Teen Driver's Ed: Is it Enough?

Is driver's ed enough when it comes to teaching teens to drive? In my opinion, there are subjects driver's ed misses that kids need to hear. Teaching teens to drive isn't just about the rules of the road. There's more to driving than passing the written test and the test drive. It's only natural for parents to care more about their teen's health and safety than their drivers ed instructor. For instance? I'll give you my top five tips on parental back-up of drivers ed for teens.

Talk to your tween about the serious side of driving. When I taught my youngest to drive, I let her know that I was happy for her. I understood she had a different outlook on getting her license than I did. She was focused on her freedom. Still, I was sure to remind her of the impact her careless driving might have on the lives of others. I was surprised to learn her friends parents gave no such advice. To this day, she remembers that talk and thanks me for it. Does drivers ed class do that for a child? Sometimes, but not always.

Does your teens driver's ed class address cell phone usage? If not, you should. It does no good to learn the rules of the road if your eyes aren't on it at all times. Your teen won't see their instructor driving, but they will see you. Be sure to pull over when texting or making calls. Don't call your teen while they're driving either. Have them call you when they reach their destination instead.

Nix the night life. Teens are more likely to have accidents at night. This could be due to drug and alcohol use (hopefully, you've already addressed this), or it could simply be the party attitude that comes with night driving. Drivers ed can't take away the keys after 9:00 pm, but you can. Assure your teen of a safe, hassle free pick-up when they've stayed out too late. Don't leave them to ride home with friends.

Discourage tag-a-longs. Riding with friends is a distraction teen drivers don't need. The more teens in a car, the less likely it is that the driver is paying attention. It's tragic when a car load of teens is involved in an accident. Decreasing the numbers can decrease the injuries and fatalities as well. Driver's ed can't see how many kids are piling into your teens car, but you can.

Driver's ed can't enforce rules. Parents can. The main limit of drivers ed is that it isn't there to correct mistakes. Don't just trust that your teen has been adequately instructed, be there to see that the rules are followed. Don't hesitate to take away the car keys if your teen has been speeding, drinking and driving, texting behind the wheel or engaging in other dangerous driving habits.

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Source:

Personal Experience