When your child hits driving age, they are going to want to get out on the open road. You could pay for a driving school or you could teach them yourself. If you are going the do-it-yourself route, here are 10 tips to keep everyone safe, happy, and sane.
Make Sure They Know the Rules of the Road
Before even getting behind the wheel, you need to make sure that your teen has learned the rules of the road. Before testing them though, it might be a good idea for you to also have a refresher course on the rules of the road. It is always good to lead by example, especially when it comes to driving.
Give a Tour of the Vehicle
Walking around the vehicle and pointing out the different parts is a great starter before your teen goes behind the wheel. Letting them know what parts will be essential to them driving should be on your driving road map. It is also important to go inside the car and point out the different parts inside you will need to use.
Start By Going To Empty Spaces
An empty parking lot is your best friend when it comes to teaching your teen how to drive! It helps them get a feel for the car (and the brakes) without there being the liability of them hitting another car. Open spaces will give them more chance to make mistakes and learn from them in a low-stress environment.
Slow and Steady Is Important
Slowly going over the different parts of the car — as well as the basics of steering, braking, and turning — are all good starting points. It is important to make sure that you are calm during the process, so try to slow down. Quiz your teen on what you have gone over before letting them drive.
Have Your Directions Be Specific
Don’t surprise your teen with last minute directions. Make sure you give them plenty of time to react to your directions. If you know a turn is coming, tell them a couple of blocks beforehand. Being a new driver can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Your new driver might be paying more attention to the road than to their surroundings. It is important that you are aware of your surroundings so you can guide them if something happens. They might not be used to looking for pedestrians or know exactly what to do when someone wants to pass them. Make sure you look for these things and give them the proper instruction on how to handle them.
Ask Your Teen Questions
Instead of yelling at your teen when they do something wrong, it is better to ask them questions. If they roll through a stop sign, ask them what they are supposed to do at stop signs. Asking questions is less confrontational and will teach your teen something in the process.
Have Consideration for Their Situation
Being a new driver can be extremely stressful because you are unsure of the road and all that goes with driving. It is important for you to be considerate of your teen and empathize with what they are going through when they make a mistake. Think about how it was when you were learning how to drive — this should help guide you in your calm approach with your teen.
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Enlist Another Teacher
Team work makes the dream work! If you have skills with driving that you are just not that good at (I’m looking at you parallel parking), then it is perfectly fine to enlist someone else to help teach those skills. Two experienced drivers guiding your teen will give them more knowledge on the rules of the road and how to drive. Just make sure that you don’t start arguing with whoever you enlist to be a second teacher, because that helps no one.
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Practice a Lot
Practice makes perfect! It is always a good idea to practice as often as you can with your teen. This will help them remember what you taught them throughout the lesson journey. The key to becoming a good driver is to practice!
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