5 Things You Should Teach Your Young Driver
–If you have a teenager in your house who needs to learn how to drive, you are likely overwhelmed by fear and emotions of relief at the same time. Since you have embarked on teaching your child to be an experienced driver, there are a few things you’ll want to remember to teach them alongside basic driving laws.
A report by the New Zealand Ministry of Transport in 2015 showed that male teen drivers aged between 15 to 19 years old were 8 times more likely to crash than males aged between 55 and 59, so you should never skip teaching your child how to drive outside of driving school. This isn’t meant to scare you, but rather to make you aware of the risks.
Before allowing your child to drive, however, make sure you have them added to your car insurance policy. There are policies available for teens and college-aged drivers, so do your research and get them covered before getting them on the road.
- How to drive in bad weather
This is a common mistake made by most parents, and they only concentrate on teaching their teens to drive in dry and optimal conditions. They avoid or probably forget to train them on how to operate in the rain, storms, high speeds, and what to do if they are hydroplaning.
Some parents try to keep teens away from difficult long-term conditions. Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable, and your new driver might encounter this difficult condition while alone on the road. It’s advisable to let them drive with you in all situations while you are teaching them. Bad weather conditions can easily lead to a car accident.
- Keep an eye on the tires
Your young driver should be aware of the importance of good tires. Knowing how to change flat tires, notice tread wear, and tire pressure requirements are imperative to becoming a responsible driver. A flat tire can happen anywhere and is especially dangerous in deserted places where there is no one to help change it. So learning how to change it is vital to your child’s safety. Show her how low the tire tread can before you replace the tire. The teen must also know how to inflate or check their tire pressure.
- Don’t drive when tired
After finishing high school, many teens want to start a busy life of part-work, college, and a social life that might extend beyond Saturday nights in the town. This isn’t a bad thing but can be dangerous, especially for a young new driver. Moreover, it is a deadly combination when added to tiredness. It would be best if you always encouraged your teen driver to get enough sleep a night before driving. If they find themselves too tired to drive but they’re already on the road, have them call you or another trusted adult to come help.
- Basic car maintenance
Unless your teen daughter or son is a certified gearhead, reattaching a restoring power or a broken pipe to the car’s electrical components can be a tall order. If you teach them basic maintenance of a vehicle like changing vital fluids and fixing broken headlights can save them time waiting for a mechanic for hours to fix a small thing. Furthermore, this will also encourage your child’s responsibility for the general condition and well-being of the car.
- Cleaning
To maintain their car’s value, your child needs to keep the vehicle clean. This might seem like a small thing, but it helps to enhance road safety. For instance, if the car’s interior is well maintained, it will help prevent more injuries during an accident. When glass bottles are lying in the car, and she is involved in an accident, they can break window glasses, and even hit you badly. Again, the car exteriors should always be clean for visibility. You can show your teen how to clean the car manually using a car wash soap and also how to properly vacuum the interior.
It is your responsibility to ensure you keep your teen well informed of the things he should or shouldn’t do. Your young teen may be over-excited and overlook their car’s general maintenance. Their awareness and safety won’t just affect them but also other passengers and drives on the road. So, teaching your child these five things will keep her safe.
Even after teaching them, try to create time to go on a drive with them to make their fear go away and gain more experience. Tell your child always to stay calm while driving to avoid miscalculating because a simple mistake would cost them their life.
