How Should I Handle My Teen's Auto Collision?
Having your teenager go through a car accident can definitely be scary. But afterwards, there are a few things that you can do to make sure your teen is safer on the road and that there aren't future expenses.
Get a Health Checkup
Whether you see any injuries from the accident or not, it's always a good idea to take your teen to the doctor or even to a chiropractor. The symptoms of whiplash may seem mild at first, but they could be a problem waiting to happen. For instance, whiplash may alter the position of the small bones in the neck, and with a second impact, the vertebrae could become severely misaligned and cause permanent damage. A chiropractor can do whiplash treatment by taking x-rays and adjusting the spine after the impact of a car accident. Talk with a chiropractic center in your area, such as Contino Chiropractic Center, about treatment options.
Review Your Insurance Coverage
Your auto insurance payments may need to be adjusted after a collision. Be sure to ask if your rates will go up, and approach other auto insurance carriers to see if they can offer a better rate post-accident. You may also want to consider adding collision coverage at this time.
Enroll Your Child in Driver's Education
There are many online and in-person options for driver's education. After the accident, you might want to see about enrolling your child in a program that caters to defensive driving.
Provide Some Guidance
Finally, after a teen car accident, you might be wondering what you can do personally to keep them safer on the road. The first thing to consider is chaperoning your child for a while so that you can watch how they drive and give them pointers for staying safer on the road. While driver's ed helps, it only includes a limited number of road hours. You can pass along your invaluable driving experience if you spend more time with your teen in the car.
Another thing to do is set some rules for car usage. Look at the source of the accident. If it was because your teen was distracted by their phone, you might want to create a rule that phones can't be used in the car. If the accident was caused by distractions with other passengers in the car, then you might want to set some rules about having friends ride along. And of course, it's all done in love to help your child be a safer driver.