Don't let your teen be a reckless driver.

As a parent, the thought of your child behind the wheel may be frightening.  While you can't always be there to hold your teen's hand, there are some things that you can teach them to make them the safest driver possible.  Got back to the safety basics by passing these driving safety tips onto your teen.

• Always Wear Your Seatbelt

When teaching your teen how to drive, you should emphasize the importance of always wearing their seatbelt, even for short trips.  Not only will their seatbelt save their life in an accident, but it will also ensure that they are not pulled over and issued a ticket.

• Keep Your Phone Out of Reach

Today, teens and their phones are inseparable.  However, phones pose a very serious risk to your teen's safety as they can pull their attention away from the road and make them more likely to get into an accident.  To avoid this, you should train your child to store their phone out of sight and reach when they are driving.  This way they will not be tempted to respond to texts or take calls when they are behind the wheel.

• Stick to the Speed Limit

Younger drivers are more prone to recklessness and speeding is the number one killer of teen drivers.  When teaching your teen to drive, remind them that they are legally required to follow the speed limit.  Even if the flow of traffic exceeds the speed limit, they shouldn't feel pressured to keep up with it.  Speeding will only put them in danger and at risk for expensive fines.

• Avoid Driving with Passengers

For an inexperienced driver, having a lot of passengers in the car can be extremely overwhelming and can distract them from driving safely.  To ensure that your child does not put themselves and their friends at risk, place restrictions on who and how many people they can drive around. These are some of the things that you should emphasize while teaching your teen how to drive.  Want another way to keep your kid safe behind the wheel?  Then make sure you have the right auto insurance protections in place.  For assistance with all your car coverage needs, contact the experts at Weeks & Associates Insurance Services in Thousand Oaks, California today.