Comments on: How to Teach a Teen to Drive

on 8/8/2006 When taking the road test with the State cop, make sure you stop whenever you come to the end of a street where you can go left or right, even if there is no stop sign. I went for my road test last week and failed because I yielded and didn't fully stop.

on 8/8/2006 When driving in traffic and difficult conditions, I find that it helps to use the clearest language possible when communicating to the student. I know this may be hard if you are nervous or believe that you are in true danger of a crash, but as a driver, I am not sure what to do if I hear "look out!", or "right here...you...ok, never mind". Go for clear, concise instructions, like "STOP", "Slow Down", "Speed up", "It's Open", "the next left". NEVER raise your voice with any of those, with the possible exception of "STOP" and "FLOOR IT" if you are in true danger of crashing/getting hit.

on 8/8/2006 I am always nervous when driving in traffic, so hearing someone use imperative (command) words when simply conversing makes me nervous, especially if someone starts talking with a word like "stop", "wait", or any other strong, driving related, command.

on 8/8/2006 I was driving at night with both my mother and father in the car on a curved, rural road. My father was in the front, so he could see where we were going, but my mother was in the back, so her view was limited. During much of the drive, she was saying "slow down, you are going too fast". Although it was night, it was clear, the roads were dry, and there was no traffic, and I was going the limit.

Now, if you have a very good reason ( "I'm nervous" is not a good reason). Make this reason very clear as well, you could say, for instance, 'there is a sharp curve up ahead', or 'there is a hidden entrance'.

on 7/23/2006 Let them think for themselves. The first few times in a particular situation, of course you will need to give them advice on how to go about it. But after a while, give them a chance to show their knowledge rather than continually jumping in with how to handle the upcoming situation. It's very likely they now understand what you've told them and would like to demonstrate this.

Also, the more you try to control it the less cooperative they will become, and the less likely they will be to want to continue learning.

on 7/20/2006 I am a teen driver who recently passed my road test and I have a word of advice for all parents teaching their teens how to drive: Please refrain from making irritating hand gestures to tell your teen to slow down, speed up, or go in a certain direction. It will only cause further undue stress on your teen and distract them from the task at hand. Instead of hand gestures, instruct them with a calm, but firm voice and they'll become a good driver, like I have!

on 7/7/2006 It is amazing how many people drive around with all three mirrors pointing to the same place--right behind them. Your mirrors (which should be adjusted after you have set up your seat) should just barely overlap. That inside mirror should be pointed rearward for a view of the area directly behind your vehicle. The two side mirrors should show the spaces next to you to let you see if traffic is next to you.

on 7/7/2006 As a motorcyclist, I can tell you that drivers frequently fail to look for and to see vehicles other than cars. Bicycles and motorcycles are often hidden in your blind spots between mirrors. Teach your child to turn his head and look to the left or right before changing lanes, and remind him that pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles can be obscured by your roof posts, roadside objects like bushes, and other vehicles. If there is room for something to be obscured, you have to assume that it's there and hope that you are clear to go.

on 7/7/2006 Good drivers are smooth drivers. A technique we have used was to put a jug of water on the floor of the car. If he spilled it, he had to clean it up. He learned to stop, start, and turn smoothly as a result.

on 7/7/2006 A dirt road or parking lot is a great place to let a learning driver confront low-traction situations. He can practice braking, hard turns and swerves, and other maneuvers that will eventually confront him when the streets are wet, icy or oily, but in a less used setting without the traffic.

on 6/30/2006 I'm 16 and just got my license...after a year and a half of having my permit. Why did it take so long? Driver's Education class. In the class, we did nothing except learn about how bad of drivers we all are. We watched movie after movie about crashes. Every lesson we started off with newspaper articles about teens dying or killing others in vehicles. I was too afraid to drive for almost a year, I didn't even like getting into cars with my friends.

on 2/23/2006 I started learning how to drive from AAA in a dual control car. My first lesson (and my first time ever behind the wheel), the instructor (who was eating his lunch at the time) asked me to do a right hand turn down a side street which was covered in ice. I ran into a bush and knocked off the mirror. Not a good start, but I went back and had a few wonderful instructors; fortunately, I never saw the awful one again. However, I definitely recommend talking to other parents and young drivers before signing up for lessons. A passenger side brake doesn't guarantee safety!

on 12/19/2005 Keep your hands off the steering wheel unless it is truly an emergency! It will make your teenager to panic. Especially during his or her first few driving attempts.

on 11/22/2005 As a teenager who has been driving for about 5 months, I must say that the worst thing a parent can do is being too controlling.

The first few lessons should have a good deal of teaching from the parent; you have to guide your teenager through the various situations that they come across on the road, and as they encounter new things, they're going to need a bit of instruction. Stay calm and patient during your explanations - THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

Now, once your teenager gets the hang of things, the best thing you can do is let them teach themselves. This will make them more comfortable with their abilities, and will allow them to explore which techniques work best for them. From personal experience, improvement is more rapid when you allow your teenager to try new things and think on their own. All the parent has to do is sit back, enjoy the ride, and throw in any helpful advice.

ALSO - Never yell. This will only make your teenager nervous. If they make a mistake, it's not their fault - they're still new at this.

on 11/22/2005 When you teach your teenager how to drive, don't yell at them about every little thing. Also, don't be such a back-seat driver. If they aren't doing anything terribly wrong, don't correct them on every single thing. I think it's best if you focus on one aspect (braking, turning, parking) each practice time. Also, it might help to remember how scary it is to learn to drive. Probably the best thing you can do is have a positive attitude about it.