If there’s a teen in your family who’s just passed their driving test, they’re probably very eager to get down to the second hand dealership. Buying their very first car is a special moment, for both them and you as their parent, and you should definitely revel in the excitement of this moment!
But once you’re home again and things have settled, it’s time to go over the basics of developing the right road attitude! Teenagers are usually a lot more eager to be independent than they are receptive to tips and tricks from their elders, but it’s crucial to have this kind of talk before they start to operate a car of their own.
After all, passing your test isn’t everything. You’re qualified to drive in a legal manner, of course, but there’s still a lot of experience missing. Most teenagers don’t have a clue what to do when a tire bursts and they have to pull over to fix it!
So let’s go over a few of the best ways to encourage a healthy attitude towards car care, driving, and staying safe in the midst of traffic.
Walk Them Through Defensive Driving Techniques
You probably spent a lot of time in the car with your teenage son or daughter, letting them take the wheel for a bit of driving practice outside of their official lessons. During that time, you probably walked them through a few defensive driving techniques that you regularly use yourself.
Now that they’ve passed their test, it’s time for a refresher! Go through as many defensive driving techniques as you can manage, and be sure to do so in your teen’s new car itself. Let them take you out for a drive and show you how they plan to approach being on the road.
Personalising Their Vehicle Encourages Carefulness
Any parent out there knows that kids can often take things for granted. If you buy them something, even if it was expensive and they’d been asking for it for ages, they may not look after it as carefully as you’d like. They may also expect it to be simply replaced when it breaks!
You can discourage this attitude in your teenager by allowing them to personalise their vehicle. Let them do this to their heart’s content; they’re far more likely to be careful with the car when they’ve put time and effort into it!
And it’s unlikely they’ll be able to buy their first car with their own money, so personalisation is the thing to rely on here. Take them accessories shopping, where they can buy seat covers, floor mats, a steering wheel cover, dashboard accessories, air fresheners, etc.
You should also look through the selection of number plates for sale online, and see if they’d like to get a personalised plate for their vehicle. This is a pretty notable accessory to invest in, but it’s one that carries a price tag that’s much more affordable for them, so they can even buy it with their own money!
Let Them Experience Financial Consequences
Maybe your teen didn’t pay attention as they were parking their car, and they managed to smash a brake light by backing into a bollard?
Maybe they just ignored a warning light that had been appearing on the dashboard, and now they suddenly can’t get the car to start?
Or maybe they’re supposed to save the last £20 of their monthly allowance to put petrol in every 2 weeks, but they impulsively spent it and now they can’t get around like usual?
Whilst these things can sometimes be innocent mistakes, teenagers are of an age where responsibilities are becoming more serious. If you want them to be as safe as possible on the road, encouraging a sense of patience and better judgement is essential.
As such, make sure you let them experience the financial consequences of their actions. For example, if something on the car needs fixing, it has to come out of their allowance. Or if they need to borrow your car for a little while, they have to pay for their own fuel.
Hear them out, of course, but don’t let complaints of unfairness stop you from following the rules when they need to be applied. Reinforcing this attitude in a way that makes life inconvenient for them in the short term is often the most effective way to make the lesson stick.
In doing so, you’ll help them to face up to the dangers of driving, and how focus, attention, and proactiveness is required to be a responsible road user.
Show Them What to Do in an Emergency
Teen drivers aren’t exempt from having to deal with road emergencies. They may break down, pop a tire, or witness a crash and need to stop and help. In situations like these, it’s always better to have an idea of what to do before they occur.
Preparing them for accidents and emergencies will help them to act swiftly and safely. Walk them through the basics, like ensuring they’ve parked their own car safely and how to check that they’re safe to get out of it.
Let them know what their vehicle already comes equipped with, whether that’s a set of tools in the back, some jump cables for restarting the engine, or a spare tire they can swap for the burst one.
Similarly, make sure they know what emergency numbers to call when they’re involved in trouble, such as their breakdown operator or the insurance company they’re covered by.
Help Your Teen Be Confident on the Road
Encouraging the right road attitude in teenagers can involve a lot of back and forth. Sometimes you won’t even be sure your words have sunk in, or if they’ve just come right back out the other ear!
But when you apply these tips to the situation, your teen will find it easier to pick up what you’re putting down. Remember, the more they know, the better a driver they’ll be.