I previously shared with you a review and information of Straight Talk’s Safe Driver Car Connection device. In addition to showing you how Safe Driver Car Connection works, I also shared how the various features can be of help with a new driver in the home, especially for monitoring your teens. With National Teen Driver Safety Week still fresh in our minds from last week, if you have a teenage driver in your home, or a soon-to-be driver, you’ll definitely want to consider how the Safe Driver Car Connection device can give you a little peace of mind. Check out some of the features Safe Driver Car Connection provides, as well as some staggering facts regarding safe driving!
Straight Talk Safe Driver Car Connection Features to Help Parents of Teenage Drivers
While Safe Driver Car Connection has many features, I believe the following are probably the most useful for parents of teenage drivers:
- Cell Phone Restriction: To use this feature, you’ll need to download the free ZoomSafer mobile app on the phone you wish to restrict, available for both Android and iPhone. Once installed, ZoomSafer will send a signal to the Safe Driver Car Connection device to disable all text functionality and inbound/outbound calling while the car is in motion. When a call or text is received, the sender is automatically notified that the driver will call them back. Pretty impressive, right? I can see why this feature is probably the most appealing one for parents of teenagers.
- Vehicle Location: Another great feature for parents is the vehicle location or “locate now” feature. Vehicle location tracks the vehicle every 5 minutes and creates a path as the vehicle drives which can then be reviewed on the Car Connection app or dashboard. When the vehicle is not running, Car Connection will monitor the location of the vehicle every hour. This is also great for your teen to use, in case he or she ever forgets where the car is parked.
- Safety Zone Alerts: This feature allows you to set up driving zones or boundaries to designate where you wish for the vehicle to travel. When the car enters and exits these predetermined safety zones, you will receive an alert.
- Vehicle Health: Safe Driver Car Connection also helps you track the health of a vehicle. You can receive maintenance alerts and reminders by text or email, which would be useful for your teenager to keep up with suggested maintenance on his or her car.
- Driver Scoring: The driver’s score feature is useful when coaching new drivers. It monitors hard braking, acceleration, and sharp turning, along with other driver habits. This feature would work great for helping your teenager learn to drive or improve their driving habits.
5 Safe Driver Tips to Share with Your Teenage Driver
As you help your teenager become a safe driver, knowing and perhaps even sharing some of these facts and tips (provided by Straight Talk and the nonprofit organization Driver’s Edge) with your teen will prove fruitful in stressing the importance of safe driving.
Fact #1: If you’re texting and driving, your eyes are off the road an average of five seconds for every text you send. At 60 mph, your vehicle will have traveled nearly a football field and a half during that time.
Tip: It can wait. In the blink of an eye anything can happen. As a driver you need to remain focused on the road and aware of the constantly changing driving conditions.
Fact #2: A police-reported car crash happens nearly every five seconds of everyday. Nearly 80% of those collisions are caused by distractions.
Tip: Be aware and always expect the unexpected. Driving is like a big game of “what if“; be prepared.
Fact #3: In 2012, 22% of young drivers, ages 15-20, who were involved in a fatal crash had been drinking.
Tip: If a teen finds themselves impaired, many are more afraid to call mom and dad (because of the fear of getting punished) than they are of getting behind the wheel and attempting to drive home. Even the best teen can make poor decisions. Talk to your kids and let them know that you will always be there for them. (Powerful food-for-thought: Ask yourself, what would you prefer; your teen had a drink or two at a party but has the courage to call you and ask for a ride home; or you get a knock on the door from the police saying that your son or daughter has been involved in a fatal collision?)
Fact #4: A disproportionate number of minor collisions are caused when drivers are simply “backing up.”
Tip: Encourage your teen to always conduct a vehicle walk-around prior to getting into their vehicle. By conducting a walk-around you can notice any objects that may have rolled under your vehicle and any obstacles that may be around you. Additionally, your teen will be able to notice if they have a flat tire or if there’s been any damage done to the vehicle.
Fact #5: Car crashes are the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-20. An average of ten young people are killed and more than 800 young people are injured every day in car crashes.
Tip: Buckle up and eliminate distractions. Teens have the lowest seatbelt usage out of any age group. Also eliminate distractions such as cell phones and other teens in the vehicle. The risk of a fatal collision dramatically increases when teen drivers have other teens in the vehicle.
Safe Driver Car Connection is available at Walmart stores, Walmart.com [aff], and StraightTalk.com for $139.99. A service plan is required for the device, starting at $10 for 30 days. Additionally, Straight Talk has some new phones out, like the Alcatel OneTouch Pop Icon, which is now available for $149 at Walmart! Straight Talk also has a Bring Your Own Tablet (BYOT) program, where you can bring your current tablet in and connect Straight Talk service to it, without the need for a contract.
How do you help your teenage driver understand the importance of safe driving?
Teen driver photo: Carissa Rogers/Flickr
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