Supervised practice over an extended period of time makes teens better, safer drivers. That’s why it’s important for you to spend time in the car with your teen behind the wheel. Give your teen opportunities to practice what he or she may have learned in Driver Education, and encourage him or her to develop safe habits and skill. Patient practice, as well as following the same rules when you’re behind the wheel, will help your teen learn the do’s and don’ts of the road. Rule #1 for parents: set a good example.

• Talk with your teen about the route you’ll take, the skills you’ll work on, and the goals for the lesson. See if your teen can explain how to perform the skills he or she will be practicing.
• Adjust the vanity mirror on the passenger visor so you can use it as a review mirror. Also adjust the right outside mirror for your use while your teen is driving.

While Your Teen is Driving:

• Give simple and clear directions, such as “brake”, “slow”, and “cover” (lightly cover the brake with your foot in preparation to stop).
• Use a calm tone of voice.
• Watch your teen’s arms – If they are not relaxed, the situation may be too hard for your teen to handle, or he or she may be getting fatigued.

If your teen does something incorrectly:

• Ask him or her to safely move the car off the road and then discuss the mistake calmly.
• Plan routes that allow your teen to practice different skills. Driving to and from the same grocery store ever week will not adequately prepare your teen to be a skilled licensed driver.
• Take your teen out for driving practice under as many different conditions as possible. Safe drivers are experienced in responding to changing weather, visibility, traffic volume and speed.
• Encouraging your teen to talk aloud about what he or she plans to do while driving. This makes it much easier for you to know if your teen is observing and thinking ahead like a good driver.

After the practice session:

• Evaluate the session together. Give your teen a chance to point out his or her mistakes before you do.
• Praise your teen for what he or she did correctly and also mention how your teen can improve.
• Record your session in a driving log.

Parents: Set a Good Example
Set a good example when you drive.Your teen is much more likely to be calm and courteous driver, use a safety belt, and obey the speed limit if you do it first.

Provide a safe motor vehicle for your practice sessions. If your car needs a tune-up, take your teen along for a lesson in car maintenance. Now is the time to talk about the costs of maintaining and insuring a car, and if your teen needs to contribute.

Take your teen to get a license only when you feel the time is right.You must take responsibility for making this decision – your teen’s life depends on it.

Meet with your insurance agent to discuss the costs and responsibilities of driving a car as well as important safety issues. Research shows that teens who pay for a portion of the maintenance and insurance of the family car are more likely to be safe drivers.