Getting Your Teenager Behind The Wheel and Safe on the Road
April 30th, 2019 by Fix Auto USA
Is your teen ready to drive? Here’s how to teach them to become a safe, responsible driver.
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Setting the Stage
- Make sure your teen is mature enough to drive
- Discuss the responsibilities of driving a car
- Visit your state’s DMV web site to learn about getting their driver’s license
- Enroll your teen in a professional driving course (most states require this)
Teach the Five Stages of Learning to Drive
As a coach and a parent, teach the following:
- How to operate the vehicle.
- Start and stop the engine
- Turn headlights and windshield wipers on and off
- Understand dashboard information
- How to use seat belts
- How to change a flat tire
- What to do after an accident
- Basic driving skills.
- Awareness of surroundings
- Smooth, safe braking
- Making turns in both directions
- Backing up
- Using mirrors
- Shifting gears (if manual transmission)
- Reacting to other drivers.
- Changing lanes
- Navigating stoplights and intersections
- Creating a safe space around other cars on the road
- Never assuming what other drivers are going to do
- Parking and difficult turns.
- Parallel parking
- Parking on hills
- Parking diagonally
- Pulling in and out of 90-degree parking spaces
- U-turns and 3-point turns
- Advanced Skills
- Entering and exiting freeways
- Maintaining safe distance at high speeds
- Driving at night
- Drive on wet, snowy, or icy roads
Focus on Safety
For new teen drivers, it’s all about freedom and fun. For parents, it’s all about responsibility and safety. Teach the importance of:
Car safety.
- Regularly check tires and brakes
- Pay attention to engine warning signs
- Report unusual engine behavior such as sputtering or racing
Passenger safety.
- Make sure all passengers wear seatbelts
- No goofing around or unsafe behaviors
- Don’t overload the car with too many people
Pedestrian safety.
- Drive slowly in school zones, parking lots, or similar surroundings
- Watch out for children running into the street
- Always give pedestrians the right of way in crosswalks
Obeying traffic laws.
- No speeding
- No unsafe lane changes
- No aggressive or risky driving
Avoiding distractions.
- Keep eyes on the road at all times
- No talking or texting on the cell phone – EVER
- No eating, personal grooming, or other unsafe behaviors
Set Clear Boundaries
Let your teen driver know that any of these will result in immediate loss of driving privileges.
- Using the car without permission
- Using a cell phone while driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving unsupervised (until they reach the age of no restrictions)
- Engaging in speeding, reckless driving or other unsafe behaviors
The Hard Facts
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, nearly 3,00 teens died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016. Of those fatalities:
- Two-thirds were male
- 53% occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- 18% occurred between 9:00 p.m. and midnight
Having teenage passengers in the car greatly increases the risk of teen drivers getting killed in a crash:
- One passenger – 44% increase
- Two passengers – 100% increase
- Three or more – 400% increase
Keep Your Teen Driver Alive and Well
- Be a role model for safe driving
- Set the rules and closely monitor their driving habits
- Hold them accountable for any violations of your rules
