Driving Tips Especially for Teens

From Kansas' seasoned travelers to students fresh out of driver's ed, all drivers need a few reminders now and then. The Kansas Highway Patrol offers the following safety tips for your next safe, successful turn behind the wheel.

Always buckle your seat belt! If the car has a passenger-side air bag, do not let children or small teens ride in the front passenger seat. They should be buckled up in the back seat.

Never drive after drinking or taking drugs! Even some over-the-counter drugs can impair driving. Check the warning label before taking them.

Leave tricks and racing to professional drivers. They are trained and operate under controlled conditions you cannot duplicate.

Drive defensively, and obey traffic laws and speed limits. You do not own the road, but you do own a car. Be responsible and protect it, yourself, and others. Watch out for deer, aggressive drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Headlights make you more visible to others. Use them during dusk, night, dawn, inclement weather, and even daylight on long stretches of roadway.

Be cautious about assuming what other drivers will do. For example, even if a car's turn signal is on, wait for the driver to commit to the turn before you pull out in front of him or her. Keep at least a two-second distance away from the vehicle ahead of you.

If your lane is obstructed, wait for oncoming traffic to clear before you pull around. To avoid a head-on collision, be extremely cautious passing on a two-lane road.

Learn what to do during severe weather.

Looking away from the road for a few seconds can cause an accident, so avoid distractions. Pull over at a safe spot to talk on the phone, comb your hair or put on make-up, find a different CD, let a bug out of the car, or clean up a mess. If your friends will be distracting passengers, do not drive with them.

A loud stereo can be distracting, make you drive faster than you should, and keep you from hearing a siren or horn. Turn it down to be on the safe side.

To go somewhere new, get complete directions and understand them before you go.

Do not drive tired. Do not use cruise control late at night or when you are tired. If you fall asleep, the car will crash at that speed.

Do not drive when you are angry or upset. Strong emotions can distract you or encourage foolish actions.

Learn how to pump your own gas, jump-start a car, and properly maintain your car, e.g. how to check and add oil and windshield washer fluid. If you are stranded and have a cell phone, dial *47 (*HP) for the nearest Highway Patrol dispatcher or *KTA on the Kansas Turnpike for assistance.