The rules… It is important to establish rules for your teen driver. Here are some suggestions that have worked for other families.
Ban cell phones while driving. Distractions, including cell phones, are factors in at least 50% of crashes. As a parent you might consider your use of cell phones while driving as well.
Insist on seat belts. Two-thirds of teen occupants killed in crashes aren’t wearing them.
Set a good example. Research shows if you speed, tailgate, or run red lights, your teen likely will too.
Try to enlist friends and relatives to ride along with your teen. The more perspectives he or she gets, the better.
If your teen does not seem to be ready for driving, postpone letting them get a license. Not everyone is mentally or physically ready at 16.
Click here for a copy of the TEEN DRIVING SAFETY CONTRACT
Driving Points
Good driving habits are formed early, and parents can help teens learn them by taking an active role in driver education. Points to remember…
Help the new driver adjust the seat, mirrors etc. to suit his or hers size before you leave the driveway.
Start with the basic moves: gas, brake, turn signals reverse.
Think about all the things you take for granted: Blind spots, mirrors, lane changes, right of way, following distance and turning your head.
With each driving lesson have an idea of what you want to accomplish. Start in a empty parking lot for the basics, where the controls are and what they do. When the student has a grasp of those, move to lightly traveled streets. Industrial and rural areas on Sundays are a great place to practice. Save the highways and interstates for advanced training.
Use “commentary driving”. Ask your teen to comment on what they see- speed limits, road signs, and potential hazards- explain how they can avoid trouble. If they are hesitant, demonstrate it first: “That car on the right just turned its wheel, so he may be pulling out” and so on
Once you’re on the road, give instructions well in advance. Be specific: “Move to the left lane when you can and be ready to turn in the next block”, not “turn here!”
Include a variety of situations in your practice sessions. Driving tests often don’t evaluate many skills drivers will need, such as driving in the snow or ice, merging onto freeways, or using anti-lock brakes. Once the student is fairly comfortable in the car, be sure he or she gets driving time under those conditions.
Stay calm no matter what. Yelling (or gasping) won’t help whatever the situation. If discipline is called for, have the conversation at rest in a parking lot, not in the road.
And finally…. when your teen does something well, acknowledge it.
Help for student drivers with ADHD
Driving is especially challenging for teens with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). In contrast to the their non ADHD peers, they crash nearly four times more often and rack up three times as many speeding tickets in their first few year behind the wheel. A few tips for parents from Marlene Snyder, author of AD/HD & Driving:
If the medicine helps your teen, require that is be taken as directed. A recent University of Virginia study finds that ADHD kids drive better when taking a controlled –release stimulant rather than extended-release amphetamine salts.
Let your teen practice driving with you as often as possible, even if he/she is enrolled in driver’s education class.
Allow a learner’s permit only when you’re satisfied that your teen can handle the responsibility. If your state does not have graduated licensing, in which new drivers earn privileges in stages, then apply similar rules yourself.