How to Prepare for Your New Teen Driver

We all knew it was coming, and the time is finally here to let your teen hit the wide-open road. Understandably, it is a very nerve-racking time for parents as not only are they worried about other drivers but their teen's driving abilities and knowledge as well. The statistics are correct; most accidents do involve people within the age of 15-20-year-olds. Therefore, we've compiled some of the best tips for preparing your new teen driver for that day they finally take off alone.

Enroll Them in a Driver Course

Teaching everything you know about driving safety to your teenager is a must, but we must also understand that there are things that driving schools are just better at. Enrolling your teen in a driving course can provide them with further detail explanations of what you already told your teen. Often teens will prefer to hear this information from a driving course teacher rather than their parents as they believe that parents are simply worrying too much. As an added bonus, according to Online Drivers Ed, enrolling your teen can also lower your insurance costs.

Set Limits

Setting limits is something your teen might not like, but it's crucial to developing good driving habits. According to Braun’s Law, it’s a good idea to create a teen-parent driving agreement to create rules and boundaries for driving. So, how can this be implemented? One of the best ways to go about this tactic is to provide them with freedom once they go through certain levels. These levels include first driving only with an adult or yourself in the passenger seat. Next, you could allow them to drive farther into the city follow my nighttime driving and so on until you feel confident that they can handle themselves properly. We highly recommend parents to remain calm during this time as it can be frustrating for a teen that simply wants to gain their driving freedom. Through patience and a clear explanation, you can help them understand the necessity of this situation.

Insurance Costs

As stated before, teen drivers hold a statistically higher chance of getting into a car accident. This is why we shouldn't be surprised when you see your insurance rate for your teen. Most parents tend to separate their finances from their children, but this is not the time for that. Allow your teen to see your high premium costs, which according to Insure.com costs close to an average of $2,500 nationally for a 16 year with a permit. Let them see how that affects not only themselves but their livelihood. A teen that is shown why we place so much importance in properly educating them and why following the laws of the road will be more likely to drive safer.

Allowing your teen driver to get the keys to the car can be a very stressful and scary time for any parent. However, success comes by being proactive in your approach when teaching them the things needed to be a safe and confident driver. Simply adhere to the list above to begin getting a sense of the baseline to where you could start with your teen.

If you’re looking for a good auto insurance policy for your new driver, get a quote from us today!