From Dr. Jane's Notebook

Teenage Driving

It's a funny thing about 15-year olds...they start to drive. Never have I felt so old as when my daughter stripped me of my keys and opened the passenger door for me. It's just another stage of life...but it does have the potential to drive you crazy! Parents often have a hard time drawing boundaries when it comes to teenagers and the problem of driving can make things worse. As such, I recommend the following strategy for survival when you're no longer "behind the wheel".

Teach your children how to drive. It sounds silly but this is one area where they are willing to learn. Too often, parents rely of driver's education professionals. Driver's education is excellent training, but it just begins there. Kids need to learn how to think behind the wheel, and you must teach them about that, and as well as help them gain experience.
Brush up on your familiarity with the laws. The only thing that's worse than no information, is the wrong information! Take time to read through the driving manual with your teenager so that you can hold informed discussions about the laws.
Establish some guidelines for use of the car. Cars offer new found freedom, and they need to come with some rules. Talk about use of seatbelts, smoking while driving, the hazards of distraction, and personal safety issues. Teenagers have the highest accident rates. This is a serious subject.
Teach kids about defensive driving. It is not only important for them to be in control of the car, but to anticipate the actions of other drivers. Teach children how to anticipate the mistakes of other drivers, such as running red lights, changing lanes unexpectedly, and weather hazards. As a driver yourself, you have accumulated years of driving rules for yourself, based upon all those years of experience. Bring them into conscious awareness and share the benefits of your knowledge.
Remember that you are their role model. Parents who want their kids to drive safely must realize that they are constant serving as role models. If you speed, run red lights, cut off other drivers or drink behind the wheel, you can count of seeing these behaviors in your young driver. They are always taking note of our actions. On the other hand, if you are overly cautious to the point of irritation, they may become rebellious drivers just to spite you.

While driving is serious business, it can also be alot of fun. It is a joy to watch your child mature, to feel your nerves calm down over those long and grueling test drives, and to test your patience in this new and challenging way. For a short while, our children really want us to be in the car (while they only have a driver's permit). Take a year to bask in the popularity!

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Last Updated October 18, 1998 by Gary M. Grandon, Ph.D.