Teen driver tips: Is your child ready to drive alone?

Teen driver tips: Is your child ready to drive alone?

When it comes to new drivers, teens usually fall into two categories: those who are overly cautious (tortoises) and those who are overly confident (hares). One may be ready to drive alone, while the other may not be. So, is your teen driver ready to hit the road solo? Here are some teen driver tips to help parents make this all-important determination.

Just like no two kids are alike, no two teen drivers are alike. It’s up to you, the concerned parent, to speed up the learning process and install confidence (in tortoises) or put the brakes on your way-too-confident hare driver.

Teen driver tips for tortoises:
Overly cautious teen drivers

teen driver tips drive smart georgia

In Aesop’s Fables, the tortoise’s slow progress prevailed over the hare’s ingenuity and trickery. However, when it comes to learning to drive, your tortoise driver may be too overly cautious. She might be a bit fearful of driving on the road. According to Allstate Insurance, driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as driving too fast.

Driving a two-ton automobile down an unfamiliar highway or road could cause of bit of anxiety among even experienced drivers. On the other hand, if your teen drives ten or more miles below the speed limit, this could be a problem resulting from a lack of self-confidence.

Practice with your tortoise

The key to helping your tortoise driver overcome anxieties is practice. Practice. Practice! Driving is a complex skill that must be practiced over time to be perfected. At every opportunity, hop in the passenger seat and go for a ride with your teen driver.

Don’t gasp at every stop or turn. Don’t repeat “Speed up!” ten times during your ride. The more your tortoise actually drives, the higher her confidence level will rise. Her speed will also increase over time.

You don’t want a hare, but you do want a confident, practiced driver that will ultimately become a lifelong safe driver on the road.  With these teen driver tips, your tortoise will no longer be afraid to practice what we preach at Drive Smart Georgia.

Teen driver tips for hares:
Overly confident teen drivers
teen driver tips drive smart georgia

While you may not want a tortoise, having a hare teen driver can certainly cause premature grey hairs and many sleepless nights. Overly confident drivers go into overdrive without hesitation and push limits.

Boys tend to fall into the hare category, which is why they’re more expensive to insure than females. However, some girls may also fall into this dangerous category. Overly confident drivers plus newfound freedom can add up to a recipe for disaster. So, what’s a concerned parent to do?

There are proven methods for helping roadrunners become safer, slower drivers. The most critical keys are parental supervision, the adherence of regulations, and consequences for not following them.

Below are some examples of teen driver tips
for both tortoises and hares:

  • A new driver must also check in with a parent after driving somewhere.
  • Do not take unnecessary risks while driving.
  • Obey all traffic laws, signs and speed limits.
  • Avoid distractions and extra peer passengers.

Examples of violations and consequences include:

  • Speeding ticket – Lose driving privileges for two months.
  • Using cell phone while driving – Lose driving privileges for two weeks.
  • Didn’t make all passengers wear seat belts – Lose privileges for one month.
  • Lied about where going with car – Lose driving privileges for one month.
  • Coming home late without calling – Lose driving privileges for two weeks.
  • Too many passengers in the car – Lose driving privileges for one month.
  • Used alcohol or drugs before driving – Lose driving privileges for three months.

So, buckle up, parents. Whether your teen’s journey is slow or speedy, it’s definitely worth taking the time to teach and preach. With parental involvement and the proper training, your tortoise or hare can and will learn lifelong good driving habits.

It’s just a matter of time and practice! So, follow our teen driver tips and watch your new driver become ready to drive alone.

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