From your teenager’s point of view the goal of course is to pass the driving exam. But, as a parent your skill, patience and nerves will face an even greater test.  

Knowing the risks and hazards of driving, you may feel overwhelmed by the task of teaching your teenager how to drive. However, you play a crucial role in helping your child practice their driving skills and gain the confidence to safely operate a car. 

The Nemours Foundation points that “by taking the practice sessions one skill at a time, setting realistic expectations, and making the experience as comfortable as possible, you can prepare your teen for the road ahead.” The following advice is offered by the Nemours Foundation to help parents prepare their teenager to be safe and responsible drivers.

Practice Increases the Chances of 

Perfection

When it comes to driving, experience is an important teacher. The more time young drivers spend honing a variety of skills in different road and weather conditions, the more calm and confident they will feel and they will be better  able to react to challenging situations.

Before each practice session, plan the specific skills you want to go over. If possible, make your lessons coincide with what your teen is learning in driver's education at school. Consider your teen's temperament— and your own. If the lessons are too long, nerves might get frayed and it may be difficult to stay calm.

An empty parking lot is an ideal place for teens to:

   •practice simple skills like turning and braking 

   •get a feel for how the car handles 

   •learn the location of some of the basic controls, like windshield wipers, defroster, and lights 

After practicing the basics of moving in drive and reverse, they may be ready to work on the following skills on quiet back roads, where there is little traffic:

   •slowing down around curves

   • coming to a full stop at a stop sign 

   •understanding the rules of a four-way stop 

   •keeping a safe following distance 

   •making a left turn on a two-way road 

   •keeping a constant speed when going uphill 

   •recognizing and understanding street signs 

   •navigating around pedestrians, animals, bikers and runners 

Once teens have mastered those basic skills, they should get some practice driving on bigger, busier roads and highways. 

On these roads, you can help your teen practice:

   •changing lanes 

   •merging into traffic 

   •maintaining a safe speed 

   •understanding the different lanes—  like not going below the speed limit in the left lane 

   •approaching, slowing down, and stopping at traffic lights— green, yellow, and red 

   •making a left on a green yield 

   •using on and off ramps at appropriate speeds 

Teen drivers should learn to anticipate and watch for potential problems from other drivers. For instance, when approaching a stop sign, they should watch for other cars coming from different directions that may not stop. 

In traffic, encourage your teen to watch for cars that suddenly switch lanes without signaling or pull out in front. New drivers often have trouble anticipating other cars or accurately sensing how much speed and space certain situations require. These are safety habits that drivers develop with experience and time.

Next week— Practice Makes Perfect: 

Part II 

Jayne Matthews is an academic advocate and non-profit development analyst. Education Matters because “only the educated are free”. Your thoughts and comments are welcomed at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

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