While many teenagers in Illinois are enthusiastic about learning how to drive and having their very own driver’s license, most parents are less-than-thrilled about this newfound freedom for their children. Parents that have spent adequate time educating their children about how to drive safely and responsibly may feel considerably more at ease handing over the keys to their teenagers and entrusting them with the privilege of getting themselves to and from places.
Teaching teenagers how to drive begins long before the legal age of acquiring a learner’s permit. In fact, it begins from the time a parent’s child is sitting behind them strapped into a car seat. Parents can show a good example of how to drive by refraining from driving distracted, maintaining a calm and focused demeanor while driving and being friendly and cordial to other motorists while their children are in the vehicle.
According to travelers.com, some of the risky behaviors or hazards that could threaten a teen’s safety or that of their passengers include things like speeding, driving during the nighttime hours, reckless driving and having too many passengers in their vehicle. Driving under the influence or driving while texting is other behaviors that are extremely dangerous and should be addressed regularly.
When the time has come for parents to embark on the journey of teaching their teenagers to drive, verywellfamily.com suggests that parents plan ahead when deciding a route to drive during practice hours. This will allow them to give plenty of heads up to their teenager about which direction they will be going well in advance to avoid springing sudden movements on them which could cause them to panic. If they notice their child doing something incorrectly, they should ask questions to help their teenager recognize the mistake rather than immediately scolding them for what they are doing wrong.
