For teens, learning how to drive is like a rite of passage. It’s their first step to independence.
But for parents, it’s a whole different story.
Most parents have spent years watching their children grow, making sure that no harm comes across them in any way. Opening the channels that will allow their children to meet all sorts of dangers on the road is not something they look forward to.
Not every parent would also willingly hand over the keys to their “kids” without making sure that they are really up for the challenges that new drivers have to face.
Yes, you see your driver’s license as the key to your freedom, but no one can be entirely sure that you’re ready for the road until you experience it firsthand.
Your parents know this – they have been there. But they can’t stop you from trying, right? You’ll need to meet halfway to make sure you answer both of your and your parent/s’ needs.
So, to help you with this, we’ve listed articles below that can help prepare teen drivers as they enter this new phase in this life – with the guidance of their parents.
We’ve taken into account every possible area that is important to parents’ involvement in preparing teens for the road – from securing your first driver’s license, completing driving logs, to important driving tips that can only be shared through experience.
So, are you ready? Happy driving!
To-Do List for Parents
Parents – here’s a quick to-do list for your assignment!
- Understand the Graduated Driver’s Licensing Law in your state. This law has been passed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to help your teen stay safe behind the wheel. It limits high-risk driving situations for new drivers and can reduce your teen’s crash risk by as much as 50%.
- Set ground rules and consequences for your teen driver. Your teen may not like this, as it means additional rules to follow. But the rules of the road are nothing compared to the rules set by you – his or her parents.
- Don’t be afraid to share your driving experience and tips. Fine, you’re not an expert driving instructor. But children look up to their parents, so sharing a bit of your driving experience and your own driving tips will mean a lot more to them than what they learn in school or from driving lessons.
- Explore teen driving school options. There are a lot of driving schools available online such as iDriveSafely or GoToTrafficSchool and in-person classes that offer teen driving courses. Enrolling your teen in one is not a bad idea, after all, some state law requires them to complete one before getting their learner’s permit.
- Be your teen’s role model. Everything I’ve mentioned above will mean nothing if you don’t practice safe driving habits yourself. Remember that your teen looks up to you. To gain their trust, they must see that you practice what you preach every time you drive.
Passing your driving test is one of the defining moments of your life – the day when you get your freedom and can go wherever you want.
With so much on the line, it is no wonder so many new drivers stress themselves out about taking their driving test. Many people who take their driving test for the first time fail to pass the exam. The reasons for failure are many, from lack of preparation and simple mistakes to nervousness.
If you are getting ready to take your driving test, you need to prepare carefully, get your emotions under control and practice your driving skills.
Learning to drive is a process of progression, of mastering new skills and then building on them. You obtain your learner’s permit and begin studying your driver’s license manual. Somewhat tentatively, you start driving in an empty parking lot.
When your confidence increases, you graduate to highway driving. Pretty soon you start to feel that you’ve got this driving thing down. Your confidence soars – maybe too much.
By the time you get your driver’s license, you’re swaggering around, thinking of your God’s gift to drivers.
But in the back of your mind, a little voice nags: Have I learned enough to be a responsible driver?
Learning to drive is a process of progression, of mastering new skills and then building on them. You obtain your learner’s permit and begin studying your driver’s license manual. Somewhat tentatively, you start driving in an empty parking lot.
When your confidence increases, you graduate to highway driving. Pretty soon you start to feel that you’ve got this driving thing down. Your confidence soars – maybe too much.
By the time you get your driver’s license you’re swaggering around, thinking your God’s gift to drivers.
But in the back of your mind, a little voice nags: Have I really learned enough to be a responsible driver?
As a licensed and certified driving instructor, I wanted to create a top 10 list of driving tips for beginners. Instead of a top 10 list, I actually ended up with a list of what I call the top 16 life-saving driving tips for beginners.
When teenagers learn how to drive, it’s more than just learning to drive. It’s an entire lifestyle change. The ability to drive brings a level of freedom not previously experienced and with that freedom comes some increased challenges.
That’s why this list was extended to 16. If you follow what is on this list, you are making yourself not just a safer driver, but a better person overall.
I recently had a great email discussion with a teen driver on how to drive safely. He was gracious enough to allow me to share our discussion.
Not all teen drivers feel comfortable asking questions about how to drive safely. For some reason, teens (and adults!) seem to be embarrassed about asking safe driving questions.
If that describes you then this article is a must-read. It answers many of the questions you might have, but don’t want to ask. In addition, there are several answered questions about things you might not have considered at this point.
Driving safety is not something that is given to you at birth. It might not be the most thrilling subject to talk about, but driving safely is a skill that must be learned.
The questions this driver asked were too good to keep in my inbox, so here is the Q&A.
It’s understandable that the parents of teen drivers worry about their safety. Parents concern themselves with their child’s well-being from even before birth.
One does not have to look very hard in the current news to find sad and sometimes gruesome stories of how teen drivers who engaged in risky behaviors behind the wheel paid the ultimate price of death.
Sometimes, these teens take with them their friends or family members who were riding in the vehicle, and they might even injure or kill drivers or occupants in other vehicles.
With all of these well-publicized incidents, many people naturally assume that teen drivers in the United States are a big danger on the roads.
Such anecdotal evidence might make for good water cooler talk, but it does not prove that teens are any more of a danger than other groups of drivers.
These teen driving tips are specific to issues that new drivers face. Even more specifically, there are some distinct issues that teen drivers face that adults do not have to deal with.
As a certified driving instructor, I’ve seen some of the challenges that teenagers have to deal with as they begin driving.
Obtaining that driver’s license is something almost all teens dream about for years before they obtain it, but with the increased freedoms of driving, other problems arise. The good news is that these problems and challenges can be controlled if you’re properly prepared.
Getting your driver’s license should lead to a better life for you, not a life of legal trouble, injuries, or trouble with friends and family. Here’s how to make sure driving remains a positive thing in your life.
So, you’re about ready to get your driver’s license, huh? That’s some great news! But don’t put the pedal to the metal just yet. There are certain requirements you must fulfill to have the privilege of being issued a driver’s license.
You’ve probably heard the saying before and you will probably hear it again… Driving is not a right, it is a privilege.
Like all privileges, you must earn the ability to drive on public roadways. Not only must you pass written tests and driving exams, but you also are required to receive a certain amount of both classroom and driving instruction.
Even after obtaining your driver’s license, there are certain requirements you must keep. In most states, you will first be issued a graduated driver’s license.
If you do not prove yourself to be a safe driver during that period, you may be required to take additional training. Even as an adult, just one reckless driving or drunk driving charge can have all your driving privileges removed (and maybe even prison time if you hurt or killed someone). Here are some of the requirements for obtaining a teen driver’s license.
Did you know the majority of teens fail their driving permit test on the first try?
Many teenagers are shocked to find out how difficult the driving permit test is. To pass your permit exam, it is extremely important to study your state’s Rules of the Road handbook.
Usually, you can find a free PDF copy for your state on your state’s DMV website. The last thing you want to do is go to your driver services facility and fail your permit exam.
You shouldn’t have to wait for a second longer than you have to – driving is awesome! All you need to do is get prepared for it.
While properly preparing for your driving permit test will take some time, it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are some driving permit test prep tips from a certified driving instructor.
This young driver’s safety guide was written by a certified driving instructor and is something all teen drivers should read.
While this article is written by an Australian driving instructor, every bit of this advice applies to teen drivers in the United States. It just goes to show that no matter where you live, most young drivers face the same issues and challenges.
By reading this article, you’ll not only be prepared for the challenges ahead, but you’ll know how to keep yourself ticket and accident-free.
There are no guarantees and driving is always dangerous to some extent, but there are some excellent steps you can take to make yourself and all of your passengers safer. Check it out!
As a teen driver, you will face many challenges that are unique to your specific age group.
However, as you age, new challenges will arise. From changes in lifestyle to health issues and future technological changes, driving safety is forever evolving.
We received this article from a driving instructor based out of Sydney, Australia. The issues faced by drivers in Australia are the same issues faced here in the United States. This article is blunt, to the point, and helps to show you the challenges you’ll face now, as well as 10, 20, and even 50 years down the road.
As a young driver, you may have thought of some of the issues you’ll be faced with within the near term, but it’s also a great idea to know the issues you’ll face later on in your driving life. This article nails it.