Teaching your child to drive is an important milestone in both of your lives as for the first time in 17 years (or more!) you’ll both have a new found independence that is priceless.
For some parents, teaching your child to drive can be an incredibly difficult experience, and one in twenty even go as far as to say that it is worse than giving birth, getting through school exams and dealing with illness.
6 Tips for Stress-Free Driving Lessons
In partnership with Young Driver and our Goodyear Driving Academy, we’ve pulled together some useful driving tips that can help you teach your children the rules of the road safely:
- Stay calm – The roles have reversed and for the first time in your child’s life they are responsible for your safety. Remember to stay calm as your nerves will create a tense situation that isn’t a healthy learning environment. Turn off the radio and all mobile phones to ensure you’re both concentrating.
- Talk about it – Ask someone they trust to have an open and honest chat with them about the responsibilities of driving. They possibly won’t listen to you, but would they listen to an aunt, uncle or grandparents?
- Be smart – Help them to study for their Theory Test. Check they understand what they’re reading and that they’re not just cramming in order to pass. Understanding the rules of the road will help them keep safe.
- Plan your route – Poor route planning will lead to the learner making mistakes and being stressed behind the wheel. It’s your responsibility to make sure that the route you take is appropriate for your child’s driving skill set.
- Learning aids – Take the time to invest in ‘L’ plates and ensure that you put them in an appropriate place that doesn’t obstruct the drivers view. You can also consider buying an extra rear view mirror so that you’re aware of your surroundings at all times.
- Practice makes perfect – Try, try and then try again. Once they have their provisional licence get out on the road with them in-between lessons as much as you can. Help them to see and understand the dangers and risks they might face.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) says it takes learners, on average, 45 hours of professional tuition and 22 hours of private practice to pass their driving test. So, the more time you spend helping your child to learn to drive in the correct way, the more likely they will be to abide by the rules of the road and be an overall safer driver.
For extra information on teaching your child how to drive, visit Young Driver and our Driving Academy.
