When your teen starts learning to drive, you may be filled with a combination of excitement and worry. On the one hand, they will have some independence from needing you to drive them around. Still, you also know that teenagers go through a long period where they’re learning to be safe drivers.
It may seem that the more your child tells you not to worry, the more you start to wonder if your teen has habits to be safe on the roads.
These are some essential habits for helping your child be a safer driver.
Observational skills
After an accident, there is often the driver who states that the other vehicle “came out of nowhere.” Most drivers can understand being surprised by an unexpected event on the road, but learning how to watch for potential issues before they become a problem is a key to avoiding an accident.
When you are driving with your teenager, help them practice looking beyond the vehicle in front of them. Often rear-ending accidents happen because of something that happened two or three cars ahead.
Limiting distractions
You and your child may already know not to handle a phone while driving, but phones are not the only distractions in the car. Friends in the vehicle could be a more significant distraction for teenagers than a handheld gadget.
Keep in mind that gadgets in the car can also be distracting for teenagers who are not familiar with operating them without looking. It is essential to help your teenager learn to work all of the knobs and dials before they are out on the open road.
You can help your teenager by taking them to a safe area to practice so they can learn how to operate things like the windshield wipers and thermostat confidently and without taking their eyes off the road.
Your teenager will need time to develop their skills as a safe driver, but with practice and a patient teacher, you can help them develop the habits they need.