If you're a parent of a teen who is taking driver's ed and think you have handed over the responsibility of teaching driving to that school, think again. You also have responsibilities as your teen learns to drive:
1. Emphasize that your teen needs to take all aspects of the driver's ed course seriously. He or she may think the fun part is behind the wheel and, while studying enough about the rules of the road to pass the driver's test, really hasn't paid serious attention to them. As a parent, you must emphasize the importance of traffic laws and how serious a responsibility is to be a driver. Traffic laws were created for good reasons, one of them being to protect lives. Too many young driver's end up in traffic court or, worse, in hospitals because they didn't heed traffic laws.
2. Take your teen out to drive. Good drivers have lots of practice and, while it may be hard to fit into your schedule, be sure to give your teen lots of practice driving--with you there to calmly offer pointers.
3. If you're too anxious or unable to take your child driving, consider paying for several private lessons. A few hours with an experienced driving instructor can be very worthwhile.
4. Model good driving habits. Texting and talking on the phone while driving, eating while driving, and driving after you've had a drink or two or three are sending the wrong message. Your actions must reinforce how important it is to stay focused on the road and not be distracted.
5. Remind your teen that if he or she gets into any car accident, no matter how minor, it is imperative to pull over, stop and get out of the car, and see what kind of damage was sustained. If there is damage to either car, tell your teen to take photos of the damaged areas. He or she should exchange insurance information with the other driver and call the police if it seems necessary.
6. If your child does not pass the driving test on the first, second, or third try, continue to be encouraging. Teens can be embarrassed and demoralized when they don't pass. Note how common it is for beginners to fail driving tests and encourage your child to go out driving with you as much as possible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Eli Moore, is a Westchester traffic and criminal attorney, and will help you fight all moving violations in courts throughout Westchester County. Find out more about Mr. Moore's legal services at EliMooreTrafficAttorney.com and by following him on Facebook: @EliMooreTrafficandCriminalAttorney and Twitter: @EliMooreLaw.
For a free consultation, write: EliMooreLaw@gmail.com or call : (914) 523-5552.