Sitting behind the wheel of a car for the first time always brings so much excitement. With your teen fast approaching the legal age, it is time to enroll them in a teen driving school. Teen drivers ed helps student practices caution and maintains safety as they take on the driver’s seat. As the parent, you fulfill your responsibility of supporting your teen through their first steps.
6 Things to Prepare Your Teen for Drivers Ed
Driver’s ed for teens can be unsettling for parents, especially if it is your first time. You wish to teach your teen to become responsible, so you should prepare adequately for the task. Below are some valuable tips to prepare your teen for driver’s ed.
1. Apply For a Learner’s Permit
The age requirements for teen drivers vary from state to state, so it is vital to look up your state’s requirements. Applying for a learner’s permit is the first process to training your teen about responsible driving.
Gaining a learner’s permit prepares your teen mentally for the responsibility they are about to take up. Holding the learner’s permit is essential for a specified time before applying for a full license. Applying for it at the first available opportunity helps minimize time at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when the time comes.
2. Research Driving Laws and Training Requirements
There are numerous laws covering driving and training requirements that your teen should know. Information research offers your teen an understanding of local driving laws.
Teens memorize the local laws and apply them in practice when driving. Understanding the rules of the road and DMV requirements helps them become better drivers.
3. Set Some Ground Rules
Your teen should understand that driving, although necessary, is a privilege and not a right. They bear so much responsibility on the roads, so setting some ground rules is essential.
Here are some areas that the ground rules should cover:
• Irresponsible driving like driving late at night or risky behavior when driving with friends
• Drunk driving and its consequences
• Use of mobile phones and electronics when driving
• Costs of a running car – deliberate on the car’s use and expenses like maintenance, gas, and insurance
Ground rules offer an excellent foundation for learning since your teen will likely stick to the rules even after becoming independent. Setting ground rules saves lives and helps your teen become a better driver.
4. Teach Your Teen the Various Automotive Basics
Vehicle mechanic basics are essential for young aspiring drivers to help them bud into great motorists. Here are some of the automotive basics that your teen should know;
• Primary automotive care; covering cleaning and maintenance
• The functionality of different gauges on the dashboard
• Teach the teen about the different types of fuel motor vehicles use and guide them through filling a tank with gasoline
• Help them learn about operational features like wipers, side mirrors, indicator lights, and seat adjusters
• Teach them about the use of emergency kits
• Train them on critical mechanical adjustments and approaches like changing a tire or jumpstarting a dead battery.
• Offer them a vehicle owner’s manual.
5. Drive Time Is Important
Practice is essential in teen driver’s ed; you never know how much your student learns unless they put it into practice. Offering your teenager some drive time is vital to help them learn how to drive
Driving takes a lot of concentration that the learner has to master over time. Here is a step-by-step process on how to help them learn like a pro
Step 1. Let the teenager start the car and familiarize themselves with the driver’s seat
Step 2. Start the lessons at an empty parking lot as they learn control of the vehicle.
Step 3. Have your teenager treat the parking lot like a regular road. Observe their turning and adherence to road rules in a mock setting
Step 4. After the confidence sets in, you can practice driving around the block when the roads are less busy
Step 5. Practice at different times of the day to help with their comfort levels
6. Set the Standard While Driving
Teenagers are visual learners, so they will likely emulate driving how they see you do it. Set a good example while driving to train your teen to be a skillful yet safe and cautious driver.
Follow the speed limit at all times and stop at red lights or stop signs. Communicate using a hands-free device if necessary to answer a phone call. Such tips, although simple, go a long way to training your teen about safe driving.
Find the Best School for Teen Drivers Ed
Learning to drive can be an exciting time in your teen’s life since it offers them some sense of responsibility. As the parent, it is your obligation to help them learn, so preparing for teen drivers ed is essential. Enroll them in a reputable driving school to turn them into responsible drivers.
911 Driving School is your trusted institution for driver education. We hire the best police officers and first respondents to offer students the best instruction. Contact us to get started.