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A Field Guide for Parents of Road-Ready Teens

Finally getting your driver’s license is one of those time-honored teenage rites of passage, a beacon of freedom for teens and their parents alike. For the eager 16-year old, that small laminated card means long-awaited independence. For the weary parent, a teen with a driver’s license is one less kid that needs a ride to practice, to school, to the movies, to wherever.

But that little laminated card is loaded with other meanings as well. It’s a big responsibility, bigger than most kids realize. And parents, who are all too aware of the many risks of being behind the wheel, can be driven to distraction with worry over their brand new driver’s safety. What can you do to make your teen’s transition from passenger to driver as painless as possible for all involved? Read our tips for important information for keeping your teen safe on the road.

Driving 101
Start with the right education. Learning how to drive is serious business, and getting a quality driving education will give your kid the strongest foundation to build on. Many school districts sponsor driver’s training courses during the summer — some of which last up to eight weeks and involve a great deal
of on-the-road and classroom learning. You can also find a private instructor; just resist the urge to automatically choose the least expensive, shortest program — shop around a bit to find a quality, reputable driving school.

Quality Time
After your child gets that all-important learners permit, you can add to his or her instruction by spending lots of time in the passenger seat while he or she drives. Sixteen isn’t a magic age where all of the sudden, every single kid is automatically ready for the big responsibility of a driver’s license. As with most things, some kids will be ready, while others might need a bit more on-road seasoning before it’s safe to let them drive off by themselves. Logging plenty of passenger hours while they work out the fine points of parallel parking, freeway driving and five-point turns is one way for you to see just how good their driving skills are. Just remember to stay calm — no yelling, obvious nail-biting or sarcastic comments allowed. If you just don’t have the constitution to sit quietly and offer supportive advice when your kid almost jumps the curb or rushes a yellow light, draft another trusted adult for car duty. Most important, use your instincts to determine if your child is road-ready. Knowing how to drive is just half the battle. Knowing how to exercise good judgment is the other half, and you’ll know better than anyone if your teen is ready for that.

Safety First
Make sure whatever car your child will be driving — even if it’s yours — is completely road safe. No, it doesn’t have to be a brand-new sports coupe, but the tires and brakes should be in good shape, and all of the systems (wipers, lights, etc.) should be in good working order. Stash a basic emergency kit in the trunk with a few basic items like jumper cables, road flares, a flashlight and a prepaid cell phone — just in case.

Do As I Say...
Leading by example is never as important as it is when you’re driving. Are you a habitual tailgater? Fond of profanely berating other drivers? Typically drive at least 15 miles over the posted speed limit? Time to kiss all of those bad driving habits good-bye — at least when you have your aspiring driver in the car with you. Slow down, take a deep breath, keep your frustrations with people who cut you off to yourself, and make sure there are always at least two car lengths between you and the car in front of you. Following good driving habits will give you more authority when you’re trying to teach your teen, and they’ll be far more likely to take you seriously when you’re laying out the ground rules.
You might spend a nervous night or two when your teen first hits the road solo, but eventually it will be smooth driving for everyone. Just take a deep breath, try to relax, and let your teen take the wheel.

Follow the Rules
Speaking of ground rules, it’s imperative to have some. There are already some legal restrictions put on young drivers, such as the hours during which they may be on the road without supervision, how many passengers they may have in the car, etc. (For your state’s specific rules and regulations, visit its department of motor vehicles Web site.) But it’s important that your kids know exactly what you expect of them when they’re driving — and for them to know that breaking the rules will mean losing their driving privileges.

A few suggestions:

• Seat belts must be worn at all times, by the driver and all passengers.
• Consider limiting the number of passengers your child is allowed to chauffeur around. A packed car can be full of distractions. If they’re allowed to drive friends around, make sure that the number of people in the car never outnumbers the number of seat belts.
• Determine where exactly your teen is allowed to drive. To and from school, activities and work only? Or are social trips OK? What about errands?
• An obvious rule that bears repeating: Drinking and driving is NEVER OK. It’s not only dangerous, it’s illegal. And the penalties for underage driving include not only fines and probation but quite possibly losing your driver’s license.
• Until they’re very experienced and self-assured on the road, it’s a good idea to restrict your teen’s driving in bad weather conditions — heavy rain, snow, ice, fog.
• What about cell phones? Dialing and driving (or worse — texting and driving) is a big distraction. Some areas have even outlawed non-hands-free cell phone usage. Make it clear that if your teen needs to make or take a call when he or she is behind the wheel — he or she must pull over and park the car in a safe place first.
• Establish a “driving curfew,” a time past which driving is forbidden. Depending on your child’s age and where you live, such a curfew may already be in place.