By: Brian D. Johnston, MD, MPH, FAAP
Heavy rain, high winds, ice and snow—any of these can make driving a nightmare. But when the one behind the wheel is your teenager, you might feel even more anxious.
Young drivers don't have the years of experience that help adults steer their way through weather-related hazards. As
extreme weather becomes even more common, parents face new worries when handing teen drivers the car keys.
Here are tips to share with your teen this winter, when driving may be especially hazardous in large parts of the United States.
Have a good talk about bad-weather driving
Start by expressing trust in your teen.
You might say, "It's great to have another driver in the family. Let's talk about what to do when the roads are really awful this season."
Discuss bad-weather driving basics.
Touch on fundamentals such as the need to slow down when roads are slippery and visibility is limited. Emphasize the need to leave extra space between your teen's car and the vehicle ahead. Ask if they've ever had a scary experience in bad weather and how they handled it.
Find opportunities to practice.
Look for chances to ride along with your new driver when the weather is less than ideal. Have them demonstrate defrosting windows and checking vehicle readiness. On the road, watch for common mistakes made by teens in bad weather: following too closely and failing to adjust speed for road conditions.
Require weather checks before driving.
Stress the value of looking at the forecast before going out. This step helps all family drivers work together to stay safe. For example, if it's raining or snowing, will your teen need extra time to get where they're going? Or if the weather's really fierce, should everyone stay in? This is a great opportunity to emphasize that safety begins with the decision to drive.
Check the car, too.
Ask your teen to look at the gas gauge before every trip. Is there enough fuel to reach their destination and back (plus some)? Does the car have an extra phone charger, jumper cables, windshield wiper fluid, ice melt and other essentials? (Here's a checklist of cold-weather safety items to keep in your vehicle.)
Practice using these tools too. The first time your teen tries to put chains on the car should not be at the side of a busy road in bad weather!
Driving rules your teen should follow, rain or shine
These are the non-negotiables that apply all year long. Consider making them the foundation of a family-wide pact that shows your commitment to safe driving.
Few to no passengers for new drivers.
If your teen has been driving less than a year, it's smart to limit how many people they can take along. Your state may have restrictions on the number of passengers that can ride with young drivers. (Check here to find out.)
No texting, no phone calling.
Crashes happen
when drivers are distracted, so make this an ironclad rule. If there's an urgent need to get in touch, ask your teen to pull over (and stay parked until the conversation's over).
Buckle up every time.
In 2022,
half (50%) of teen drivers who died in crashes were unbuckled. Also troubling: when the teen driver involved in the fatal crash was unbuckled, 90% of the passengers who died were also unbuckled. This sobering fact can help you talk about the power of safe choices and asking others to follow your lead.
Drive sober.
The legal age for alcohol use is 21, no matter where your family lives. Still, this might not keep your teen from drinking or taking drugs that can cloud their judgment. Make a rule that no one in your household will drive under the influence—and talk about
ways to get home safely when they (or you) have had too much.
No speeding.
Fast driving robs young drivers of the extra reaction time they need to respond to road hazards.
Talk with them about following posted speed limits, slowing down at night and adjusting their speed when the weather's bad.
Drowsiness is dangerous, too.
Teens often keep busy schedules, and many
don't get enough sleep. They may feel especially tired between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. when driving home from school, sports or a friend's house. Brainstorm ways they can get home safely if they're feeling sleepy—for example, asking someone for a lift and picking the car up later (with your help).
Modeling safe winter driving habits for your teen
If you're a thoughtful driver, teens will follow suit. Time in the car together can provide teaching moments.
Narrate your driving. For example: "The visibility is dropping, so I am going to slow down." Or, "I don't want to have to brake hard on these slippery roads, so I am increasing the following distance."
Seeing you manage these common, but difficult, situations will give them confidence driving in winter—and all year long.
More information
About Dr. Johnston
 Brian D. Johnston, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Violence, Injury and Poisoning Prevention.
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