Telematics Gps Blog

Unsafe speeding is one of the reasons teenage drivers get into serious accidents.  If you want to reduce the risk of a serious accident from happening, then you need a way to eliminate unsafe speeding.

There are few options to achieve this goal:

- Talk to you teenage driver about the dangers of unsafe speeding.  This is definitely a must, because making them aware of the dangers is very important.  However; talking alone is not sufficient because temptations and pressures for speeding are there.

- Put a sticker on the rear windshield of the teenage driver's vehicle with a phone number, clearly visible to other motorists, to call if they see risky driving such as speeding.  This option relies on strangers to keep an eye on the speed of the vehicle.  This however will not work when there is no one to report or no one around to witness and report a speeding instance.

- You can be a passenger in your teenage driver's car every time he/she drive, but that is not really practical.

- The last option and the most reliable one is to install a GPS tracking device in your teenage driver's vehicle.  The GPS tracker can be your eyes when you are not around to see how your teenager is driving.  It can alert you every time the vehicle travels at speeds greater than the speed limit you set.  The alerts can come in the form of emails and SMS messages to your cell phone.  Another advantage of a GPS tracking system is that you can also see a history of where the car was during any given time and the speeds it achieved. You can visualize on a map all the locations the vehicle has been. You can also receive alerts when the car is towed, and when the vehicle is driven during a curfew that you set.  The reason this option is the most likely to succeed in eliminating unsafe speeding, is because it acts as a deterrent. Your teenage driver knows that if he exceeds the speed limit, you'll know about it and she'll have to deal with the consequences.

Combined with an emphasis on how important safe driving is, installing a GPS tracking device in your teenage driver's car is the best way to insure that your teen is driving at safe speeds.

I identified four ways to eliminate driving at unsafe speeds. Two of which are not really good or practical options, and two others which are sure to achieve your goal. Did I miss any other options? How do you know that your teenage driver is not driving at unsafe speeds? How did you eliminate driving at unsafe speeds? Leave me your comments and thoughts in the comments section; I'd love to hear them.

Teenage Drivers

Driving is not a right, it's a privilege. Teenage drivers need to understand, with that privilege comes many responsibilities. They are responsible for their life, the lives of their passengers, and the lives of other motorists on the road. They are responsible for maintaining their vehicle in good condition by driving responsibly.

So, how do you make teenage drivers more responsible? By making them accountable. Here are two ways to make them accountable.

Sign a Driving Behavior Contract

A contract will establish an understanding of responsibilities and rules that your teenage driver is expected to obey. The rules should be clear, negotiated and agreed upon. Along with the rules, consequences of breaking those rules should be clear and most importantly enforced. Rules can be divided into categories.

For example a category of rules that if violated would result in losing driving privileges for a very long time. Such rules should focus on:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Driving with someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Thrill seeking driving behavior

Another category of rules that if violated would result in losing driving privileges for an extended period. Such rules should focus on:

• Asking permission and driving in allowed areas
• Avoiding restricted areas and after hours driving
• Limiting the number of passengers in the car

A third category of rules that if violated would result in losing driving privileges for a shorter period. The rules in this category should focus on:

• Obeying driving laws, such as speed limit, stopping at stop signs and red lights
• Not using a cell phone, texting or anything that may distract from driving
• Wearing a Seat Belt
• Keeping the car in good condition and clean.

For a driving contract template, click here.

Trust but Verify

Some of the rules established in the driving behavior contract are easy to verify whether they were violated. Other rules are much harder to verify. One tool that can help verify those rules is a GPS tracking device. By placing a GPS tracking device in the teenage driver's car, you will be able to know when a speeding violation has taken place, when the vehicle is driven to a restricted area, or driven after certain hours. You can also trace the route taken to see if there were any stops along a route that should not have taken place.

Before placing a GPS tracking system in the car, it is best to let the teenage driver know about it, and discuss the reasons for installing such device. It should be made clear that the device is there not to spy but to help enforce the rules. If setup correctly you get notifications only when the rules are violated. Such as in the case of speed limit violations, after hours driving violations and other violations. For a reliable GPS tracking device, check out Gps4Teens.

Understanding the simple fact that driving is not a right but a privilege, along with establishing a set of rules to follow and installing a GPS tracking system, will go a long way in making your teenage driver more responsible on the road.

What do you think? Let me know if I missed something or if you have anything to add in the comments section.

Teenage Drivers