If you have a teenage daughter then grab a hat and hang to it. I’m about to serve up a few safety tips that may just save a life.
When our teenage girls start driving we start worrying (even more) about their safety. Here are 17 safety tips that my mother told me literally every time I left the house. And sure, it got on my nerves back then, but ya live and ya learn, right?
When our teenagers start driving we start worrying even more, right?
We worry about car accidents, speeding tickets, texting and driving, drinking and driving, the list goes on and on….
But that’s not all we need to be thinking about.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Predators are everywhere-the mall, the gas station, the dollar store, the parking lot – well, let’s just say – they can be anywhere.
I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to take my daughter’s keys and lock her in her room…forever.
But that’s just not realistic. And locking our kids away does absolutely nothing to prepare them for the future.
So, what can we do?
Well, regular conversations about safety are important.
Remember what I wrote about the teenage brain?
Well, in case you didn’t catch that one, you’re going to need to have that chat a few (million) times before it sinks in.
Some parents do Driving Contracts like this one, which is a great place to start on driving safety. It’s also important for new teen drivers to have (and know how to operate) Emergency Road Assistance Kits.
If you ask my girls, they’ll tell you we have the safety talk all of the time- everywhere we go.
Everywhere. We. Go.
Perhaps I am driven by the fact that I grew up in a seriously dangerous city where you had to be on alert at all times?
Or maybe it’s because I was stalked by a crazy man who scared the life out of me for four years?
That’s probably it.
To be clear: I’m talking about a serious stalker here. He tracked my day-to-day life and called my mother to report my whereabouts and fashion choices just to scare her. It got really real. All of the proper authorities were involved. At one point I had a police escort to and from my dance team practice.
It was sick.
And scary.
But I learned a lot.
Now some people may think I talk too much about safety.
I don’t think that’s possible.
Have you watched the news lately? Turns out you don’t have to be in a dark alley to be assaulted.
Today I’m sharing my top seventeen tips in case you want to pass them on to your daughters. Some are driving tips and some are safety tips you may not have thought of!
17 Safety Tips Every Teenage Girl Should Know
- 1. Don’t text and drive.
- 2. Don’t talk on the phone and drive.
- 3. Just don’t use your phone when you drive. Studies show that using a phone while driving is just like driving drunk. Even when you’re in hands-free mode. LifeSaver has a great app that blocks phone use while driving.
- 4. Wear Your Seat Belt! Seat belts lower your risk of a serious injury by 60%.
- 5. You know that car ahead of you that has the blinker on? Do not assume it’s going to turn. Make no assumptions on the road. Period.
- 6. Make sure intersections are clear before you pass through. Just because you have a green light doesn’t mean someone’s not going to run a red light.
- 7. Lock Your Doors: The first thing you need to do when you get in your car is LOCK THE DOORS. If you don’t, you are a fantastic target for a thief, carjacker, or worse. We all have this terrible habit of getting in the car and messing around with our phones, our makeup, whathaveyou. Without realizing it, we make ourselves distracted targets. By locking the doors you are making yourself a less desirable victim. Your best bet is to lock up & LEAVE.
- 8. Once you see your gas tank get below 1/4, it is time to visit the gas station. You don’t want to put yourself in a dangerous situation by running out of gas period-or even worse in a bad area, at night, or in a traffic jam.
- 9. Always, always, always park in well-lit spaces, in the front of the parking lot. Here I go again with the bad guy stuff, but I can’t say it enough. You’re an easy target if you park in the dark.
- 10. If you feel scared, ALWAYS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! Ask for security or management to walk you to your car. Do not feel weird about asking; they don’t mind at all! In fact, every security guard I know tells me more girls/women should ask for help! They are there to protect you!
- 11. Always have your keys ready before you exit a store. If you have to search for them outside when you get to your car you make yourself a target. You’ll be so distracted that you won’t see them coming.
- 12. If someone approaches you on your way to your car, avoid the urge to be polite, and make a u-turn back to the store. If he (or she) continues to engage, run and yell FIRE. More people respond to fire than any other call for help.
- 13. Do not assume a woman is safe! My friend fell for that once and was almost carjacked when the lady’s male counterpart tried to jump in her car! A stranger is a stranger!
- 14. NEVER pick up a hitchhiker. Yes, their situation is sad.No, you can’t give them a ride or money. Say a prayer for them and rock on safely.
- 15. Remember what I said about gas earlier? Well, get it during the daytime. Do not get gas at night. Freaky things go down at gas stations after the sun goes down.
- 16. Be aware of your surroundings! Do you sense anyone following you? Is there a creepy van parked next to your car? Unless you know for a fact that the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine is on tour- it’s shady. Watch out. Get away from it. Don’t park next to vans.
- 17. If you are being tailgated, slow down and let the car pass. Resist the urge to speed. Chances are you will see them later getting a ticket. You’re not in a race.
When I got my driver’s license, my mother likened my vehicle to a soda can.
Then she crushed it by stomping it with her foot.
Dramatic?
Sure.
She wanted me to understand how dangerous an accident could be. Cars don’t make kids invincible.
I thought she was a crazy Debbie Downer, but I’ll never forget that.
It worked.
Remember, it takes the average person eight times to remember any message or lesson – so don’t feel like you’re nagging when you have to repeat yourself. Pretend you’re a Nike running shoe and Just Do It. She will thank you later.
Did I Miss Anything?
Did I cover all of the bases?
Or maybe I missed an important tip?
Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below!
