Keeping Track of Your Child’s Driving Behaviour

According to arrive alive the most vulnerable age group for fatal vehicle accidents is between the ages of 15 to 29, which is frightening when you consider that about 14 000 people die on South African roads every year. Inexperience, drunk driving and a

“Having your child taking their first tentative steps towards independence, alone behind the wheel of a car is often a very frightening experience for a parent. As a new licence holder, not only is driving inexperience a serious concern, but crime such as hijacking is also never far from your mind. Far from wanting a ‘big brother’ approach, being able to know that your child is safe, driving responsibly and can be located quickly if they need help or assistance is a huge comfort, ” says John Edmeston, Managing Director of Cartrack, a leading vehicle tracking and recovery, fleet management and telematics service provider. “Additionally, it can be difficult if not impossible to obtain insurance for an 18 year old driver. Certainly, insurance premiums will be extremely heavy,” he adds.

Vehicle tracking provides a very plausible solution to keeping track of your child. Today, many tracking units utilise Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that will provide parents with a wealth of information and, these days, at a very affordable price. “Besides being able to pinpoint the exact location of a vehicle in real-time, telematics is also able to provide an accurate recount of the vehicle’s movements and how and when it was driven,” says Edmeston.

Insurers are also taking note of how telematics can provide them with a tool to measure a driver’s risk profile. Consequently, even for a young driver, if his driving habits are shown to be good via a telematics unit, insurance cover can be made available on better terms.

Trust

While vehicle tracking provides the perfect tool it does however open a whole can of worms when it comes to the issue of trust. “It is always a good idea to have an open and honest discussion with all family members. Explain the risks that are involved and if need be, use the statistics to emphasize the danger of drunken driving, speeding and criminal elements such as hijackings and your child’s vehicle possibly being stolen,” Edmeston says.

“While your child will most likely understand the reasoning behind the installation of a vehicle tracking unit, it will also set a clear parameter in which he or she can operate without it feeling like you are checking on them,” he adds.

A GPS tracking unit offers geo-fencing that sets a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographical area. “If you discuss the locations that you expect your child to be at certain times, then you can set a geo-fence on their travelling location that will alert you if the vehicle was to move outside the perimeter. A notification could be a simple case of your child dropping a friend off at their house that is out of the way or it could be something serious like the car being stolen or hijacked. Either way, it remains a very handy feature,” says Edmeston.

Online Portal

The pure tracking component of the unit allows for the vehicle to be recovered in the event of it being stolen, but it also provides an online portal that will allow the family to log on from any location to check where the vehicle is. “When it is two in the morning and you don’t know where your child is, this can prove to be a lifesaver. It provides a much more sophisticated alternative, than lurking in the bushes and donning a clever disguise, to ensure that your child is where they say they are,” says Edmeston.

We have all been young and we all know that parties and irresponsible behaviour is almost part and parcel of a young person’s right of passage to the life of a responsible adult. “There is however no greater risk and the fatalities amongst our youth on the roads are frightening. Using the telematics capabilities of a GPS tracking unit will allow you to monitor the speed at which the vehicle is driven and will even tell you whether the driver is accelerating, braking or cornering hard,” he explains.

Speed is a killer

“The crash risk for a young driver increases incrementally with every kilometre per hour that they are over the speed limit. It is also never a good idea to place a young and inexperienced driver behind the wheel of a high-powered vehicle. It is first and foremost about the safety of your child and other users on the road. Telematics will alert you if your child is driving recklessly,” says Edmeston.

The famous adage does however ring true: Practice what you preach. “These rules and guidelines should not just be applicable to the child in the house but to all members of the family. Safety on South Africa’s roads starts with you and me,” he concludes.