Teaching your kids to drive - Tips for parents.

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Teenagers crave freedom! Once your son or daughter gets a provisional driving licence many of them will want to hop into the first car they can and start as soon as they can. Before you get in the car to take them out for their first drive you should do your homework – here are some tips that might save you a little time, money or anxiety when teaching your teen how to drive.
Get Insurance!
If you think that your insurance will cover your son or daughter as you take them out for a lesson in the family car think again! The cost of insurance for a learner driver is cheaper than for 17 year olds who have passed – with you beside them as they learn they are much less likely to have an accident.
We have an article in our tip section on insurance for learner drivers, have a read of it!
Learn the Rules!
Would you pass the test if you sat it now? In a survey by Loyds TSB in 2004 found that 23% of adults believe they would fail if they had to retake the test – another 46% think they would only just scrape through. No matter what you think it is a good idea to take a look at your son or daughter’s theory test revision book, refresh on some rules. It is a good idea to know the answer to the “show me, tell me” questions too – Do you know what the legal minimum tread depth is? 1.6 mm obviously…
Almost everyone picks up a few bad habbits over time whether that’s letting the wheel slip through your hand after turning or not checking your blind spot regularly enough. Making sure that you know the rules is essential as not only does it help with the learning process but it also sets a good example.
Be a Role Model!
When your kids are driving on their own you want them to be safe drivers. Starting early really helps with this. It is important that you set an example when you give your kids lifts and when you teach them to drive, so even on the way to school don’t speed and your kids will be more likely to drive safely. Don’t speed, ignore road signs, go through when the lights are on orange when you really should have stopped and never exhibit road rage.
Be Patient!
Leading on from never showing signs of road rage – it is important to be patient with your son or daughter. As a parent your main job is to be supportive and to contribute to the learning process. When your son or daughter has a lesson with an ADI they will get taught how to do the technical parts of driving, such as manoeuvres, by a professional. It is important that you avoid becoming frustrated – family sometimes works great and sometimes arguments can pop up from nowhere. A car is a contained environment and it is easy to become frustrated when learning with a family member for hours at a time in a tight space.
If you have more than one car…
Choose the car with the best safety rating, the smallest engine size, air bags and anything else that will make the insurance cheaper, the learning process easier and will be a better match with the ADIs car.