Do you remember buckling your child in and out of her car seat multiple times every day? Do you remember the first time you let your child ride in someone else’s car and you gave explicit instructions about her car seat or seat belt? Do you remember all of the safety talks you’ve given your child over the years?
Don’t Undo It When Your Child Gets an Illinois Driver’s License
Now it is your child who is doing the driving, and it may be you who is increasing your child’s chances of being hurt in a crash on I-39, I-55 or another Bloomington road. A recent study presented at the American Psychology Association’s 2014 annual conference found that 53 percent of teens who talk on the phone while driving are talking to their parents.
Teens may feel like they have to answer their parents’ phone calls or texts immediately. They may feel that their parents will be mad or worried if they don’t answer the phone immediately. Yet the very thing that you worry about could happen if you call your teen while your teen is driving. Your child may become distracted and may cause a serious accident.
You Can Prevent a Tragedy
Here are three things that you can do protect your child:
- Know your child’s schedule and try not to call when you think your child may be driving.
- Tell your child what he should do if you call while he is driving. Give him permission not to pick up the phone, and don’t be angry if it takes him a few minutes to call you back.
- Set a good example. Do not talk on your phone while driving.
Distracted driving crashes are not always accidents. They are preventable. Please share this article on Facebook and Twitter so that together we can work toward preventing future distracted driving wrecks, injuries, and fatalities that hurt our children.
