5 Helpful Tips to Give to the New Driver in Your Family

Having a new driver in the family is an exciting yet challenging time. Driving opens up an entire new world of freedom and responsibilities. However, unpreparedness and inexperience can often lead to tragic consequences. This is why it’s so important to teach your new driver the rules of the road. Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Limit Distractions

We all know that distracted driving is dangerous. Unfortunately, this is especially true for teens, where distracted driving causes 60 percent of crashes. While it’s important to discuss the importance of ignoring the cell phone while your teen is driving, this isn’t the only distraction to consider. In fact, the number one distraction for teens is other passengers in the car, which causes 15 percent of crashes. It’s also important to point out that distractions can come from other things, such as changing the radio station or eating food while in the car.

Split Driving Costs

Part of the reason driving is such a large responsibility is because owning and caring for a car takes a lot of money. If your new driver has to help out with the costs related to driving, such as gas or insurance, he or she is likely to take driving more seriously. As your teen starts driving, make sure he or she knows who is paying for what, and have him or her pitch in as much as possible.

Be Gentle and Constructive When Teaching

When you first start teaching your teen how to drive, keep the trips under five miles so he or she can build confidence. Start with quiet streets, and give plenty of advance warning on where you want your teen to turn. As your teen is driving, keep your temper in check and remember that this is stressful for you and for him or her. When your teen does something incorrect, offer a gentle critique, and always point out and praise good practices. Finally, make sure you have the chance to give lessons in all weather conditions and at night.

Set the Rules

While your state may have rules for teen drivers, it’s not a bad idea to come up with rules of your own until you’re comfortable with your teen’s driving skills. Consider restricting the number of passengers allowed in the car with your teen and how often you need to supervise his or her driving. Additionally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that most fatal teen crashes happen between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., so consider implementing a driving curfew as well.

Model Good Driving Behavior

As adults, we sometimes feel like driving is second nature, and we often push the limits of the rules, but remember your teen is watching and learning from how you drive. If you text while driving, break the speed limit, and cut off other cars on the road, you’re teaching your teen the wrong lesson. Instead, practice good driving behaviors and model the type of driving you want your teen to practice when he or she is on the road.

Help your teen celebrate the major milestone of learning how to drive by implementing these helpful tips and teaching the rules of the road.

Image by State Farm, Licensed via CC BY 2.0

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