>> Safety issues that every teen

driver should know

Thanks to the Santa Clara (CA) Police Department, especially Kevin Kyle, Assistant Chief of Police, and Bill Davis, School Resource Officer, for providing this information.

1. Know how to use jumper cables. Even though your teen driver has a vehicle that is mechanically sound, you never know. He/she may have friends with cars that are not. Improper use of cables can result in injury and/or vehicle damage.

2. When stopped in traffic, make sure that you can see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you. This helps to provide a safety zone and room to maneuver if hit from behind.

3. Know who your passengers are; don’t transport someone you don’t know and trust. Parents and teens should be aware that they could face criminal/civil liability for their passenger's actions.

4. DO NOT pick up hitch hikers!

5. Carry a cell phone to make emergency calls and to keep your parents updated as to your location and activities. However, do NOT talk on the cell phone while driving. We’ve all seen distracted drivers do dangerous, inconsiderate, and/or stupid things because they are using their cell phone.

6. Have the regular phone number of the local police department programmed into your cell phone. The technology is changing, but 9-1-1 calls from cell phones go to regional dispatchers (such as the Highway Patrol) out of the area. They probably won’t be familiar with your location on city streets and wait times on hold can sometimes be excessive.

7. Have the phone number for AAA or some other subscription roadside assistance service programmed in your cell phone.

8. Know how to recognize and change a flat tire (or know who to call and how to call them). Pull over to the side of the road as soon as it is safe to do so. Driving on a flat tire will ruin it quickly. Select a safe place to pull over as far out of the traffic lane as possible, bearing in mind that changing a tire requires some space. Keep your parents posted by cell phone, especially of your location.

9. Don't let your guard down in parking lots. They are filled with inattentive and preoccupied drivers and pedestrians.

10. Pay attention to the gauges and lights on your dashboard. They all monitor vital engine functions and are designed to warn you of potentially dangerous mechanical problems. Know what each gauge or warning light monitors, recognize normal and abnormal readings, and know what to do when there is a problem.

11. Don’t wear earphones while driving, especially in both ears (illegal). You won’t be able to hear sirens or horns, both meant to be warning devices.

12. Don’t stand in front of or behind your car when pulled over or even at the gas station. Getting hit from the front or behind could be catastrophic.

13. Make a habit of keeping plenty of gas in your car, so as to never run out. You never know when you may have to travel further than expected.

14. Pause before taking off at a green light. You never know when another driver may run a red light.

15. Don’t assume what another driver is going to do. Wait until he or she physically commits to being out of conflict with your path (i.e. the driver showing a turn signal, but doesn’t turn).

16. Be patient; slow down; don’t be in a hurry. Never arriving at your destination is far worse than arriving a little late.

17. Know what to do in the event of an accident before it happens.

18. Should you be in an accident, pull over to a safe location if possible. The need to leave the vehicles at their point of rest until the police arrive is a myth.