The day a teenager earns their driver’s license, they experience the excitement of newfound freedom. But driving is more than just a major step towards adulthood and independence. It should bring responsibility along with the thrill of driving. Now, the thought of installing a car tracker for teenagers may dampen your mood, especially if you are young, enthusiastic, and recently learned to drive.
However, if you are the parent, that’s a different story. Sometimes parents need to make decisions that are considered “necessary evil." So, you should approach your child subtly and respectfully while considering their opinions and decisions.
But first, let us take a look at what telematics is all about.
What is Vehicle Telematics
Telematics is a branch of information technology that deals with the long-distance transmission of computerized data. It also refers to sending, receiving, and storing car and truck telemetry data by combining GPS technology and onboard diagnostics. Fleet businesses use this technology to monitor equipment and other organizational assets.
Vyncs has registered its name among some of the top telematics brands in the US. With a Vyncs device connected to the OBD-II, you can see the vehicle’s,
- Position
- Speed
- Trip distance/time
- Idling time
- Harsh driving
- Fuel consumption
- Vehicle faults
- Battery voltage
How to Talk About it
Now that you have a basic idea of what a GPS telematics device is capable of, here are some tips on how to approach the subject to your teenager.
1. Start by communicating openly about your intention to install such a device. Vyncs can be discreet inside the car using our OBD-II extension cable, but teenagers tend to be more tech-savvy than their parents. Naturally, springing it on them or attempting to hide the fact that you are monitoring them and having them find the device later on their own can result in hard feelings. Instead, explain why you are installing a tracking device and the benefits of using one. Have a healthy discussion of the pros and cons.
2. Why do you want to monitor your teen’s driving? State your reasons clearly, backed by concrete examples. You can tell them you wish to see that they are safe by following speed limits or locating them in case they need help, both of which are achievable with Vyncs speeding alerts and roadside assistance features. Clarify how you are going to supervise them.
3. If you do choose to buy a tracking device, consider buying the device as early as three months before your teenager takes the driver’s license test. Try the device yourself and show the reports from the device to your kid. This transparency may seem counterproductive, but it actually shows you trust them while putting them on notice simultaneously on the types of driving behavior monitored by the system.
4. Checking privacy settings is an exercise of trust. Naturally, you would want to ensure you do not breach it by sharing your teenager’s data with third parties. Never underestimate the importance of privacy policies, especially if they involve your children. Vyncs has a well-defined privacy policy. Check it and make your choice, but avoid all options that would share your kid’s travel data. You may want to know where they are, and you have the right to this information, but not to third parties.
5. Finally, you need a collaborative spirit. You may be surprised to learn that children often appreciate tracking because it lets them avoid peer pressure. For example, if two friends travel in a vehicle, one may not like the idea of being monitored by the parent of the other. As such, he/she may pressurize the driver into removing or disconnecting the tracking system. Teenagers may share the same perspective. If you create accountability policies together, they are more likely to follow them and cause less worry for you.
The Risks of Not Having Telematics
The importance of monitoring teenagers with GPS devices is not to be underestimated. Below you will find a list of the risks of not leveraging telematics for monitoring teen drivers.
- Without a GPS device, you may not know where your child is in case of an emergency, but if you connect a Vyncs OBD-II tracker to the car, you can see exactly where they are at all times.
- It might scare you, but the fact is that a new driver will always be at a far greater risk of getting involved in an accident than a more experienced driver. Therefore, Vyncs GPS tracking can help alleviate some of the worries by informing you the moment your teenager drives rashly or gets into an accident. Vyncs also offers 24/7 roadside assistance - a feature that will come in handy if something untoward happens.
- Let’s face it! Vehicle insurance premiums have increased profoundly over the last few years. Insurance premiums are higher than usual for teen drivers. If you do not want to pay exorbitant insurance premiums, Vyncs telematics can help reduce vehicle theft and the insurance claims resulting from it, improve driver behavior, prevent vehicle misuse, promote adhering to timely maintenance schedules, and lower the risk of accidents.
Helping Teens Understand the Importance of Telematics
The excitement of being a new teen driver is overwhelming. Everyone remembers the day they received their license and the freedom of driving by themselves. While it may be fun for teenagers, parents feel the stress from the possibility of unwanted accidents that may occur on the roads. Thankfully, tracking devices for vehicles from Vyncs offers peace of mind to parents.
With Vyncs, parents can monitor where their teenagers are going and draw geo zones to create a circumference within which they want their kids to stay when they take the car out. Parents can also set up curfew hours to prevent their teens from driving during those hours. Furthermore, Vyncs alert users about inappropriate driving habits, such as rapid acceleration, harsh braking, sharp cornering, etc.
The tough part, however, is to get a teen to agree to put tracking devices in their cars. This article has already elucidated what parents can do to convince their teenagers. So, if you are having trouble getting through to your kid, try incorporating the strategies described here.