Although driving as a teen in Texas can be fun, some temptations must be avoided. One of these is drinking and driving. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can talk to your teen about the dangers that are associated with this decision and how to prevent it from happening.
Rules
One way to try to prevent drunk driving is to set rules for your teen before they get behind the wheel. No alcoholic beverages should be consumed at all before driving. If your teen is not of legal driving age, then they should be aware that they are not to drink even if they aren’t driving. A written agreement between you and your teen could be made so that they know the rules that you make. You can also let them know what time they need to be home and how often they should call if they will be out past a certain time or if they are a certain distance away from home.
Live by example
If you don’t want your teen to drink and drive, then consider living by the words that you use. Avoid drinking unless you’re at home or you’re in a safe location where you know you won’t need to drive home. If you do drink, it’s important to limit the amount of alcohol that you consume so that you can still focus on your surroundings. Set an example for your teen by having someone else drive home after you’ve been drinking as well.
While drinking is a common pastime for adults in a safe manner, it’s an activity that you want to talk about with your teen as they should be aware of the legal and physical ramifications of drinking and driving.