Nothing sends fear into the heart of a parent like thinking about their teen getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time. As your kids get older, they will be constantly searching for ways to establish their independence and getting a driver’s license is a huge first step.
Having an open dialogue about what is expected from both parent and child during driving lessons is the best way to ensure that things go smoothly. It can be nerve-wracking for both of you when they are first starting out. Keeping cool and giving helpful criticism along with encouragement can make the process easier on everyone.
Make sure that your teen is aware of laws of the road and has proper outside training such as a California Safety Driving course. There is never too much knowledge when it comes to safety while driving a vehicle. You want your teen to be armed with enough information and confidence to start them off on the road with success.
Rules For Successful Driver Training
Just because your teen is now old enough to drive, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are ready. Let them address the issue with you instead of pushing them when they may not be ready for the responsibility of being a driver. Plan your lessons ahead by mapping out your route and the skills that you will be working on each day. Always start off slow with fairly short lessons to help build confidence. Keep to less busy streets during non-rush hour traffic so that your teen can build on their skills without getting intimidated.
Vehicle Education
Learning to drive a car is only one part of teaching your teen how to be a successful and skilled driver. Vehicle knowledge is an important part of being a good driver. Teach your teen about the basics of your vehicle including the engine, lighting systems, dashboard details and the best mirror settings. You can even go as far as instructing your teen on what to do in an emergency roadside situation like changing a flat tire. Basic vehicle maintenance like checking the oil and filling up fluids should also be covered.
Basic Skills
You don’t want to overwhelm your teen by trying to teach them everything all at once. Let them develop the essential skills slowly. You can start out by teaching them how to make left and right turns, make a smooth stop and how to drive in reverse. Move on to intersections, speed control, lane changes and parking as they start to hone their basic skills.
Advanced Skills
Once your teen is comfortable with basic driving or vehicle operation you can move on to more advanced skills. Start to plan routes on busier streets, more complex intersections, how to drive at night and in bad weather and even freeway driving. The most dangerous thing behind the wheel of a car is a nervous driver. Make sure that your teen has enough skills and confidence before your move on to more advanced driving.
Safety & Responsibility
Talk to your teen about the responsibilities of being a good driver and address the issues of impaired driving, passenger safety and regular preventative maintenance. Cell phones and other distractions can be deadly, so making sure that your teen understands the risks and the laws is vital to their safety.
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