As parents, watching your children grow from crawling to walking to driving can be a bittersweet feeling. You’ve done all you can to stop them from growing up too fast and keep them little forever, but time stops for no one. It’s time for your baby to hop in the car and drive, which they’ve been eager to do for a while.

Handing over the keys to the vehicle may be hard, but stressing the importance of vehicle safety and abiding by traffic laws can help prevent tickets, accidents, and incidents down the line. To help ease your mind and heart, here are a few ways to ensure your teen driver is safe on the road.

Everyone Needs To Buckle Up

No matter whether your teen is driving down the street or across town, they need to buckle up for safety! Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seat belt, including those in the backseat. If you model this behavior to your children by wearing a seatbelt all the time, they will be more likely to follow suit.

Zero Tolerance for Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is the main culprit of car accidents. These distractions can come in the form of underage drinking, texting and driving, eating and driving, or finding a song to play, but they all take the driver’s attention off the road and put them at risk. Explain to your child that you have zero tolerance for distracted driving and reiterate the serious consequences of these dangerous habits.

Limit the Number of Passengers

Think back to when you were a teenager and how all your friends would pile into your car. This pastime wasn’t safe then, and it’s definitely not safe now. As the number of passengers in the vehicle increases, so does the risk of a car crash. Some states legally limit the number of passengers allowed in a new driver’s car. However, to be safe, you should create a rule for your child to always limit the number of passengers in the vehicle.

Teach Your Teen Defensive Driving

Teaching your teen defensive driving is the best way to protect them against aggressive drivers. Defensive driving is a safe response to potential hazards like debris on the road, severe weather conditions, and the actions of other drivers. Teaching your teen to stay alert and sober and keep a safe distance between themselves and other cars is key to ensuring your teen driver is safe on the road.