Technology helped this father keep his son safe on the road
When your kids are old enough to drive a car, responsibility and safety awareness are no doubt major concerns for any parent.
Perhaps you’ve spent a fair amount of time in the car while your child has been driving and you feel confident that they’re ready to drive alone once they’ve passed their driver’s test. But do you ever wonder if your child is being as responsible on the road when you’re not in the car with them?
A father wrote in to Discovery Insure to share his story about how he discovered that his son’s driving behaviour was cause for concern.
His son had visited a friend one night and stayed over. He knew that his son would be staying over and so, receiving a visit from Discovery Insure at about 03h30 in the morning, informing him that there had been a report of erratic driving behaviour, surprised him. When Discovery was unable to reach the father and son they’d decided it would be quicker to go to their home.
After a phone call to his son the father found out that the vehicle was still with his son and that all was in order.
After a sleepless night he decided to query the erratic driving report:
“They mailed me a copy, which horrified me as I was disappointed at his actions which could have been worse if he had been apprehended or had been involved in an incident. This has lead to a severe reprimand from me and a wake-up call to him; he should never have volunteered (he had not been drinking) to drive someone else’s girlfriend home at that hour of the morning.”
4 important things to teach your kids about responsible driving
1. Never get behind the wheel if your driving skills might be compromised
Driving under the influence is one of the biggest threats to SA’s roads and it’s important that your child understands the consequences of drinking and driving.
Driving when you’re tired can be just as dangerous so teach your children to know when to call for help before they get behind the wheel.
2. Driving alone and late at night
Solo drivers need to pay extra attention to the road, especially when driving late at night or in the early hours of the morning. Your children should know exactly where they’re going and which route to take to avoid getting lost and targeted by criminals.
Teach them to make sure their tyres, oil, water and fuel are all in tip-top shape before they head off.
3. Avoiding distractions
A lot can cause a driver to be distracted: loud music, cellphones, incidents on the road, the list goes on. These distractions cause a large percentage of accidents and deaths on our roads and it’s important that your kids get into the habit of putting their phones away, keeping the music down and focusing on nothing but the road.
4. Emergency numbers
Make sure your children save the relevant emergency numbers to their phone, in case of an accident
The police, ambulance services and tow truck services are all useful in the event of an emergency, but they can also call their insurance company, such as Discovery Insure, who can assist with all the necessary services.
The content for the above featured story was supplied by Discovery Insure. To get car insurance that calls emergency services when you can’t, click here.
Also read: “I made the right choice” – A father’s story of his daughter’s accident