Car and road accidents are a common result of loss of life in most cities. Car accidents happen all the time and there are several reasons behind it. Bad driving, under age driving, speeding, loss of control of the car are a few. Drinking and driving is also a common cause of car accidents. When you drink and drive, your ability to judge distance and speed is affected. Although people who are drunk may believe they have perfect control of the car, in reality they don’t realize how their reflexes are affected and how much of a danger they can pose to other drivers too. Anybody can be a victim of DUI, either because they are drinking and driving or because their car can be hit by someone else who is drinking and driving.
Here are some things to consider to help protect your child from this common problem:
Timing on the Road
If you have a teenager at home, chances are he has already been demanding his right to drive. While on the one hand you have to let go and allow him/her to grow up, as a parent, you also have to set down rules and limits too. Try to set up “set times: during which he/she is allowed to use the car. Most drinking and driving incidents happen at night. Let your child drive during the day but limit his/her access to the car at night. However, keep in mind that drunk driving incidents may happen all the times, but chances are higher at night.
Legal Counselling
You have to protect your child from being a victim of DUI in two ways. The first way is to prevent him/her from drinking and driving. The second step is to prevent him from being the victim due to someone else drinking and driving. A professional criminal defense law attorney will be able to talk to your child about DUI and what happens when a person has been in an accident. If you are the innocent one who was hit by another driver who was drinking, you don’t need to worry. But your child needs to learn that if he is the one who was drinking and driving, he/she may face stiff consequences. A good criminal defense law attorney will be able to counsel him/her on this.
Know his Friends
Your child will always want his share of independence. That doesn’t mean you just let him do as he pleases. Ensure that you meet his friends, especially the ones he commonly hangs out with. Keep track of their parents numbers too. When they go out in a group, without being too suspicious, you must know about where he is going and what their plans are. Every teenager will want to explore the world of drinks and parties. But, it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure everything is done if at all in moderation and safely.
