Scared witless at the prospect of your teen out on the road alone? Read on for guidelines to help you and your teen stay safe and sane.
Set a Good Example. Ideally, this should start well before the teen years. Just like everything else in life, your kids will do what you do, not necessarily what you say. Keep your road rage, distracted driving, and agressiveness in check.
Develop a Contract.Work with your teen to develop a contract that both of you will sign. This can detail various rules you set, responsibilities your teen has for taking care of the car, and privileges you will allow. Even if you don't have a formal contract, sitting down with your kids to discuss driving will help your teen clearly understand what is expected of him/her.
Get the Details. Don't just give your kids free reign with the car or provide loose parameters (be back by 10!). Ask for where they are going, with whom, what route they plan to take (if there are several options) and when they'll be back.
Minimize Distractions. For the first few months, don't let your teen cart gaggles of friends from here to there - chatty friends can be a dangerous distraction. Talk with your teen about the dangers of distracted driving and discipline them if you see them talking or texting while driving. The Department of Transportation's website, www.distraction.gov, is a great resource for talking with your kids.
Let Your Teen Drive During Trips. Let your teen drive you to run errands or part of the way on a weekend trip. This is a great learning opportunity and it will help you see how their driving skills are progressing.
Each teen is different, so spend time understanding your kids and watch how they handle other areas of responsibility (homework, sports practices, instrument lessons) to know when they are ready for the responsibility of driving.
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