Do you remember how it seemed like it was ten years from
the time you hit fifteen-and-a-half and when you finally could get your driving
permit? It was the biggest step of your
teen-age life. You just could NOT wait! Then you turned sixteen and got the
Driver’s Manual. Boy how you studied!
Did you take Driver’s Ed at school? Remember those gory films? They
almost scared you enough to give up the idea of driving; but nothing, no nothing,
could keep you from wanting that license. The day you hit sixteen, you were
there and ready for the test. Watch out
world, teen driver on the road!
Nowadays, drivers have many more requirements before they
can get out on the road. After passing the written test and getting a permit, a
six-month skill-building period is required. During this time, a teen must put
in 65 practice hours with a licensed driver over eighteen. They must drive in
all types of weather and on all kinds of roads. A parent must document this
practice. Teen drivers may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The number of
passengers must match the number of seatbelts in the vehicle. Only one
passenger under 18 is permitted if not a family member. After six months of
practice, three passengers under 18 are allowed – if a parent is along for the
ride.
These are all very sensible rules, but I say, why wait
until sixteen to start teaching your child how to drive? Why not start the
first day they are tall enough to see out the car windows? We start our kids
out in sports at five and six so that they will be prepared for the big
leagues. Why not prepare them for the big roads too?
Now I do not mean that you should put them behind the
wheel. There are many ways to teach good driving skills. First, be a good example. Follow the rules of
the road. Keep to the speed limit. Drive defensively. Don’t drive under the
influence. Don’t eat or drink. Stay off
the phone. Set the GPS before starting the engine. Show your kids what a good
driver looks like.
Talk to your kids about driving. Teach them the rules of
the road. Say, “I’m checking my mirrors
before I change lanes to make sure it is safe.” “I always wear my seatbelt.” “I
turn off the cell phone while driving.” “I am always extra careful in parking
lots because I must watch for cars and pedestrians.”
Include your children in navigating the roads. Have them
help you plan your route. Ask them to keep an eye out for addresses, no
left-turn lanes, cars changing lanes, traffic signals, road signs, and pedestrians.
Let them practice signaling when riding their bikes. Set up practice courses for toy trucks.
Driving is a serious business. Treat it with a serious attitude. Safe
driving rules are not “meant to be broken.” Do you know that accidents go up by
50% when a junior driver has one passenger under eighteen? That rate rises five times when more than one
young passenger joins the crowd. Automobile accidents are the leading cause of
teenage deaths. We want all of our teens to be around long enough to teach
their own kids to drive.
Point well taken!
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