Teaching Your Teen To Drive Safely

As a parent of a teen driver, it is only natural that you worry about your child and the idea of him or her getting behind the wheel of a several-ton vehicle. However, there are plenty of steps you can take toward teaching your child safe driving habits, so that you can enjoy greater peace of mind once he or she inevitably obtains a driver's license. Many parents are most worried about the possibility of their teens getting into an accident, especially since a teen's first few years of driving tend to be the most likely time for a collision to occur. Parents should set their minds at ease--at least a little--by learning that the majority of accidents that involve teen drivers do not result in serious injury. You can help to prevent your teen from engaging in unsafe driving habits by sitting down and having a talk with them about driver safety. Here are some tips you may wish to arm your own child with.

Keep a Roadside Emergency Kit

In the event of an accident or breakdown, having an emergency kit can help to avoid a situation from getting worse. For example, if your teen gets a flat tire on the side of a dark road, having an emergency kit with road flares, cones and tools for changing a tire can get them back on the road with a spare as soon as possible while remaining visible to other drivers.

Don't Drive Distracted

Unfortunately, there's an increasing number of vehicle collisions involving teen drivers are caused by distracted driving. Have your teen take a vow to never text and drive, and minimize distractions in the car by limiting the number of friends your teen is allowed to have as passengers at any given time.

Study for the Test

Many other useful teen driving tips were likely covered in your child's driving preparation course, so encourage him or her to do plenty of studying for the test. Have your teen take this road signs practice test or even a DMV practice test online.