Image by ColorblindRain via Flickr
For many teenagers, driving means not only getting able to take themselves places but it also means freedom. For parents, their child being old enough to drive means total fear. However, there is a happy medium that you and your teenager can come to when it comes to driving.
Every person on the road, at one time or another is not paying full attention to the road because of the radio or their phone, but a new driver needs to learn good habits from the beginning and be more concerned about what is happening around them. When you are in the car while your child is driving, ask them simple questions about what is going on around them while they are driving. For example, ask them what street they just passed or what color the car behind them is.
Taking care of a vehicle is not only an important responsibility but it can be costly. It is important to put most of the responsibility on your teen so that the car becomes a privilege rather than something they deserve because they can drive. Work out an arrangement with them so that they can buy a reliable car. For example, if your child has a job, have them work for a few months and save their money. Match whatever they have earned and use the money to purchase a car. It will also teach your child responsibility if they are responsible for their own car insurance. As we all know, if you are a bad driver then your insurance goes up. They will be less likely to engage in reckless behavior if there are consequences.
