A Parent’s Guide to Teen Driving
For most parents, having their teen get behind the wheel of a car for the first time is a little exciting, a little bittersweet, and very scary. Especially with Georgia’s Parent-Taught Driver’s Education program, it is up to YOU to make sure that your teen learns how to be a safe and responsible driver, and up to you to be the example for them. While the Georgia DDS provides a helpful guide to completing a parent-supervised On-The-Road program, we’ve compiled some parents tips to get you going, and make the process a bit easier for both you and your teen.
Cover the Basics
Before you even get behind the wheel with your teen, make sure that you’ve got all your basic requirements met. You must have your driver’s license, or else your teen will not be allowed to practice with you in the car. Make sure you have your proof of registration and insurance, just in case something goes awry. You may not have any other passengers in the car with you while your teen is training.
Know Where You’re Going
When you and your teen both have a clear plan of where you will practice, the experience will be much less stressful on the both of you. First, have your teen practice in an area that they are familiar with, perhaps around your own neighborhood or through streets near their high school. As they become more confident with their abilities, you can then take them into areas that they may not know as well – just be sure that YOU are still quite familiar so that you can give clear and explicit directions. When routes aren’t properly planned, your teen may panic or make a wrong decision – which wouldn’t be their fault. Make sure to be the leader and give your teen the confidence they need.
Be Thorough
Never assume that your teen knows how to do something properly, or knows how to do it completely. Just because they may have observed you shifting gears a hundred times doesn’t mean that they know how to do it themselves! Go through each motion and process step by step to ensure that your child knows exactly what to do – and be prepared to show them as many times as they need. Also be sure to give explicit instructions, rather than generalizing. For instance, instead of telling them to “drive slowly,” give them an exact speed at which to drive: “Drive at 25 mph, then begin to gently brake once you get to the fire hydrant.”
Be Patient
Use kind and compassionate speech when talking your child through their driving practice. You have to remind yourself that they’ve never done any of this before! Patience will be key in determining how much your child retains, and how well they learn. Approaching this in a caring and loving way will ensure that your child feels that they’re in a safe and nurturing environment, where mistakes are okay as long as they learn from them. Remember what it was like when you were first driving! Even telling them stories from your experiences may make them feel more at ease, and know that you relate to their experiences and can help them through. Your parents tips actually do come from experience!
Prepare Them for Emergencies
In case something does happen on the roads (and chances are, through years of driving, it will), your child needs to know what to do or who to call. Give them a list of emergency numbers that they might need, including numbers to relatives, your doctor, and even your local hospital. Get them an emergency kit for their car with first aid, water, jumper cables, blankets, and other things that may come in handy if they get stranded on the roads.
Other Georgia State Articles and News on This Website:
Parents, Give Your Teen
The Right Foundation
Fully Approved By The DDS
of Georgia to meet all
Joshua's Law Requirements
