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A Level 3 licensed driver has no
state-imposed license restrictions.
Driving Rules for Your
Family
Enforce safety belt use for your teen and all passengers.
Michigan's Primary Seatbelt Law requires that all drivers & passengers
riding in the front seat wear a safety belt. In addition, all passengers
under 16, no matter where they sit in the vehicle must be wearing safety
belts.
Require a full report.
Before
your teen leaves, require information about each trip such as where they
are going, with whom and when they will return.
It is
strongly suggested that you require your teen driver to check in
each time before they drive by answering these questions:
1.
Where
are you going?
2.
Who
will your passengers be?
3.
When
will you return?
4.
What is
the weather expected to be like?
5.
What
route will you take?
Prohibit driving or
riding with someone who has used alcohol or drugs.
Agree that they can call
you anytime, and you will pick them up.
Limit distractions.
New drivers really need
to focus. Minimize things that might draw their attention away from
driving. Consider prohibiting:
Don't let your teen
drive when they're tired.
Sleep-related crashes are
most common in young people. Teach your teen to recognize when they are
too tired to drive.
Don't let your teen
drive when they're overly emotional.
Tell your teen not to
drive when they are highly emotional, regardless of whether they are
angry, happy or sad.
Require purposeful driving.
Purposeful driving is
driving for a reason to a specific destination. Teen driving is most
dangerous when done without a specific purpose or destination. Limiting
your teen to purposeful driving will help keep them safe - as well as
help cut down on pouring dollars down your gas tank.
The Parent-Teen Driving
Agreement
Create and have your teen
and you both sign a contract.
Create a written contract with your
teen, one that grants more driving privileges as your teen continues to
follow rules and gain experience behind the wheel. If they drive
irresponsibly, they lose their driving privileges.
For a sample, see the
Parent - Teen Safe Driving Contract or visit Safedrivingforteens.org
to see the
Checkpoints Program, a research-based, free resource for parents of
teen drivers in Michigan.
Set clear consequences
for breaking the law and family rules, such as:
If your teen is
untruthful about where she or he was going in the car ... they lose
their driving privileges for _______ weeks/months.
The state of Michigan's
laws and your family's rules are meant to keep your teen driver - and
everyone else on the road - safe. But they won't work unless they are
enforced. Law enforcement will do their part to enforce penalties for
violations of state laws, but you must do yours. Enforce consequences
for violations. Remember you are the parent and you have total control,
use it.
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