Appropriate punishment if you catch teen texting & driving & speeding?

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is making me sick.

First of all, a teen should NEVER have a Jeep. We just bought our sixteen year old a car, after much, MUCH, searching and deliberating. The reason we bought a car, rather than the plan (driving our old clunker Volvo)? A new car is infinitely safer, thanks to improvements made in the last 3-5 yrs. We bought him a family sedan that is an IIHS Safety Plus choice, and one that we cross referenced against "best choices for teens"--cars that don't accelerate from 0-60 in under 8 seconds. That's actually not as easy as it sounds. Is it cool? Dunno. He was pretty thrilled with it. We also installed the speed tracking mentioned.

As for phones, he's known his entire life that we will log onto any account on any device he has any time we choose to do so. He's a minor, we are responsible for any of his actions and for his well being. Does he like it? Probably not. Is he used to it? Sure. Do we really do it? Not much anymore, but every now and then.

There is NO WAY IN HELL I would let my son continue to drive after the discovery OP made. She is nuts and completely irresponsible if she does. Both to her child, and to anyone else on the road. So what if it's inconvenient? Has parenting ever been convenient?

SMH. TAKE THE CAR AWAY, for the love of all that is holy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) No car
2) Flip phone only
3) Not allowed in a fellow teen's car--this is the #1 predictor of a fatal crash, driving with a friend

FFS, be a parent. Your life may be "miserable," but burying your kid and/or another parent's child(ren) is far, far worse. You have been warned. Don't be a lazy shit parent.

Also, where is your spouse on this?!?

My husband WANTED him to drive -- when I didn't think he was mature enough. He bought the Jeep for him.
My husband will say I shouldn't be stalking his conversations. And maybe have a talk with him. If left up to my husband there's no way the car will be taken away.

You know what? You need to tell your husband to kiss your ass. Take those keys and that cell phone and keep your child alive. Sell that damn Jeep and use the money for a fare card and if your husband opens his mouth one time, just one time, tell him that he can raise that child and bury him by himself. He is either going to stand up with you as a united front or you need to be a single parent. This is ridiculous that your husband was even allowed to purchase this car without your input. If you didn't agree to the purchase then it shouldn't have been brought. Who is running your house hold? Obviously not you!!

Oh puh-lease. OP would never do that. DH earns all the money and makes all the rules, I guarantee it

OP - is this true? Are you completely dependent on your husband and he gets to make decisions like this with out you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Oh puh-lease. OP would never do that. DH earns all the money and makes all the rules, I guarantee it

Pretty much true. DH was soooooo annoyed I was carting kids all around town and said it was time for our oldest to not only be driving himself, but helping out with younger siblings too. He went and bought him a new Jeep Wrangler a week later.

[Anonymous]

Ask him a bunch of questions to lock down his story before he starts lying to cover his tracks.

Establish that (a) his friend wasn't going 95; (b) he wasn't driving on I-95.

Then BAM. You have a new jeep!

[Anonymous]

He wasn't talking about the highway # - - - he said "going 95" not "on 95"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He wasn't talking about the highway # - - - he said "going 95" not "on 95"

+1. And he said "I just passed Larlo going 95", which could mean Larlo was going 95, and the DS was going even faster.

[Anonymous]

Does DH realize his son could spend a significant part of his life in jail if he hurts or kills someone? Does DH care if your son or other children are killed or maimed in an accident. Your son is an idiot but with your DH as his role model I'm not surprised.

[Anonymous]

Oh so he wasn't on 95 ....he was driving 95 mph on a residential street ir busy main road?

[Anonymous]

Take the car away. He doesn't need to go anywhere anymore. Just remember what happened to the family on River Road this past year because mommy and daddy did nothing to discipline their reckless teenage driver. He ended up killing 3 people. Who cares about inconvenience when it comes to saving people's lives.

[Anonymous]

So proud of himself he's bragging to friends. No driving or cell until he can purchase for himself which won't be easy since he can't leave the house without you except to go to and from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So proud of himself he's bragging to friends.

Excellent point.

[Anonymous]

My best friend almost died with her husband and kids this weekend because a teenager blew through a stop sign while out riding with friends and t-boned them at 50mph. She can't sleep because of the nightmares of reliving the other car barreling towards them. TAKE AWAY THE DAMN CAR. Teens who do not show themselves to be responsible and mature drivers should not have their own cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Oh puh-lease. OP would never do that. DH earns all the money and makes all the rules, I guarantee it

Pretty much true. DH was soooooo annoyed I was carting kids all around town and said it was time for our oldest to not only be driving himself, but helping out with younger siblings too. He went and bought him a new Jeep Wrangler a week later.

PP here. Nailed it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Oh puh-lease. OP would never do that. DH earns all the money and makes all the rules, I guarantee it

Pretty much true. DH was soooooo annoyed I was carting kids all around town and said it was time for our oldest to not only be driving himself, but helping out with younger siblings too. He went and bought him a new Jeep Wrangler a week later.

You cannot be serious.

You are dumb AF. Take away that car before he hurts someone, and grow a back bone. Jesus fucking christ.

[Anonymous]

I let my daughter drive my Escalade on some days to school. Is there a way to track her speeding using on*star?