When it comes to getting behind the wheel of a car, there is no question that teenagers are about as enthusiastic as they could possibly be about doing anything. However, their parents may not be feeling quite as excited about having their precious progeny driving around in a vehicle that has the potential to be a killing machine. It takes a great deal of gulping, bravery, and patience for parents to teach their children how to drive. This presentation will offer some suggestions that may make all of those hours together behind the wheel go much more smoothly and productively, and without as much angst, for all parties involved.
To begin with, there are several things that parents can do in advance of teaching their children to drive. For example, they can learn about their state’ s GDL (Graduated Driver Licensing Laws) program, in order to understand the limitations placed on their teenagers’ drivers license so that they can reinforce those restrictions. Regardless of which laws exist in a state, it is essential to establish certain ground rules anyway, such as requiring the use of seat belts at all times, restricting driving at night, limiting who is in the car while a new driver is behind the wheel, and prohibiting cell phone use when driving.
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In addition, parents should:
• Model good driving behavior, because children imitate their parents’ behavior behind the wheel; parents should practice their own driving so that when they take their children out to practice, they will be able to represent a safe role model for how it should be done.
• Parents can make sure that their child’s driving education goes beyond driver’s ed taken at school or driving schools. It is important for parents to understand that they have a tremendous influence on the driving ability and future record of their teenagers.
After parents have made every possible effort to ensure the safety of their teenage driver, such as providing the safest car possible for him or her to use, having an expert thoroughly go over the car to make sure that it is working at optimum performance, and going over in detail all the expectations they have for their teenager to drive responsibly, there are still a number of hazards that it is important to consider. Even the most thorough and careful parent may be unaware of some of the dangers that may occur when their child is driving. These are risks that must be made clear to a new driver, because even if for example he or she is not carrying children as passengers for the time being, inevitably that situation is likely to arise. These hazards include:
• Backover, the term given to when a car that is being backed out of a driveway or parking space runs over a child or pet, with the potential to cause serious injury or even death
• Heatstroke, which causes many deaths when children are left in the car or enter it without being noticed, during hot weather and when the windows are up;
• Trunk entrapment, which occurs when people, notably children, become trapped in a trunk and risk asphyxiation, heatstroke, and death.
• Power windows accidents, when a window closes on a child’s fingers, wrists, or hands, and in some rare cases, even strangulation. In order to prevent such mishaps, drivers should be aware that leaving children in vehicles alone for any length of time is potentially dangerous, and that children should be taught not to play with the switches of the windows.
• Finally, vehicle rollaway, which occurs when the key is in the ignition and the car shifts out of park, despite the fact that the engine may be off and the foot of the driver is not on the gas pedal. This may happen even if the key in the ignition is turned to the accessory option in order to listen to the radio. Again, this can be avoided by never leaving children alone in the car, and never leaving keys in the car.
Overall, some of the most important tips for parents to remember when helping their children learn how to drive include:
• being a good role model for safe driving
• avoiding yelling at children when they are behind the wheel trying to learn to be a responsible new driver
• asking relevant, not distracting, questions to the young driver while he or she is behind the wheel
• avoiding being distracted themselves while teaching their children to drive as well.
• offering positive feedback to the young driver, rather than only pointing out the mistakes and
• being sure that a teenager getting behind the wheel has had enough sleep.
