Passing this subject could be the difference between life and death.

You may have figured out that I am re-posting some articles I have previously written regarding driver education. The way the articles orginally panned out, I had mixed the winter driving tips with the second section of “Driver Training” This post concludes the tips for supervising your teen’s driving by introducing some practices you want to avoid.

When speaking of driver education in terms of “Do’s” and “Don’ts”, I am sure some of you parents thought to yourselves, “Do hire a professional and Don’t expect me to teach my teen.” Likewise, there were a few teens who thought, “Do hire an instructor so you Don’t have to yell.” Hopefully, by the end of the article, you considered the possibility that you could, in fact, survive the drive together.

Starting out on a positive note, let’s review the “Do’s”:

Do start with a prayer—even atheists consider prayer when riding with a new driver
Do remain calm—A nervous driver makes mistakes; a calm driver makes fewer mistakes
Do pull over for discussion—I can’t keep my eyes on the road if I have to look at you when you are talking.
Do give positive reinforcement—The mistakes will be obvious, your new driver really needs to hear about what was done correctly.
Do know your teen’s personality—Every person is unique. Teach in a way that is well suited for your teen to learn.
Do enjoy your time together—Tell a joke, dodge a tree, have fun!
Do leave your problems at home—Keep your focus on the task of driving.

Any good “Do’s and Don’ts” list has to have a section of Don’ts. As you train with your teen in the car, avoid the following common mistakes:

Don’t overload your teen. Focus on specific actions to meet specific objectives. For instance, your first session should establish smooth braking, smooth acceleration, and smooth steering. If you are practicing these on private property (as you should), you will not need to emphasize lane management or signaling just yet.

Don’t overload yourself. Pace yourself, you have plenty of time. Sessions should range from 60 to 90 minutes in length. Two hours is too much. Start in low speed/low traffic areas and work your way up.

Don’t get in the car without a plan. You need to know three things before you start:
1. Where are you driving?
2. What skills are you developing?
3. What minimum amount of time are you spending on each skill?

Having said that, your plan should be flexible. Your initial plan acts as a basis for change. If your driver is not ready to practice lane changes, change your plan and work on the preceding essentials.

Don’t keep your plan to yourself. Let your driver know what you intend to practice up front. In another sense, give directions early. Nobody wants surprises on the road; not you nor your teen. A last second, “turn left here” command will inevitably result in a poorly executed left turn into oncoming traffic. It may also require a change of clothes when you get home. Do everyone a favor and give directions early.

Keep these things in mind as you provide your state required 30, 40, or 50 hours of supervised driving. You will still see some grey hairs, but you should also be able to enjoy yourself and strengthen your relationship with your teen.

For more information about parent involvement in driver education and training, I reccommend the National Driver Training Institute; the nation’s premier home-study driver education program.