Do You Have A Teen Getting Ready To Drive?

We believe the single most important step you can take to protect the life of your teen is to be actively involved in the learning-to-drive experience. Sharing your knowledge and experience about safe driving is important. Now is the time to begin a potentially life-saving dialogue with your teen. Here are some important actions you can take: Evaluate your teen’s readiness. Talk with them about personal responsibility, the ability to follow rules and any other concerns before beginning the learning-to-drive process. Before you begin practice driving with your teen, include strict ground rules related to distraction. A lot has probably changed since you earned your driver’s license. Graduated driver licensing, driver education, license restrictions and supervised practice driving are all part of today’s licensing process. It is important to learn the rules. It is never too early to start talking. You have acquired “road wisdom” over the years that you can share, because it could save your teen from having to learn things the hard way. Focus on safety. Traffic crashes are a real danger. Talk to your teen about: Always buckle up and be a safe passenger with teen and adult drivers. Prohibit your teen from riding with teen drivers or transporting other teens during the learning-to-drive process. Other teen passengers are one of the most dangerous sources of distraction for teen drivers, whether due to loud music, rowdy behavior or peer pressure. Be engaged. When you’re behind the wheel, talk about what you see (road signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.) that could result in the need to change speed, direction or both. Stay involved. Practice supervised driving until your teen logs at least 100 hours. Your teenager might obtain an intermediate driver license before completing 100 hours of practice driving but this does not mean your teen driver no longer needs to practice. Solo driving is actually the riskiest phase for your teen, so stay engaged. The more time your teenager spends behind the wheel, the more experiences you’ll both have to talk about, such as dealing with tailgaters, distractions, speeding, poor weather conditions and more. Emphasize the dangers of these common hazards. Be a good role model. Your teen has been watching your driving habits for years. When your teen begins the learning-to-drive process, their focus will likely increase. Make changes in your driving to prevent any poor driving habits from being passed on. Show you take driving seriously and always set a good example. Car-Lotta reminds you to... Always wear your seat belt. Obey traffic laws. Do not use a cell phone while driving. Watch your speed. Don’t tailgate. Use your turn signals. Don’t drive when angry or tired. It’s no secret that parents play a critical role in the learning-to-drive process, from checking into state licensing processes to supervising practicing driving. With all the details involved in getting your teen safely behind the wheel, NOW is a good idea to have a game plan.