Published: Tuesday, December 14, 2010
By: Staff Writers
A tough and serious question. If your teen needs a ride to school, to an after-hours event or to weekend fun time...how do you decide who it's safe to let her ride with?
Take a moment to listen to and read what Barbara Andrews has to say about letting your teen ride with another youngster. Hear this first-hand from a Mom who lost her daughter with another young person driving.
Parents need to know who their child is riding with -- and that person's driving reputation and behaviors. It's not an issue to be taken lightly. We often think "it can't happen to me." But that belief gives us a false sense of security. It's often our good kids -- the student leaders, cheerleaders, good students, well-behaved youngsters -- who are paying the price for poor decisions.
When our son or daughter gets into a car with another teen -- who we may know nothing about -- we're putting her life into their hands. We need to check out the youngsters doing the driving.
"Kyle is a wild man behind the wheel. He drives crazy and shows off every chance he gets," says Michelle, a high school senior. "But Brian is considerate of his passengers. He drives the speed limit and doesn't do things that scare me." Ask your teens, ask around among their friends; they'll know who's a safe driver.
What do you know about the kids who drive your son or daughter around? How do you "qualify them" as being safe.
