Learning the Ropes: 10 Things to Keep in Mind When Teaching Your Kid How to Drive

Teaching your kid how to drive is one of the most dreaded rites when it comes to child rearing. Many parents ride shotgun with their children for forty hours to offer the supervised practice that is needed to obtain the driver’s license in different states. A good number of them do an excellent job of teaching them how to steer, park, and control the car. However, parents are poor at teaching the skills necessary to help the young drivers learn the different ways to avoid accidents. As a parent, it is important to impart your child with comprehensive knowledge to enable them to maneuver the highways without fear of crashing. Here are ten things you’ll need to remember when it comes to teaching your kid how to drive.

1. Refresh Your Knowledge

You may believe that you are probably the most enlightened and knowledgeable driver out there. Nevertheless, to teach your kid how to drive, how to pass the driving test and become a competent driver with enough skills will require you to be competent throughout. As an instructor, you should be in a position to respond to any questions your kids may ask. While they attend their first lesson with a driving instructor, it will also be advantageous to brush up your knowledge on the road safety usage. The worst result from this is that you’ll end up learning something which you might have forgotten despite your many years of driving experience.

2. Get a Learner’s Permit

Every state has a particular procedure which adult drivers and teen must follow so they can be licensed to drive. Generally, the licensing process involves taking a driving course, doing a written test and passing, logging a specific number of hours while having a learner’s permit, then doing and passing a practical driving test. It’s imperative to look into your state’s motor vehicle department so you can learn about the requirements in your state.

If you happen to teach your kid before they get a learner’s permit, there are chances that both of you will be ticketed and you will most likely face some legal consequences. If nothing out of the ordinary takes place, then you could face some minor penalties or fines. Nevertheless, a teen driver without a license may face more serious consequences, such as having to wait for a long time before getting a driver’s license.

3. Confirm Auto Insurance Coverage

Not every auto insurance policy covers teaching your child to drive. While a good number of insurance policies can cover any family member driving the car, exclusions to this policy do exist. Make sure you contact your insurance firm to confirm your coverage and include the necessary coverage. This will help you to avoid any form of liability just in case your child causes an accident during their training sessions.

4. Be Consistent

Of course, your kid will be very excited to get behind the wheel and learn about different aspects of driving. In such a time, the essential thing to remember is that consistency is key. This is something your little student also needs to know. If you happen to have a bad session, they should not be discouraged as it takes time to get used to driving. Reassure your teens that it is all a part of the learning process and that it takes time to learn to get used to being behind the wheel. Scheduling a driving lesson once or twice a week is enough to ensure your kids remain on track, and this will not be overwhelming for both of you.

5. Theory is Important

It is encouraging to be nailing the reverse parking, but when it comes to teen driver safety and teaching your kid to drive, the theory is important as well. Ensuring you’re soon to be the driver is aware of the rules on the road will give you some peace of mind as you teach your kids some of the most valuable rules they need to know when you are not with them. Do not make it seem like a difficult thing teaching them some rules; if you want them to remember, write the rules down and place them in areas where they’ll always see.

6. Take it Slow

Teenagers learn best when driving lessons are given in short, focused bursts. Do not overwhelm your kids with so much information than they can’t comprehend. Create a list of the things you want them to learn and check off each lesson at a time such as parking the car, filling up the tank, parallel parking, backing out of the driveway, among other important aspects. You may think that stuff is basic, why not teach your kids all of them at once. The truth is, it’s only basic to you because you are experienced in driving. There is so much involved, for instance, in pulling out of the driveway. First, you need to disengage the hand/parking brake and then put the vehicle in a reverse mode. Once that is done, you check your side mirrors for pedestrians and traffic. After you have reversed, you shift to Drive.  All these processes take place in a matter of seconds and are automatic to an experienced driver. For your teen, however, doing all these could be confusing to them. You will need to take your kid through every single step until they can build muscle memory and confidence.

7. Don’t Get Stressed

Even for people who are regarded to be the calmest, getting behind the wheel could easily annoy them, especially when it’s their parents teaching them how to drive. And even for the instructor himself, it is advisable to be as calm as possible and try to view learners from their point of view so as to determine what exactly stresses them out. Stress can be a huge hindrance when it comes to teaching your child how to drive so it is imperative that both you and your kid remain calm throughout the training sessions. As the instructor, try to be as collected as possible and do not allow the small errors made by your kid to stress you out. Arguments and fights are very distracting and can result in an accident.

8. Do not Freak Out

In addition to avoiding stress, it’s imperative not to freak out whenever something goes wrong during the training sessions. You need to remember that your energy affects those around you, so when you freak out, there’s a high chance you are going to affect the learner as well.  It can be scary to give your kid the keys to your automobile, but always ensure your mind is at ease with the idea of your kid driving.  If you panic, this same feeling will show on your kid and it will be difficult for them to grasp what they are being taught if they are too nervous to concentrate.

9. Point Out the Potential Hazards

Statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention state that teenagers are more likely to be involved in automobile accidents (about three times more) compared to any other age category. However, such statistics shouldn’t be a surprise at all. Driving is not a natural process because you need some practice before you can become accustomed to it. Therefore, trying to reduce the learning curve is a lethal mistake particularly for your teenage kid.

The two major causes of road accidents include distracted driving and speeding. It is, therefore, imperative that your kid is aware of these potential hazards so they can take the necessary precautions to ensure traffic accidents do not occur. It is a fact that a good number of teenagers do not scan their environment for threat because to them, it can be difficult to concentrate if you keep looking around. As the parent and the instructor, you need to train your child to always be on the alert when driving and to avoid any potential distractions while on the road.

10. Closed Course Lessons

Some things are just not possible to teach your kids on the roads. For example, how does it feel slamming on the brakes when driving 80mph, or what happens in case you take a turn while driving at a high speed? These kinds of lessons cannot be taught on public roads as it could lead to injury and ticketing. Instead, attending a suitable defensive driving class on a closed course will give your kid an opportunity to learn of the ways to better handle situations which are unexpected and unpredictable while on the road. That way, they’ll be in a position to avoid danger and liability.

Final Word

Maybe your kid is doing perfectly on the first day and you are confident and very comfortable with the training. You can always extend the training lesson, and I doubt your kid will complain about too much driving. However, if you feel like your child is now confident enough to drive, you can move on, but if they are not ready to be on their own, give them some time to practice. Some kids want to be pushed to go challenge themselves while others are able to move along quickly. All you need to do is observe and see where an input is needed.

In addition to helping them prepare to pass their test, you should also make sure you let them know about the different issues they have to contend with when they do hit the road. While this information is likely to be covered (multiple times) by their driving instructor, you should also make sure that they know exactly what to do in the event that they get involved in an accident. 

For example, you should talk them through the procedures of hiring a lawyer, especially if the accident is the fault of another driver and not their own. This is particularly important for a financial standpoint (from their perspective and your own) as even if they have a part-time job, the costs of car accidents can run into the thousands. For example, in addition to covering the cost of vehicle repairs, they might also need medical treatment and support. In this instance, hiring a lawyer like Dennis Hernandez can help them put their best foot forward.