Helping your teen prepare to drive can be a scary idea for many parents. Here are some tips that can make it a little easier.
Preparing your teenager to learn how to drive can be a scary time for both parent and child. This is not an undertaking that should be approached lightly. Thankfully, there are several things a family can do to make the transition from pedestrian to driver as smooth as possible.
1. Pick up a driver's training manual. These are available free of charge at the license bureau office nearest you. Another source is your state's department of transportation. Check online at the government site to see if you can order a copy over the Internet. Get your teen the booklet at least several months before he or she will be eligible to apply for a driver's permit. This will provide plenty of time to read the book and learn the rules.
2. Encourage your teen to study the booklet. You might want to make casual inquiries from time to time, like "What do you think about the rural speed limits?" Or simply set a time when you feel it ought to be read and plan a practice quiz that you can conduct either orally or by preparing a short written quiz. The challenge of passing your home-made test might be interesting enough to incite your teenager to study for it, especially if you promise a little reward for passing, such as going out for ice cream.
3. Go over the inside and outside of your vehicle with the teen. Have him or her sit in the driver's seat as you point out each gear and feature of the car's interior. Encourage the placing of hands on the steering wheel to get a feel for the grip--while the car is turned off, of course. Then open the hood and go over the engine parts to explain how each works. Do the same for the trunk and the spare tire equipment, along with any road hazard or emergency items.
4. Sign up your child for a driving class. He or she may have to get the driver's permit first, but mutually set a date when the teen should be ready to take the test and enroll in the class. The thought of moving on to the next step toward driving may be enough of an incentive to get him or her to carefully go through the book and prepare for the driver's permit test.
5. Have your teen's vision and hearing checked. You don't want to prepare your teen to drive a car if he or she cannot see or hear at normal levels. Be sure that your child has reached an adequate height for sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Discuss any concerns or fears your teen may have about driving, adding precautions for personal safety and for managing the vehicle competently. Explain the need for extra care when passengers are in the car, since several noisy kids can distract a driver and lead to an accident.
Don't let your teen prepare for a driver's permit without doing all you can to prepare him or her for this life-changing event. Be aware that many teen drivers are involved in serious or even fatal accidents, so it's important to be very careful when getting behind the wheel of thousands of pounds of machinery.
