Determine if Your Teen is Prepared to Get Behind the Wheel

Most teens are excited to get their license and start driving, but parents can be hesitant about their young drivers getting behind the wheel. It can sometimes be hard to tell if a teen is truly ready for the responsibility of driving and it is important for parents to recognize the signs of an unprepared teen driver. Showing responsibility, willingness to learn as well as a willingness to listen are usually good signs that teens are ready and can be safe while operating a vehicle. Below is a quiz that parents can use to gauge teen’s driving readiness.
1. An important part of driving is being responsible – a curfew has been set in your household for the weekend and your teen knows he needs to be home by 11:00p.m. What times does he or she arrive home?

2. Teens need to be receptive to learning and understanding different skills when it comes to driving. How well does your teen hold a conversation and how receptive is he or she to explanation and direction?

3. How teens handle their school tasks shows a lot about their level of responsibility and willingness to learn – how does your teen handle his or her homework?

4. Physical abilities can sometimes come into play when driving – how would you describe your teen’s physical capabilities?

5. Knowing and understanding the dangers of various road conditions is crucial to being safe behind the wheel. If your teen is planning on going to the beach, but it is raining and a flood warning has been issued, what does your teen do?

6. How teens act at home can be very different from how they act at school or work. How would your teen’s teachers or supervisors describe them?

7. Many times, young drivers will have friends with them while driving. How does your teen act around his or her friends? Does his or her personality change to garner the attention and/or approval of friends?

8. You know your teen better than anyone else – how comfortable are you that your teen can handle the responsibilities and be safe behind the wheel?

After going through this quiz and answering the questions honestly, it should create a pretty accurate picture of your teen’s readiness to drive. If teen drivers are faltering in some areas, talk to him or her about the amount of responsibility required to be a safe driver and the dangers they may face if they do not take driving seriously. For young adults getting their license, this can be both an exciting and scary time – making sure that teens are truly ready to get behind that wheel is vitally important to their safety and the safety of those around them.

If you think your teen is ready to drive, why not schedule driving lessons for your teen with one of the top driving schools in the South Jersey area? Learn more about our driving lessons today, click here.

*Photo Courtesy of wfbackker2 via Creative Commons License