Drive to survive as they say and one's first car will be a safe and rewarding experience.