While learning to drive is a huge milestone in the lives of teenagers, teaching them to drive can be a stressful process for parents. Although the thought of your child behind the wheel of a car can be scary, providing them with a solid driving education is a great way to help keep them safe.
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Read on to learn about the five most common mistakes that parents make during this critical learning experience:
Failing to map the route ahead of time
Your teen may be eager to get out there and drive, but hitting the road without careful planning can be a mistake. Give thought to the safest route for your driving lesson before letting your child get behind the wheel, so that they can get the practice they need without putting themselves in a dangerous situation.
Losing your patience
Driving is a huge marker of independence and responsibility for teenagers, and you should treat them accordingly. While the process of learning to drive can be stressful for both parties, calling your child careless when they make mistakes or talking down to them can limit their ability to be an effective learner and truly concentrate on the road.
Losing patience can make them more nervous than they already are.
Thinking you’re an expert
As a parent, your own driver’s education experience was most likely decades ago. Before giving your child driving instruction, make it a point to brush up on the current requirements. If they have a classroom driver’s education program, review the manual with them before you head out on the road together.
They will need to know all of the small details to get their license, like when it’s okay to yield and when you must stop, how far away to park from fire hydrants, and the exact distance you should keep with the car in front of you. Make sure they practice the often overlooked rules on the road.
Setting a bad example
We’ve all heard that it’s best to lead by example. While it’s always important to practice safe driving habits, it’s critical when you’re teaching your teen to drive. Never drive aggressively, use your cell phone, or ignore traffic laws while you’re on the road with your teen.
They’ll pick up on your unsafe behavior and think it’s okay.
Teaching them the responsibilities and seriousness of driving
Teens should know that having a license and driving a car is a big responsibility that comes with heavy consequences if they take it for granted or aren’t safe on the road. They should know the rules about driving other teens and getting into the car with their peer drivers.
They should be prepared for consequences if they get into a car with a drunk driver, or if they text and drive. These things can lead to serious consequences, and they need to be aware of that. If your teen was involved with a DUI arrest, whether it was them or their peers, getting expert advice is essential.
When your teen is learning to drive, it’s hard not to think of the mishaps that could occur. Keeping these things in mind will help you teach your teen safe driving habits to help everyone feel more comfortable.
About the Author:
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She writes about family, home, health and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing. Informational credit to The Defence Lawyer.
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[…] Driving as a teenager is exciting, but parents should spend extra time with new drivers to make sure that they understand the dangers of distracted driving. […]