Best 2011 Christmas Gifts for New Teen Drivers

As the 2011 holiday season gets underway, parents are faced with two overwhelming dilemmas: What to get their teen for Christmas, and the fact that that teen may be a new driver this winter. Rather than thinking of this time as the best time to begin pulling your hair out, consider these five hot 2011 Christmas gifts for drivers. Not only can they make your teen driver's winter driving safer, but they can help relieve some of your holiday stress this season, as well!

1. Bionic Driving Gloves $30-$50
Available in both men's and women's sizes and styles, Bionic Driving gloves help protect driver hands not just from the cold, but from fatigue on longer trips, as well. Ladies' Bionic driving gloves can even be bought with a luxurious and warm cashmere inner lining to make those early-morning commutes to school much more bearable. Bionic Driving gloves make excellent Christmas gifts for a new driver because, unlike normal cold-weather gloves, driving gloves help the driver maintain a steadier grasp on cold steering wheels, which can be slick, particularly early in the morning.

2. Remote Car Starter $150-$400 (installed)
Just because you didn't have one when you were a teen driver, doesn't mean that your teen doesn't deserve a toasty warm car on chilly winter mornings. Remote car starters make an excellent gift because you can have the starter installed on their car several days, or several weeks in advance, and they won't know its there until you hand them the remote control.

3. Driving Sunglasses $20-$500
Few teen drivers truly appreciate just how tough it can be to drive early in the morning when you're headed into the sun without sunglasses. Whether prescription or standard sunglasses, keeping a basic, comfortable pair in their car means that they won't be likely to lose them, either. If your teen driver is appalled by your style choices on any average day, keep in mind that the basics are always in style. A pair of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses are like a good pair of Blue Jeans. They just never seem to go out of style.

4. Vehicle Emergency Kit $25-$50
An emergency kit with jumper cables won't be the coolest Christmas gift under the tree for many teen drivers, but as gifts go, there are few that your teen driver will use more thankfully. Make certain that the kit includes jumper cables, warning reflectors, and a tire pressure gauge. Some kits will include an ice scraper, as well. Emergency kits are inexpensive and are seldom appreciated until they're needed. Once your teen driver has had to use one, though, they'll always have one in their car.

5. Defensive Driving Lessons $100+
Defensive driving lessons take on a far more practical and in-depth approach to learning how to drive than typical classes do. Teen drivers taking defensive driving courses in the winter learn how to better control their vehicle in a variety of conditions, and can even qualify in many cases for a significant discount on their auto insurance. You may also want to consider giving yourself a Christmas gift, too, and brushing up your own winter driving skills.

Sources:
AAA: Keys to Drive: Teen Driver Safety: teendriving.aaa.com
Best Buy: Remote Car Starters: www.bestbuy.com