When your teenager is finally able to drive, it frees up a lot of time for you since you won’t be their personal driver anymore. However, it can also lead to anxiety about how to keep them safe. It’s important to make sure your child knows the rules of the road and how to stay out of trouble.
Enroll Them in a Course
Driver’s education courses are a perfect way to introduce your child to the basics of driving. Besides receiving classroom instruction, your child will also log hours behind the wheel that will give them experience. They will get used to driving in different situations so they know how to react and what to prepare for when behind the wheel.
A driver’s ed class may also help you receive a discount on insurance for your teen. It will boost your child’s confidence and give them a safe space to figure out everything they don’t know about how to operate a vehicle. Plus, many teens are less stressed driving with an adult in the car who isn’t their parent all the time. It is usually less stressful for the parents as well.
GPS
Gone are the days when letting your teen drive meant not knowing where they were for hours at a time. Besides phones, GPS tracking is also available so you will know where your child is going and that they are safe.
A GPS tracker on a teen’s car can help you locate them easily, but that’s not all it can do. Many trackers will let parents know when their child is engaging in reckless behavior behind the wheel. GPS trackers can also work as anti-theft devices, and they are easy to use.
Your child will likely make better decisions on the road if they know they are being monitored. Losing driving privileges due to bad driving or lying about location may deter them from making harmful mistakes.
Be a Good Role Model
Your kids will spend time in the car with you throughout their lives. Be the example you want them to see so they know how to act when driving. This includes following traffic laws and avoiding distractions.
Phones are an obvious issue since we have them with us all the time. Show your child how to drive without distractions by putting your phone somewhere you can’t reach it while you are in the car. Don’t answer calls or texts while driving.
Remind your kids that other distractions are also dangerous. Getting distracted while changing stations on the radio can lead to an accident. Eating in the car or reaching into another seat to retrieve an item can cause your teen to take their eyes off the road. Make sure to model good behavior behind the wheel by giving your full attention to the road while you are driving.
Limit Passengers
It’s normal for your teen to want to pick up friends once they can drive. However, it’s important to monitor the passengers riding in the car while your teen is learning to drive. Other teens can be distracting, and this can make it hard for your child to concentrate on the road.
Ideally, a trusted adult should be the only passenger for several months after a teen gets their license. This gives them time to learn to focus on the road, and it also helps ensure they are a fairly experienced driver before taking on passengers.
Have Uncomfortable Conversations
No matter what you think your teen knows, make sure you have conversations about what is and isn’t acceptable in the car. Your teen should understand the dangers of drinking and driving, and they should know not to ever step behind the wheel of a car if they are in any way compromised.
Besides drugs and alcohol, teens need to understand the risks of driving tired. Research shows that driving while exhausted can actually be as bad as driving drunk when it comes to how it affects our brains. Make sure your child understands that they should call for help if they are too compromised to keep themselves and everyone else on the road safe while driving.
When it’s time for your teen to hit the road, make sure you do everything possible to help them stay safe.