Driving With Your Teen

Supervised practice over a long time makes teens better, safer drivers. That’s why it’s important for you to spend time in the passenger seat. Give teens opportunities to practice what they learned in driver-education classes, and encourage them to develop safe habits and skills. Patient practice, as well as your example in adhering to the same rules when you take the wheel, will help teens learn the do’s and don’ts of the road.

Before you start:

* Talk over the route you’ll take, the skills you’ll work on and the goals for the lesson. See if your teen can explain how to perform the skills you’ll be practicing.

* Adjust the vanity mirror on the passenger’s sun visor so you can use it as a rearview mirror. Also adjust the right outside mirror for your use while your child is driving.

While your teen is driving:

* Give simple and clear directions, such as “brake,” “slow” and “cover” (that is, lightly cover the brake with the foot, in preparation for a stop).

* Use a calm voice.

* Watch the driver’s arms: if they’re tensed, the situation may be too much for your teen to handle, or perhaps she’s just getting tired.

If your teen does something wrong:

* Ask him to drive the car to the side of the road, and then discuss the mistake calmly.

* Plan routes that allow practicing varied skills. Driving to and from the same grocery store every week won’t prepare your teen to be a skilled, licensed driver.

* Take your child out for driving practice under as many different conditions as possible. Safe drivers are experienced in responding to changes in weather, visibility, traffic volume and speed.

* Encourage your teen to talk about what he sees and plans to do while driving. This makes it much easier for you to know if he’s observing what’s around him and is thinking ahead like a good driver.

After the practice session:

* Evaluate the session together. Give your teen a chance to point out her mistakes before you do.

* Praise her for what she did correctly but be sure to explain how she can improve.

Source: Allstate Insurance