If your teen is about to embark upon life on the road, you’ll probably be feeling a mixture of emotions. Whilst learning to drive is a great way to gain confidence and open up opportunities, it can also be a pretty terrifying idea for a parent. Here, we share a few tips for helping your teenager to prepare for life in the driving seat, so that you don’t have to panic!
Find a good instructor
Knowing that your teen is in good hands is sure to put your mind at ease and will put them in the very best position at the start of their driving life. Ask friends for recommendations and look for reviews online. Having a professional driving instructor is one of the best ways to ensure new drivers don’t pick up bad habits from the get go, so why not help them choose an instructor who you know will equip with the skills they need to be on the road?
The team from PassSmart.com, who are experts in the driver training industry, explain that choosing a driving instructor depends upon a number of factors. It’s not just price that matters, but also experience, personality and the teaching methods they use.
Learn the rules of the road
It’s one thing developing the skills you need to control a car, but knowing the rules of the road is equally as important. Helping them to revise for their driver’s ed classes, for example, will not only reassure you that they’re getting ready for life on the road, but it will also help you brush up on your own driving knowledge too!
Get some private practice in
Although it’s important to get some professional tuition with a qualified driving instructor, it’s also a good idea for your teen to have some private practice with a family member or friend too.
Sitting in the passenger seat whilst your teen drives you around is bound to be a little odd at first, but you’ll soon get used to the idea of it. If you’re feeling particularly nervous about this, make sure you don’t take them out for any private sessions until they’ve had a couple of lessons with their driving instructor. Let them get to grips with the basics first and you’ll both feel more comfortable about being on the road together.
Car buying
Learning to drive can be expensive, but the costs don’t end once your teen has got their driving license. If you’re going to help them buy their first car, its important to shop around and find out which vehicles have been rated the best for young drivers.
Look online at ratings and reviews and consider engine size when shopping for a car for your teen, because the bigger the engine, the more their car insurance is likely to cost.
Once they’re on the road…
Make sure they’re equipped with everything they need once they’ve passed their test and have got on the road. They’ll need to make sure they’ve got insurance, breakdown cover and that they know how to look after and maintain their vehicle.
You should also ensure that they take a fully charged mobile with them for the first few times they go out and about alone, just incase they get lost!
Meet Our Guest: Isabelle is a writer for the British based company, PassSmart.com. When she’s not writing about all things motoring, she enjoys traveling and keeping fit in the gym.
*image source: Paul Kehrer via flickr cc
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I am not there .. yet, but my boyfriend’s son is 13 so it won’t be long. Great tips!
Great tips. My 16 year old step son is in the process of learning to drive and it’s so nerve wracking that I won’t even go with him.
My 18 year old hasn’t shown much interest in getting his license (he does have his permit) but the few times he has drove, I was scared to death! I need to find him an instructor!
Good tips! My daughter is 17 and a new driver. Learning the rules of the road have been one of the most challenging things for her. I also have kids who are 20, 15, and 12 year old so teen driving is a hot topic in our house. It’s exciting for them but so scary for me!
I have an 18 year old who still needs to get his license so I will be putting some of these tips to use as well. His grandfather has taken him out some and now that he’s in college, getting the license is priority!
Great tips!! I found a great car instructor and it made all of the difference in helping me when I learned to drive 2 years ago.
I am thinking an instructor is the way to go for my son. He’s 18 and hasn’t really shown an interest in driving and frankly, I’m nervous to teach him! An instructor would really help!
Isabelle, this is a great list of tips. My daughter is turning 16 in December. And we are going through step 1 right now. We hope to find a good instructor by next week. I’m glad I found your article.
My oldest was up and driving the second he was legally able, and he’s still Mr. Driver. He just loves being in control of a (usually fast) car.
My second oldest was way more tentative and not at all an aggressive driver. I was glad. :)
These are all great tips!
Some excellent advice there! Most important of all is finding a great driving instructor that you get on with. If the chemistry isn’t right, then it could take a lot longer to pass your driving test.
Indeed, testing with an instructor can be great, but they aren’t always going to be in the car. Practicing with friends and family is where you are probably going to find yourself improving the most. Always start with a couple sessions from the instructor first though, just for safety’s sake.
Before I started driving lessons, my mother would narrate her driving and make pointers. It was a great way for me to passively learn some rules before I got behind the wheel myself. As you said, while it’s important (and necessary, in a lot of cases) to have professional driving lessons, private practice with a parent or family member can also help your preteen or teenager more comfortable behind the wheel. Thanks for the article.
We have a young teen who is getting ready to drive. It is something that she has wanted to do for a long time, but is really nervous to try. We will definitely take her out to get some private practice in, so she doesn’t have to start from scratch.
Lots of teenagers fail their driving test first time. No matter how good they are, often the stress of the test gets the better of them and they end up making silly mistakes because of nerves.
My teen has started driving recently which is pretty scary. I have pretty bad anxiety so it’s hard for me to be in the car when she’s driving. I’ll be sure to get her a calm and qualified driving instructor like you suggested so she can have a good experience. It’s true that you have to make sure they know how to properly maintain the vehicle as well. Thanks for the tips!
These are great tips! I really like that you mentioned hiring a professional driving instructor multiple times. My mother attempted to teach me and we kept butting heads.