I need help from people who have taught a teen to drive.?

Question

I am trying to teach my teen to drive and I would like to know what other parents have been doing to get their kids ready to drive. My teen is already taking lessons from a driving school but I would like some pointers from experienced people. For example, what should I cover in each lesson and how should I gradually ease her into getting comfortable with driving. If anyone could offer tips or websites that would help me, I would be very grateful.

Answer 1

Been through it twice now, no real lesson plan needed, but would talk calmly pointing out things as you go.Along with constant encouragement, your doing good, excellent move etc. When they make a mistake say thats OK thats all part of learning. Always look for a positive response to help instill confidence. Practice parking, parallel parking it is the point in which most students fail, if you have to set up two sticks with flags on them representing cars, once they have mastered parking all else will seem easy. Good luck and most of all keep smiling

Answer 2

Practice, practice, practice. Just let her behind the wheel at every chance. The best way might be to have her go over with YOU what she studied in drivers Ed that day (or week) instead of you trying to give her any formal "lesson". We opted for the "Parent Taught Drivers Ed" verses paying somebody else to do it, it went great. We made sure she got driving in different kinds of weather and familiar routes, then branched out into rush hour, Hwy, night driving, etc. We also taught her on a manual transmission, so she can be confident behind any wheel!

Answer 3

I have found concentrating on getting good at two things, and two things only on each session is best. Otherwise they are overwhelmed. Find a parking lot and work for an hour on driving and parking in a lot situation(tons of fender benders happen in parking lots!) Couple that up with a drive to the next town at highway speed(I wouldn't recommend more than 25 miles round trip. Work on residential areas, cautious cautious driving, coupled up with a drive in the country if possible. Trying to be creative and expose your new driver to a number of differ ant situations, will be most beneficial. I suggest taking your new driver to a deserted parking lot to experience skid control, whether it is on snow, ice, or rain. Good luck!

Answer 4

Be gentle and kind to her, very low keyed while she is behind the wheel. she will already be nervous enough. Never assume that the driving school is doing their jobs. Start with the basics, where all of the items are in the car such as light switches/ gas tank/ wiper controls/ emerg brake/ turn signals, etc... The have her start and turn off the car. Backing in and out of the driveway. Take her to an abandoned or empty lot to have her practice starting and stopping, parking, making turns, etc....
I went thru it with all 3 of my kids, and they are all good drivers now.

Answer 5

My son got lessons at school but they ONLY cover the basic stuff.....I would do all the stuff that they come across day to day.

Start with certain ground rules......NO MUSIC whilst you are teaching..hands on wheel at all times.........DO NOT answer cell phone at any point..........simple stuff but they dont need any distractions period at that point.

NEVER take her out when you are stressed cos you will be more curt than you think and make her nervous [at least thats what my son said pissey mood mother is NOT a good teacher lol lol]

The main thing I always concentrated on was awareness of idiots around him..........NEVER assume that they are actually gonna do what their indicators say they are going to do etc and I would do this all the time whilst he was a passenger, almost talk aloud of look at that black truck weaving in and out, that silver car is gonna cut in etc etc.......so that he was not just dreaming out the window when in the car but using that time to focus on the road and other drivers......

find out what she is covering and then emphasis it in the time that you have her out ALSO take her out in all sorts of weather, rain especially....and at different times of day and get some night driving in.............I also took him to learn how to park in all sorts of areas...........how to pull up to a petrol station and get gas............how when and why to give way.......

Also found it was easier to do a lot of little lessons than one or two BIG ones.........

Also as he got much more confident I would have a small plastic bottle that I would smack his leg [gently] EACH time he screwed up saying failed...........smack failed......smack failed.............sounds silly BUT really did work wonders on focusing him....you know your child the best and I KNOW it might not work with a lot of kids...........

Regards and good luck also take headache tablet about an HOUR before you go..found that helped me a lot. LOL LOL

Answer 6

I just put my son in the car he drove on rural uncrowded roads first. We got out on empty highways and he practiced passing imaginary vehicles a few times as I disccussed his steering movements, speed and the need to observe passing /no passing lanes andwho is besdie or behind him. We then practiced turns and pulling into driveways and backing out. Then he actually passed somebody. Then another and got passed. Went to town and practiced parking in empty slots then next to one car and then between cars. Next lots of drivng then the city and a freeway. Plenty of discuss of speed, kids on streets etc. Look at the curriculm on this website from Texas it will guide you.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/safedriver/masterguide.html