I had gone to California, to help my daughter with her new baby. From the Bob Hope Airport, I had to take a tram to Thousand Oaks where they lived. I remember scanning the schedule and choosing a tram for me and toddler Ryan to take. As it turns out, if I had chosen the very next tram, I would have been in the middle of a very bad accident, in which 40 were killed! What caused this crash of two trams? One conductor was on his cell phone and didn’t see the notice to change tracks!
Our teenagers cannot be on their phones while they drive! Here are some other tricks for new drivers:
Is your Teenager almost ready to Drive?This is Great News! You can turn over some of the chauffeuring! Unless you stress out too much in the process!
We found that a few rules set in place make a huge difference:
1. Count every minute that he or she drives with a parent. Have them keep the running total. Even tiny runs help you get to the 30 hours required–10 nighttime. It’s a lot, but this is a great time to connect with your teen. You have an undivided attention, and you can talk over many things–along with the rules of the road. If you insist on the full 30 hours, and follow driving rules exactly, they will learn that obeying exactly is important for them too. After the tests are over and the license is in hand, there’s more to require.
2. No driving with music for three months. This takes one distraction away, until your new driver gets more experience.
3. No driving with friends for six months. Your teenagers’ friends will approach him or her and say, “You have your license. You can drive us all now!” “No,” you will want your new driver to say, “I’m not allowed to drive other people for six months.” Once again, your teenager will have time to learn the ropes without the huge distraction of friends in the car.
4. Absolutely no cell phones while driving. Make them promise. You love your teen too much to let them break this rule! Your teen may not like these rules, but when you explain the need for less distraction because you want them to be safe, that the rule is out of love, they will follow it better.
With rules in place from the start, the journey will go much smoother and much safer!
(See also Teenage Years are Tricky: Do Not Be Too Picky: https://theanswerismorelove.com/…/teenage-years-are…/)
Good counsel Marlene. One thing my teenagers (a couple of them) taught me is that they would always–without fail–bow their head before they begin to drive each time and ask the others in the car to join them in prayer for safety on the road. I was very touched as I (usually unnoticed by them) watched them drive away to school in the morning and I couldn’t bring myself to wave good-bye till they finished that prayer. It was very heart warming to me as I joined them in that prayer so often.