By Pamela Rose
The most times thrilling moment for a parent is when the teenager finally acquires the much-coveted driver’s license and goes on the roads alone. Still, the association with independence is essential in teenagers’ lives, in spite of the multitude of questions it triggers. From how to drive safely to what to do when approaching a roundabout, the issues never end. Fortunately, technology has provided a valuable tool to help alleviate some of these concerns: The other product that is customized to the automobile industry is the GPS car tracking device. This article is mainly focused on the following aspects: how GPS tracking facilitates understanding teen driver behavior and his/her safety on the roads.
Understanding GPS Car Tracking Devices
GPS car tracking device is then understood to be a gadget that can be placed in a car in many invisible forms to track it and some of the parameters of the driver’s behavior. These devices employ GPS (Global Positioning System) to give the latest information on the vehicle’s location, velocity, and driving profile. Newer models can even come equipped with features such as geofencing, which informs the user when the car enters or leaves a particular zone, and driver behavior monitoring which monitors habits such as aggressive braking, hard acceleration, and cornering.
Enhancing Safety with Real-Time Monitoring
A wonderful feature associated with GPS car tracking devices for teen drivers is real-time tracking in a bid to monitor the behavior of the driver. This feature enables one to check that they were observing the speed limits and were safe on the roads. For example, if the device sends the data to the Qi app and determines that the teenager is driving the car at a certain speed over the permissible limit, an alert will be immediately sent to the owner’s smartphone. The real-time nature of the feedback can be particularly useful because hazard-causing behavior can be detected before an ugly incident happens.
What is more, personally I find this feature to be very comforting. When my teenage daughter began to drive, I was always worried about her safety mostly because she was new to driving. This is why I decided to fit a GPS tracker in her car I was assured of her driving skills and guaranteed to correct her whenever she went wrong.
Encouraging Responsible Driving
The last benefit of using a GPS car tracking device is that is positively influences the responsible behavior of drivers on the road. Aside from their sibling’s features, many devices offer comprehensive reports of driving behavior which can be further discussed with the teen to change undesirable habits. For instance, if the activities indicate that hard braking or accelerating is often making it through the report, it is possible to engage the errant driver in a discussion about the dangers of aggressive driving and the need to drive smoothly.
In my practice, this has been a worthy aid in the teaching-learning process. When watching the driving reports, my daughter and I were able to discuss them and conclude about the existing mistakes. The new helmeted igniter felt herself more observant of her driving behavior as she knew someone was monitoring and analyzing her. This helped in leading a marked behavioral change in the subject about how she drove over the duration of the study.
Geofencing for Added Security
Geofencing is a service provided by many GPS tracking devices that enables a user to draw boundaries on the map. When the vehicle is getting into or coming out of these zones that have been defined in advance you are notified. This can prove useful in monitoring your teen driver to observe that they are compliant with curfew or that are in restricted zones.
For instance, you can set a geofence around your neighborhood or their school so that you are notified as soon as they arrive or leave the said area. If your teen goes beyond the set parameters during some time of the day, you will get a notification. This feature does not only aid in their tracking but also enables one to confirm that they are where they are needed hence being more secure.
Emergency Assistance
Most GPS car tracking devices within the market have incorporated emergency elements in case of an accident. Some gadgets have emergency or SOS buttons which when pressed, the teenager or child will be connected to the parent as well as the nearby authoritative bodies. However, some models have the capability of gauging an accident and even alerting you so that you don’t have to call for assistance.
By having this feature, one gets a lot of relief and they can relax. Being able to comfort me with the fact that my daughter can call out for assistance or be assisted if she falls into a violent situation or an accident is comforting. This is like having added security that may prove very useful should the worst happen.
Monitoring for Better Maintenance
Apart from safety, GPS tracking devices can be useful in the maintenance of the vehicle in the following ways. Some trackers have additional diagnosis capabilities that help to realize various crucial signs of a car’s condition and may warn about possible failures in its functioning. This ranges from tracking and predicting battery durability, Engine operations, and other significant factors.
For parents, this means making sure that the car your teen is driving is in good working order and not likely to break down or be involved in an accident because of mechanical problems. Another measure that can be taken to avoid causes of outcome in teen drivers is to make sure that the vehicle is well maintained.
Privacy Concerns and Building Trust
The reality of technology, case in point, social media, seeing that it is a relatively new development has raised a number of issues with regard to the privacy of its users thus eliciting concerns with regard to its usage by the general public and creating doubts with regards to the reliability of the social media.
Although, GPS tracking devices have their peculiar benefits; there are likely privacy issues that need to be considered. Thus, teenagers may plunge into thinking that their freedom is being infringed and hence rebel, or perhaps they may feel a kind of pressure. One must handle it with desperation but at the same time be open to discussing it.
When I was opting for a GPS tracker installation in my daughter’s car, we discussed it in detail. I expanded on the issues that I had with the choices I made. Progress was made regarding decision-making and the general conduct of the project to ensure appropriate lines of conduct when dealing with the information to be gathered were set. This helped develop trust and rapport with each other, especially to make sure that she would not feel that I was stalking her but that I was just guarding her.
Selecting the Most Suitable GPS Tracker
In order to effectively choose the right GPS car tracking device, one must determine the features that will be best suited for your needs. Search for products that allow tracking in real-time, analysis of driving behavior, creating geofences, and in case of an unexpected situation, getting help. Also, check whether the device can be installed by the end-user without the assistance of a professional and whether the device can be operated without a lot of effort.
Hence, I set my eyes on a tracker that would offer detailed reports and notifications in real-time. I found that it was very easy to install and install to my smartphone which made it very nice to use when monitoring the way my daughter drove.
Conclusion: Peace of Mind for Parents and Safety for Teens
When it comes to the benefits of using a GPS car tracking device to monitor your teen driver, the following are some of the most important ones. From…, educating young drivers on safe driving practices, to providing added safety with geo-fencing and emergency features, these gadgets offer important features that should interest parents of teens on the road.
Though important issues like privacy may raise eyebrows and the need to develop trust in a GPS tracker needs to be considered, the overall security that comes with the device is very pull-off. In my use of the GPS tracker, I said earlier how not only did it help to calm me but it also helped my daughter to learn more responsibility while she drives as well as build her confidence. In the end, these devices prove to be a hail and safeguard for our young drivers as they travel the roads on their own.
