You will be a good teacher if you communicate well, stay calm, be patient and try to always be positive. This can be tough when your teen is behind the wheel and they start veering into oncoming traffic! Try to stay in control by anticipating situations that may occur, and verbally preparing your child for them. Describe each action simply and don’t assume that your teen already knows how to do it. Sometimes you may need to take the wheel and demonstrate the technique yourself. always emphasize how important it is to constantly scan the road so that you can react to situations, and whenever you are driving with your teen in the car, set a good example.
Before you start your teen behind the wheel, you need to discuss good driving habits with them. Do this each time you practice driving with your teen so that your tips will sink in. Talk about having a serious attitude about driving and the immense responsibility they assume when they get behind the wheel. Ensure they always put their seat belts on first and adjust the mirrors each time they get in the car.
Ensure your teen understands and follows the rules of the road, and respects the speed and power of the vehicle. Explain how to follow other cars at a safe distance, how to maintain a constant speed within the speed limit and within what conditions warrant, and how to merge into traffic that is moving. These are all concepts that will bear repeating over and over again.
When you first start driving with your teen, have them tell you what they will do as they approach an intersection or deal with traffic. Making them explain the process to you will help to make it become more instinctive when they drive.
These simple techniques for teaching your teen for driving will stay with them as long as they drive, and will help to keep your child safe on the roads. I plan to write another article on this subject because I feel it is something every parent has to face at some point, and it is something that no one really prepares you for.
Bio: Bob Ciasulli is the owner of number of car dealerships in northern New Jersey, and is very interested in promoting safe teen driving habits. His tips on teaching teens safe driving are based on his own observations and government statistics.