For most parents the thought of their little ones turning into teenagers is terrifying – but it happens. As they get older they start going out more and doing things to mostly annoy you. However, one thing we know they’ll do is learn to drive.
Watching them learn to drive is one thing, and getting them a car is another issue altogether, especially when you have to consider the perfect time to buy one. When looking for a first car, make sure you do your research to find one that is cheaper to insure and cost effective to run. Places like Fords of Winsford are a great place to shop for first time buyers and buying second hand is your best bet with a teenager. However, there is more than just the car itself to worry about and here are some important lessons about driving to clue your teen up on.
Stress Management
When it comes to driving we know it can be stressful, from driving around a city you’ve never visited before, to getting stuck in traffic and taking a wrong turn, the pressure can all add up. However, there’s nothing more dangerous than a stressed driver. Therefore, a great thing to teach teenagers is stress management, which will surely help them in other areas of their life too. If you provide them with a number of strategies to help them calm down, this should help them remain calm behind the wheel, instantly helping to reduce to chance of speeding or an accident.
Pass Plus
As we all know, even after you’ve passed your test, there’s still a lot to learn. However, when you’re a teenager, you tend to think you know everything, which isn’t always the case. This is why Pass Plus is a great thing for teens to do once they’ve passed their test, which helps new drivers to improve skills and gain more experience. They learn this through driving in different conditions, such as on motorways, at night and on urban or rural roads, which they may not have covered. This isn’t a test, but a way to improve on their learned skills, and can help to reduce insurance premiums too.
Black Box
We’ve all heard how the first year is always the worst for a teenage driver. A way you can tackle this for your child is by having a black box fitted in their car. A telematics device, this will help to monitor how the car is driven, and can offer rewards such as lower premiums if the car is driven safely. This is a great way to not only keep an eye on them, but to encourage them to be safer on the roads.
Set an Example
Last but not least, lead by example. If you’re taking your teenager places in the car and find yourself driving erratically, or getting angry at people, they’re only going to pick up on this and replicate it themselves. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that the only driving habits they see are good ones, helping to encourage them to be safer behind the wheel.