Teaching Teens To Drive
Help Your Teen Enjoy a Lifetime of Safe Driving
Good habits form early, and you can help your teen enjoy a lifetime of safe driving by taking an active role in his or her driver’s education. Points to remember:
1. Be a good role model.
Teens learn from watching their parents.
| • | Always buckle your safety belt. |
| • | Obey traffic laws. |
| • | Don’t drink and drive. |
| • | Don’t drive aggressively. |
2. Use "commentary driving."
Ask the new drivers to comment on what they see — speed limits, road signs, traffic signals, road conditions, potential hazards — and ask what they need to do. This process works best if the adult driver demonstrates it first for the teen.
3. Plan ahead, stay calm and focused.
| • | Select the route in advance and make a practice run without your teen. |
| • | Make sure your teen understands the objectives of each session before you begin driving. |
| • | Practice in an empty parking lot before moving to streets. |
| • | Practice in light traffic (residential streets) before attempting heavy traffic (multi-lane highways and freeways). |
| • | Monitor traffic (ahead, around, behind). |
| • | Give directions to turn at least one block in advance. |
| • | Use "right" to mean a direction only, not to confirm that something is correct. |
| • | Be specific. |
| • | Use a calm voice and be patient. Remember that mistakes will happen in any learning process. |
| • | Praise your teen's driving accomplishments. |
4. Include a variety of situations in your practice sessions.
| • | Driving preparation: dress appropriately (proper shoes, sunglasses); adjust seat and mirrors; use safety belts; start the engine; check gas gauge; check for traffic, signal and move when safe |
| • | Basic maneuvers: moving forward; steering; turning; stopping; backing |
| • | Interacting with other vehicles: turn signals; changing lanes; blind spots; using mirrors; maintaining a safe following distance; monitoring traffic in all directions |
| • | Light traffic: looking ahead; entering/exiting traffic; choosing the proper lane; accepting and yielding right-of-way |
| • | Heavy traffic: adjusting speed and position; using turn lanes; left turn yields |
| • | Parking and turning: angle, hill, parallel parking; U-turns; 3-point turns |
| • | Rail crossings: obey lights and crossing gates; crossing tracks safely |
| • | Freeways: using on- and off-ramps; merging; lane and speed choice |
| • | Driving in darkness: using lights; appropriate speed |
| • | Adverse weather: adjusting speed for rain, fog, wind, dust, snow; using lights |
| • |
Handling hazards: obstacles on the road; using flashers; using antilock brakes |
AAA Guide to Teen Driver Safety
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