Driving is every teenager’s main goal. However, it’s also a serious responsibility. You want to teach your children all the lessons they will need to know. Here are five lessons to teach your teens before they get their driver’s license.
Respect
Children need to learn about respect before they can get out on the road. They need to have respect for you, respect for the car, and respect for the rules of the road. If they can not demonstrate proper respect, they should not be able to drive. This also includes respect when speaking to law enforcement. While many teens may be tempted to try and outrun a cop car, it’s extremely important that your teen knows the consequences, legal and financial, of refusing to pull over and for traffic violations.
Changing the Oil
Car maintenance is important to keep it running for as long as possible. A brand new driver might not know how often to change the oil. If they aren’t aware of what to do and how often to do it, they may never do it at all. This can damage the engine. Teach your child how to change the oil and have a conversation about when it will be time to change it again.
Tire Services
The most common reason for car trouble involves the tires. They can deflate at almost any time. You don’t want your child to be left alone. Teach them how to change the tire. You should also make it clear that they shouldn’t drive on that tire for long. In fact, they should get tire services for rotating, replacement, and refilling the tire pressure.
No Phones and Driving
Teens always seem to be on their phones. Many teens will promise not to use their phone in the car, but, the truth of the matter is, most of them actually will. You should have a serious discussion about how important it is to put the phone away until you reach your destination. Remind them that they can’t take certain decisions back and need to be careful.
No Drinking and Driving
Everyone knows drinking and driving is bad. The problem is that drinking impairs our judgement. Teens aren’t exactly known for their great judgement to begin with, so adding liquor is a recipe for disaster. A couple of too many drinks can land someone in serious trouble that could change the course of their life. In some cases, a couple of too many drinks can lead to someone not coming back from the ride at all.
Getting a driver’s license doesn’t necessarily mean that a teenager is ready to drive. There are a lot of important lessons that aren’t tested in driver’s ed. Start with these lessons to encourage good driving.
