Best Gifts for Keeping New Drivers Safe

Have a new teen driver in the family? 

Celebrate this huge milestone with some practical gifts to keep your teen safe on the road.

Even if your teen isn’t driving yet, it’s never too late to learn. Aceable drivers edDrivers EdDrivers Ed will teach your teen everything they need to know to drive safely and with confidence.

Give the Gift of Safety

Does this sound familiar? Your teen passed their drivers ed course. They have practiced driving with you for hours and hours and passed their driving test. Woohoo! They made an appointment to get their driver’s license, brought all the right paperwork to the DMV, and finally they have their license! Hooray! It’s the day you’ve both been waiting for! 

Now, you are watching them pull out of the driveway to head out onto the open road solo, and you wonder if you’ve prepared them well enough. You want to be sure they’ll be safe and ready for any potential hazard they may encounter. 

Don’t worry! (Well, you’ll probably still worry a little, but that’s normal.) We’ve thought of everything your teen might need to stay safe on the road: from sunglasses to safety vests, from snacks to antifreeze. Keep reading for some creative gift ideas to keep teen drivers safe on the road.

In Case of Emergency

Dead batteries, flat tires, and breakdowns happen. It’s always a good idea to be prepared just in case. If you shop around online, you’ll find lots of ready-made roadside emergency kitsBestsellers Automotive 15736731 Gp that your teen can keep in the trunk just to be on the safe side. Signing up for roadside assistanceRoadside is also a great way to make sure your teen has the help they need whenever they need it. 

Here’s a list of items you’ll want to make sure your teen has in their car: 

• Jumper cables

• Reflective safety vest

• Warning triangle

• Light sticks

• Tool kit

• First aid kit

• Emergency foil blanket

• Umbrella

• Poncho

• Non-slip gloves

• LED flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries

• Tow rope

Cold Weather Safety

An unexpected snowstorm, an icy windshield, or a long wait for a tow truck can be really scary or no big deal if you have the right equipment with you. 

Here are some items that will ensure your teen is prepared when the temperature drops: 

• Electric blanket

• Sunglasses (Snow is bright!)

• Ice scraper

• Snow brush

• Folding snow shovel

• Windshield snow cover

• Windshield de-icer

• Hat

• Gloves

• Antifreeze 

Summertime Safety

Being stranded in the heat can also be dangerous if you’re unprepared. Make sure your teen’s car is stocked with at least a gallon of water. (Boxed water if a good option for hot and cold weather.) A towel is also a great thing to keep in the car. A towel can serve as protection from a hot seat, or it could provide padding for your teen’s knees if they have to change a tire. Having a bottle of antifreeze (aka coolant) can come in handy if your teen’s car ever overheats (antifreeze also keeps the radiator from freezing in the cold). Make sure your teen knows where the antifreeze goes and how to add it safely.

Here’s a list of suggestions for what to have handy in the heat:

• Sunglasses

• A towel

• Seat cover and/or seatbelt cover

• Sunscreen

• Water (at least one gallon)

• Antifreeze (coolant)

Changing a Flat

Most drivers will have to deal with a flat tire at some point. Make sure your teen knows what to do if they get a flat. Practice changing a tire at home. Ask your teen to add the number for roadside assistance to their phone and explain when and how they can use the service. 

Here are some helpful flat-fixing items to keep in the car:

• Tire gauge

• Portable tire inflatorRYOBI ONE 18V Cordless High Pressure Inflator With Digital Gauge Tool Only P737D 307627867 P or aerosol tire repair and inflatorDp B0107W05OQ Fix Flat S420 6 Inflator Standard

• Spare tire that is fully inflated

• Car jack 

• Lug wrench (if there isn’t one included as part of the car jack)

• Car owner’s manual

• Work gloves

• Headlamp for changing a tire in the dark

• Wheel wedges to place behind the tire on the opposite side of the car from the flat

Everyday Safety Items

Being hungry may not be as big of an emergency as a flat tire, but it can feel that way sometimes. Make sure your teen has what they need to focus on the road and drive safely.

• Navigation system

• Snacks with a long shelf-life

• Reusable shopping bags

• Hand sanitizer

• Toilet paper/tissues

• Feminine hygiene products

• Phone charger

• Emergency money

• Emergency supplies for health issues, such as diabetes

• A car organizer with a cooler Dp B09634BL8G Ref=sxin_16_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content Id=amzn1.sym.4e7a2229 074e 44de 95c4 9fd858f46295%3Aamzn1.sym.4e7a2229 074e 44de 95c4 9fd858f46295&cv_ct_cx=car+trunk+organizers&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4uCcBhDdARIsAH5jyUkMvO0c3BBOBE4uuRL_TrP9N8jQovE3hb5IBppAB7Ceixd5CFl3YOQaAm5HEALw_wcB&hvadid=174247683961&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028276&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13927237056326697573&hvtargid=kwd 1695463481&hydadcr=24634_9648911&keywords=car+trunk+organizers&pd_rd_i=B09634BL8G&pd_rd_r=0c8a0aaf C880 4824 B487 A015258ce78e&pd_rd_w=KSR5V&pd_rd_wg=zWwvP&pf_rd_p=4e7a2229 074e 44de 95c4 9fd858f46295&pf_rd_r=FHSXK4GS4KHMD4THDXXQ&qid=1670964575&sr=1 2 A73d1c8c 2fd2 4f19 Aa41 2df022bcb241 Spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQVpHNTVCSU5BTTJSJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzc3ODEyMURPMjZOS01KREw1USZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTA0NjA1M09MMTBTR0JQVUM4JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3Bfc2VhcmNoX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== HIRALIY Organizer Compartment Collapsible Leakproofto keep everything cool, calm, and collected

Hopefully these ideas have your wheels turning with gift ideas for your teen driver. You can always get them a special new key chain or fancy wallet to showcase their new license, but why not also throw in a bottle of antifreeze and a roadside emergency kit while you’re at it? Better safe than sorry! 

Ready to keep your teen safe on the road? Sign them up for drivers edDrivers EdDrivers Ed today!