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Behind The Wheel
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Parents have an important role to play as
driving
mentors for their teenage children. Teaching your teen to be a
careful and
safe driver can make the difference in his survival behind the wheel. It’s an
effort that takes time, knowledge, and patience. Having the right information
can make your job as driving mentor so much easier. Part of the formula for
success in training a teen driver is the time spent practicing with a parent to
further develop the skills learned through a driver education class and
Behind the Wheel lessons. Following is a website that is invaluable in
assisting parents to provide supervised on-road experience for the teen
driver. Teaching Your Teen to Drive is a handbook designed by Radford
University and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to help parents
supervise their child’s practice driving sessions. The handbook can be
accessed online at: http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/teenhan1.pdf
Another helpful resource is your insurance agent. Many insurance companies have programs for new drivers including videos,
safe driving booklets, and criteria for getting good student and safe driving
discounts. This is a good time to check the rates for having a teen driver on
your policy.
Know the rules
Having the right information can make your job as driving mentor so much
easier. Visit your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. A copy of
the Wisconsin Motorist Handbook can be obtained either at a DMV service
center or online at: www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/handbooks.htm
Setting a good example is one of the best ways that you can help your
teen be a better driver. If you run red and yellow lights, speed down the
highway at 75 MPH, weave in and out of traffic, take chances on the road,
ride the bumper of the car in front of you, scream at other drivers, or exhibit
other signs of road rage, you’re showing your teen that the rules don’t count
and this can be fatal. Model the behavior you want your teen to follow and
start early.
Once Your Teen has a License Don’t just turn over the keys; it is
estimated that it takes five years of driving to become a “good” driver. Just
as a professional golfer has to practice, so does your teen even after
receiving the license. Continue to ride with your child and coach technique. Enforce the Graduated Drivers License restrictions. One and only ONE
non-family passenger for the first nine months. Statistics show that a teen’s
risk doubles with each additional non-family passenger. How To Keep Your
Teen Driver Safe: The National Association of Independent Insurers offers
the following tips for parents of new drivers:
- If your state law does not already restrict teen driving hours,
establish "house rules" regarding driving hours.
- Insist that safety belts be worn at all times by occupants of the car.
By decreeing that no one may drive or ride in your family vehicle
without buckling up, you'll also discourage the tendency for too many
teens to pile into the car -- an especially dangerous practice.
- When your children begin to drive, allow them to use the car only for
specific destination trips; i.e. to the library or to the store, to
discourage unnecessary driving.
- Accompany your child when driving. Allow them to gain as much
driving experience as possible while an experienced driver is in
their company.
- Ease your child into more challenging driving situations, such as
expressways and inner-city traffic.
- Set rigid rules against drinking and driving and don't hesitate to
enforce them when necessary. If liquor has been used, have a
backup plan ready that will allow your son or daughter to get home
without driving.
- To instill a sense of responsibility, require your teen to shoulder a
portion of the expenses for gasoline, vehicle maintenance and
insurance. This will create awareness that there's more involved with
having a car than driving. Consider making the teen earn driving
privileges through household chores or academic performance.
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