This post is by Evan Fischer of useddodgeengines.com.
Most parents approach the teenage years with a mixture of hope and dread.
You hope that the lessons you instilled in your kids as they grew will be enough to help them through this difficult transitional period. But at the same time you dread the many firsts they will face without you as they become more independent; first date, first kiss, first breakup, and of course, the first time they roll out of the driveway behind the wheel of a car. And it may be the last one that concerns you most, especially considering the high risk that is posed by inexperienced drivers.
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But if you take the time to prepare your kids for the responsibilities involved in operating a moving vehicle, then chances are good that they’ll make the right choices. So here are just a few tips that can help every parent feel a little more relaxed and confident when it comes to sending their kids out on the road.
The Talk
The first and most important thing to discuss with your teens is the responsibility that comes with driving a car. And there are three main topics that fall under this category: financial, legal, and personal.
They need to know that there are consequences for failure to take the weighty responsibility of operating a car seriously. You can help them understand the financial burden by making partial payment mandatory. In other words, make it a condition of driving that your teens get jobs and pay for a portion of the costs themselves. This will teach them a valuable lesson about the rewards of hard work and relieve you of some of the financial pressures associated with teen drivers.
There are also legal obligations that come with driving, so sit down with your teens to go over the driver’s manual and talk about the rules of the road.
Then comes the most important conversation: personal responsibility. Teens need to understand that reckless behavior puts them, their passengers, and other drivers at risk for accident and injury. You don’t necessarily want to bombard them with statistics, but you should open their eyes to the gravity of the choices they make when they get behind the wheel.
Of course, you’ll also need to set some ground rules (for their safety and your sanity!). You will almost certainly want to include limitations on where they can go, who they can have in the car, and time restrictions on driving at night (a curfew, in other words).
You definitely want kids to get the most out of life, but you’ll feel better knowing that there are rules in place to protect them.
The Practice
Of course, you need to make the time for plenty of practice. You are ultimately responsible for the safety of your kids, so it is in your best interest (and theirs) to withhold the keys to the kingdom (so to speak) until you’re sure they’re ready.
This means taking them out for frequent practice sessions, so that you can monitor their progress and help them to prepare for any situation that might pop up.
Preparation is the key to helping your teens become the safe and responsible drivers (and adults) you know they can be, and it will certainly help you to sleep better at night!
Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for useddodgeengines.com, where used Dodge engines are shipped nationwide daily.
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I am dreading the day my little girl will be able to drive so these are great tips!
Teens are always difficult to treat because of their nature, it’s natural and in some point, impossible to change.
But anyways, this are good tips to reduce the effect.
Cheers!
I believe if we help our teens to find their passion and dare to dream big, the light in their hearts will safely guide them.
Being responsible not only for your own life, but also for the lives of other people, you should remember all the necessity of being careful and attentive and it doesn’t matter how old you are. So, parents should also feel the responsibility buying a car for their teenagers – they should prepare their children beforehand so they could also understand all the importance of having it.
There’s a good example of this in the popular TV show The Inbetweeners where one character finds his parents have bought him a bright yellow, slightly dilapidated car to drive to college in. They explain it won’t get enough speed up to allow him to get himself killed. Most drivers pick up bad habits fairly quickly (not indicating is the most frustrating) so the best thing is just to be alert at all times to be safe.
Great article Evan! I started driving at the age of 8! It’s very dangerous though behind the wheel… I believe driving isn’t for everyone! It’s a big responsibility. Thanks for sharing!
John
I have tried this tips on my son =) And we had a really amazing effect! So thank you very much for this post!
I believen you can like this
Great advice. I have 2 teenagers today… 1 going through driving school right now. My dad taught me to drive a standard when I was about 10.
This can be a very scary situation for some parents. The day your child is sitting behind the wheel adds a huge weight of worry for most!
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