Making Driving Much Less Stressful For Your Teens

Young drivers have a reputation for being among the most dangerous on the road. This isn’t without cause, either; teen drivers are nearly three times more likely than drivers older than 20 to be in a fatal crash. Many get into trouble just a few months after receiving their license. Below we have some ideas that can make driving much less stressful for your teens – and they will likely help you to feel better about them being on the road, too. Take a look.

Spend An Afternoon Teaching Them About Routine Car Maintenance

This isn’t taught in driving lessons. Show them how to:

• Check the air pressure in the tires
• Check the water level in the battery
• Check the oil and transmission fluid
• Check the windshield-wiper fluid
• Change a flat tyre

Set A Good Example

It’s up to you to lead by example here. No speeding, no weaving in and out of traffic, no drinking and driving, no texting at the wheel, no using your smartphone at all, no road rage – your teen will learn from you. Stopping your bad habits as early on as possible will help.

Drive With Your Teen Regularly

Help your teen to build a wealth of experience. This will help them when they drive alone. Take different routes, make some additional stops, and mix it up a little so that they can draw upon these experiences when they need to.

You should be advising on any road decisions, anticipating problems, and managing anything that has to be attended to inside the vehicle on these journeys. Here are some pointers for a successful drive with your teen:

• Discuss the route you’ll be taking and the skills you’ll be practicing.
• Give clear, simple instructions, no shouting or making orders. If they make a mistake, get them to pull over and calmly explain it to to them.
• Ask them to talk aloud about what he or she is observing while driving.
• Afterwards, evaluate progress together.
• Keep a log where you can note down the route taken, and your critique of each skill practiced.

Purchase A Reliable Car For Them

You want to purchase a car that’s safe as possible for the budget you have. It doesn’t necessarily mean buying them something brand new. Keep in mind that young driver insurance is expensive, so choosing a car with this in mind will help them if they will be paying it themselves.

Give Them Some Personal Rules Of The Road

Examples:

• No driving or riding with others under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
• No more than two friends in the car at a time.
• No eating or drinking while driving.
• Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seat belt at all times.
• No nighttime driving.
• No driving when tired, angry, or upset.
• No talking on a phone when the vehicle is in motion.
• No picking up hitchhikers, unless it is someone they know.

We hope this article has been of interest to you.  Do you have any great tips?  If so, we’d love to hear them in the comments section below.