3 Often-Overlooked Skills To Teach Your Teen Driver
Posted on: 22 March 2017
Getting a driver's license can be a major accomplishment for any teen, but it can also mean that your auto insurance premiums increase due to the increased risk of insuring a teen driver. If your teen gets into an accident your monthly premiums could increase even further, so taking precautions to help your teen avoid an accident can be a great way to keep your auto insurance rates as low as possible.
Giving your teen driver access to as many skills as possible can help him or her stay safe behind the wheel. Here are three often-overlooked skills that you should be teaching your teen driver in the near future.
1. Driving over long distances.
Many parents make the mistake of only allowing their teen drivers to take the wheel for short trips in town. While these short trips can give your child experience navigating traffic and maneuvering a vehicle in an urban setting, they cannot prepare your child for the unique aspects of a long-distance drive.
Anyone who has been behind the wheel for a road trip knows that driving over long distances can be both tiring and boring. Plan a road trip and let your teen drive so that he or she can gain valuable experience in maintaining alertness at all times. This skill will translate over to increased safety on both long and short drives.
2. Navigating dark roads.
You need to spend some time giving your teen driver the chance to get behind the wheel after dark. Driving during the night comes with some unique challenges. You child will need to learn how to avoid being blinded by the headlights of oncoming cars and how to carefully read road signs to navigate unfamiliar areas in the dark.
By working with your child to gain night-driving skills, you can reduce the likelihood that he or she will cause an accident if required to drive at night without your assistance in the future.
3. Navigating uncommon road features.
It's important for your teen driver to be prepared to face anything when behind the wheel of a car. You can give your child valuable experience navigating uncommon road features by locating a roundabout, four-way stop with only flashing lights, or stoplight that has malfunctioned in your area.
Instructing your child when it is his or her turn to go can help the teen driver gain valuable skills in yielding the right-of-way that will help him or her avoid accidents in the future.
Taking the time to help your teen driver more fully develop his or her skills behind the wheel will not only keep your child safe but help you keep your insurance rates low by avoiding accidents.
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