For any parent, it’s terrifying when your child grows up. One minute, they’re running around in diapers, the next, they’re having babies of their own. And it seems to go by in a heartbeat. But before they get from A to Z overnight, then end somewhere in the middle. And those teen years can be the most terrifying of all. Because they’re starting to grow up. They know their own mind, they’re heading out on their own, they’re falling for first loves and worse – they’re on the road! Because when your child starts to become a mini adult, it can make you worry about them so much more. And when it comes to them hitting the road, you always want to make sure that they’re as safe as possible. But how do you go about that?
As much as you might like to ensure that they’re safe, you do have to trust that they’re going to be responsible enough to look after themselves. But before you let them go off on their own, you need to prepare them. And this is never going to be every parent’s favorite thing to do. It can be frustrating, but it’s always worth it. Because if you can make sure that your kid knows all there is (as much as possible) to know about being safe, then you’ll rest assured that you’ve done all you can. So to make sure that your teen is as prepared as possible for the road, here’s what you need to do.
Preset The Rules
First of all, you’re going to want to make sure that you lay down your rules. Having a teen on the road is scary. But the stats around teen drivers are very real, so as much as you may think that your kid is responsible, they may not be when they get out there on the road. So coming up with a contract or agreement can be a great idea. From not driving around aimlessly or with other kids in the car, to having a curfew, there may be different stipulations that you want to highlight here.
Find A Suitable Car
When you’ve laid down the law, you can then think about the best car for them. Because you want to find something that they’re going to be safe in, but that they’re comfortable driving too. And this can be hard to find. But there are a range of cars for teens, like the Toyota Camry that could be ideal. So be sure to consider your price range and test drive a few different models to find the right fit.
Work Out The Costs
Your next job is to talk money. Because this can be a sensitive topic. Maybe they’re assuming that you’ll pay for everything. If you are, maybe there should be some stipulations as this parenting.blogs.nytimes.com post points out? From keeping their grades up to getting a job, this could vary. You may also want to work out if they’re paying for gas or insurance or not. It’s good to iron this out before you buy.
Have The Cell Talk
You probably think that it’s obvious, but your teen may not be so against using their devices in the car. Because what’s the big deal, right? And it’s because of this that you will have to have the cell phone talk with them, just to make sure that they know the consequences of being on their cell.
Practice With Them
You’ll also want to stress the importance of practice. No teen driver is perfect, but they really do need to make sure they’re ready before they hit the road solo. If it gives you peace of mind, you may also want to think about practicing with them, so that you can see how they’re progressing.
Go Over Important Maintenance
From here, there’s also maintenance. Teaching your teen about car maintenance can be like speaking to a brick wall, but if they’re responsible enough to have a car, then they’re also taking on the responsibility of maintaining it too. Make sure they know what checks they need to make, and well as what regular maintenance needs doing and how often they should do it. Then, you’ll know that they’re best equipped when it comes to auto knowledge.
Find The Right Insurance
Then there’s also insurance too. This is often difficult to arrange for teens as it can be expensive. So you may want to look into options well before they’re ready to drive, just to make sure you know what kind of prices you’re looking at, as well as what policies or insurance providers will be the best for you to go with.
Have A Probationary Period
From here, you may also want to consider having a probationary period. If you want to be completely convinced that they will be safe and you won’t have to involve someone such as www.dkblawyers.com, make them drive with you first. Then, when you’re confident that they’re not going to be careless and cause accidents, then you’ll be able to let them hit the road alone.
Go Over Your State Laws
Every state has teen driving laws. So well before they get out there on the road, you’re going to make sure that you know what they are. But not only that, they have to be well versed in them too. Because there would be nothing worse to have prepared your teen to be out on the road for them to then break state laws without knowing it. So be sure to check on the laws, particularly the time restrictions.
Stress The Importance Of Responsibility
Finally, you’re then going to want to finish off with the responsibility talk. Because you are trusting them out there on the road, and you want to know that they’re going to be safe and reliable. When you’ve done this, you should find that they’re all ready to get out there on the road.