Driving Tips
New Driver:
* Do not be over confident, know that everybody had to learn to drive and that it takes time.
* Do not take risk.
* Get plenty of rest before driving. Over 1550 highway deaths annually are caused by fatigue drivers.
* Minimize destractions in the vehicle while your are driving i.e limit passengers, no music or low music, no food or drinking while the vehicle is moving.
* It is illegal for your unlicensed driver to drive on a public vehicular area and to sit in the driver's seat of a motor vehicle while the engine is running.
Supervising Driver:
Before your first driving session as a supervising driver with the permit holder goals and expectations should be discussed to include the skills you will be practicing.
Try to make the new driver as relaxed, comfortable and confident as possible. The first driving sessions should be in an area that the new driver is familiar with and an area with low traffic volume (this will help the new driver to build confidence). Remember you did not become a skilled driver overnight and neither will this driver so be patient. If you are the nervous type consider letting someone else be the supervising driver, at least initially until the new driver is more confident and not easily upset.
Additional tips:
Provide some warm-up time. First practice in safe areas, away from other cars, with low stress and risk. Then, as you get more comfortable with one another, you'll be ready to take on bigger challenges, like the open road and the highway.
Keep it simple. Practice skills one at a time. In basketball, a person can't learn to shoot, defend, pass, and dribble all at once, and the same goes for driving skills. Remember that it can be hard for new drivers to process multiple things at once while trying to drive — it can even be a distraction.
Turn mistakes into lessons. When a mistake happens, have your teen pull over, if possible, so you can talk calmly about what went wrong and how to avoid repeats.
As long as you are alert and attentive while your rookie driver is at the wheel, you should be prepared to help with any situation that may arise.
Be a Resource for Your Teen A simple tutorial about the basics of car maintenance, like changing a tire, is important for a new driver. So show your son or daughter where the spare tire, lug wrench, and other equipment is kept and how to use it.