How To Prepare Your Teen Driver Before They Hit The Road

It’s happened! There’s a new driver in the house.  In the blink of an eye, my daughter went and did the craziest thing, she grew up.  Honestly, it feels like just last week I was helping her put her hair up in pig tails for a gymnastics competition, and now….she’s asking for the car keys?  I find myself with a lump in my throat, a small ache in my heart as I realize I’m in the same boat as so many other parents of teens. Like it or not, we have new drivers in our house.  With warm weather and clearer conditions, driving tests have been passed, and we are in the midst of setting our “babies” free on the open road with a tiny piece of plastic that says they are indeed ready to take this big step.  Gulp.

It’s time to give them a bit more freedom, but not until we are sure they’re prepared!  So just how does a level-headed Mama in the suburbs ensure her daughter is truly road-ready?  Well, with an almighty list of course! One of the most exciting moments in a teenager’s life is when they get that driver’s licence.  They’re anxious to hit the road and explore the world.  It’s our job to make sure they are truly prepared.   Here are my tips to help your teen hit the road safely:

•  Be a good role model-– believe it or not, our young drivers will take cues and driving habits from us! We’re who they observe driving the most.
• Practice. Practice. Practice.  Once they have that first step, here in Ontario, it’s called a G1 level license and you cannot have them practice enough. It helps both of you get more comfortable.
• Chat with them about safe driving habits. Be sure to drive home that texting and driving is never okay: it could mean the difference between life and death, and should be taken as seriously as drinking and driving.
• Enroll them in a Drivers’ Education Program.
• Follow the rules that are associated with the G1 License including: Ensuring all passengers wear a functioning seatbelt, and that the number of passengers does not exceed the seatbelts available. Don’t drive between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m.
• Educate your young driver about changing road conditions.  In Canada roads can go from ideal to scary in a flash.  Remember that driving in bad weather takes extra experience and practice.
• Have appropriate insurance for your young driver.  A Broker, such as those provided by PC® auto insurance, can help determine your unique needs in order to ensure you have the right family coverage AND get any discounts you may be eligible for such as if your young driver is taking a driving course.  Insider Tip:  You earn 2X the regular PC® points when you pay your PC® auto insurance premium with your President’s Choice Financial® MasterCard® or bank card.
• Have an emergency car kit in every vehicle.  Car kits may include things like; a cell phone charger, flashlight, blanket, basic first aid supplies, a bottle of water, energy bars, ice scraper, shovel and jumper cables.

Before you set your teen out on the road, have a heart to heart.  Remind your young driver that driving is a privilege and not a right.  Encourage them to be the smart, level-headed, safe driver that they are, to enjoy the experience and have fun.  Good luck to all the parents out there, you’ve got this.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of PC® insurance. The opinions on this blog are my own.