Skip to main content

How to Coach a Teen to Drive Safely

Image courtesy of
FreeDigitalPhotos.net and pakorn
Our youngest turned 16 this year and before too long, she’ll be driving.  We already have a used car parked in our driveway that will be getting a tune up, new tires and a full inspection.  We didn’t pay much for it and I wouldn’t trust it on long trips, but it will become her transportation to get her to school and to work and back.  And each day she leaves the driveway, my wife and I will cross our fingers and say a few prayers, even though she has older brothers who set out on this same journey ahead of her.

 One reason for our parental worry is what we learned from a
Reid Hollister
recent guest who appeared on my parenting television show at the Enfield Cox studios.  Tim Hollister of Connecticut lost his 17-year-old son Reid in a driving accident in 2006.  Since that tragic incident, Mr. Hollister wrote the book “Not So Fast: Parenting Your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving.”  Visit Mr. Hollister’s Website, http://www.FromReidsDad.org.
Tim Hollister
As the national authority and spokesperson for safer teen driving, Tim Hollister will tell you that he thought he had everything covered as far as training and coaching his son when it came to driving skills.  The two most important things that Tim shared with me in the interview: avoid allowing your teen to take passengers and discourage joyriding.  The reason is that in the first year of your teen’s driving experience, driving without intention and for just the joy of driving around increases the dangers to your teen.  In his book, he offers parents the following tips for coaching your teen through the first few years of driving:


DON’T BE BLIND TO THE DANGERS
All too often, parents find it difficult to accept the fact that their teen could be at risk.  They suffer from the ‘halo effect’ in a sense and believe that, “It couldn’t happen to my child, she’s a very safe driver.”  Keep your child safe by accepting that the dangers exist and establish rules and boundaries around the privilege of driving.

 ENGAGE EVERY TIME YOUR TEEN DRIVES AWAY
Mr. Hollister advises parents to know where their teen is headed, what route he is taking, the current traffic and weather conditions, his mental state, the return trip, if there are passengers, and more.  It’s a fact that teenagers do not have the cognitive capacity to take all of these preparations into consideration, but the parent does.

 THE TEEN DRIVING AGREEMENT

Every parent should draft an agreement that clearly states the dangers, and lists rules and consequences of the violation of those rules.  But its primary purpose is to initiate calm and productive conversations about driving, conduct and expectations.  It should also be signed and reviewed regularly to keep the important content in the forefront of the teen’s conscious thinking.  



Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 22, 2015 at 5:22 PM

    It's hard not to worry when you, yourself, have personally met someone who was a victim of a road accident. I'm sure your daughter is not that reckless, but then again, there is no way of telling how a day will go. At any rate, there are ways to lessen the risks, and that book definitely checks out on how to coach teens on driving safely. Thanks for sharing that, Bill! All the best to you! :)

    Sabrina Craig @ Medical Attorney NY

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

About Me

My photo
Bill Corbett
Bill Corbett is a nationally recognized parent educator, author, and speaker known for his practical and compassionate approach to raising children. He has helped countless parents, caregivers, and professionals better understand child behavior and discipline through his workshops, seminars, books, and media appearances. As the creator of the "Love, Limits & Lessons" parenting program, Corbett emphasizes respectful and effective communication, age-appropriate expectations, and the importance of emotional connection in child-rearing. His work is grounded in positive discipline strategies that foster cooperation and confidence in both children and parents.

Popular posts from this blog

The Fun Way of Getting Kids to Pick Up Their Toys Without Nagging

  AKA :  The Secret Loving Hand Technique Every parent knows the pain of stepping on a Lego at two in the morning — that sharp, unforgettable reminder that the kids didn’t clean up again. We’ve all been there, asking (or begging) our children to put their toys away, only to find the same mess waiting later. But what if there were a calmer, more loving way to teach kids responsibility — one that doesn’t involve nagging, yelling, or power struggles? Over the years, I discovered one of the most effective and heart-centered methods I’ve ever used. I call it the Loving Hand Technique , and it’s all about connection, agreement, and gentle follow-through. (If you'd rather listen to the podcast version of this blog post, CLICK THIS LINK now. You can also watch the video version on Youtube by CLICKING HERE .) 1. The Two Types of Toys (and Why It Matters) When it comes to toy clutter, not all toys are created equal. I like to think of them as two types: Big, Bulky Toys These ar...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Love and Logic has it Wrong... Again!

Children don’t often demonstrate respect because they either don’t know what it looks like or, as the Father of Individual Psychology, Alfred Adler taught us, their disrespectful behavior is their way of attempting to get unmet needs satisfied.  The secret to getting kids to treat their parents and others with respect is to first treat them with respect and to then help them find their place in the family or the classroom.  But the creators of the LOVE AND LOGIC parenting program would have you believe differently.  All parenting programs are not created equal and in my opinion, many are misguided and offer parents and teachers bad information.  It is my belief that we should not just be demanding and manipulating our kids to be more cooperative, we should be raising children who WANT to cooperate and be engaged in the family or classroom because they feel encouraged to do so. HOW TO STOP KIDS' BEGGING FOR TOYS One of those programs that frequently offers...
6 comments
Read more

She Told Me I'd Never Amount to Anything... Here's What Happened Next!

This post is going to deviate from my usual topics that I write about, so I hope my regular readers will bear with me. It's a post you may want to read if you've accepted the wrong job offer. While working on my autobiography, I remembered an excruciating experience as a twenty-something new to the workforce, following my military service. It was an experience that many would have trouble believing, or at the very least, would certainly hope that it couldn't happen in today's workforce. Then I remembered my friend and author, Jeff Davis, who recently released his book THE COURAGE TO LEAVE: BREAKING FREE FROM TOXIC WORKPLACES . I thought to myself, I need to tell him that I've got a doozy for him for his next edition. Believe it or not, here's what took place. One of my first jobs after my tour in the service was working in the IT department at a 100-year-old company. It was located in a mid-sized city in New England, and I had been hired into an entry-level posi...
1 comment
Read more