Is your child about to sit behind the wheel of your family station wagon? Do they already have wheels of their own? Studies have shown that teen crash rates for 16-year-old drivers can be reduced by nearly one-third if some simple precautions are taken. So what are you waiting for? Here are some rules to follow to make sure your teenager is safe.

LEARNER’S PERMIT

The age that a child obtains a Learner’s Permit varies from state to state, But here are some basic tips:

• Make sure your child completes a certified driver’s education course.
• Dedicate an additional 30-50 hours of supervised drive time. Including night driving.
• Maintain this for at least 6 months before going to the New Driver level.

NEW DRIVERS

• Begin this level no earlier than age 16 and a half and maintain the New Driver level to age 18.
• Consider restricting unsupervised driving after 9 or 10 p.m. (Exceptions could be for work purposes.)
• Limit passengers to no more than one when there is no adult present.
• Prohibit cell phone use, eating, drinking and other distractions while driving.
• Mandatory seat belt use for all occupants.
• Zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol
• Clean driving record
• Consider removing privileges if any of the above rules are broken.