It probably feels like you’ve only just taught them how to ride a bike and now your kids want to get their driver’s license and spread their wings? Remember what a big step it was for you to finally get behind the steering wheel and try to not worry too much about this big step towards independence. This is an incredibly exciting but also stressful time for your kids, so try and support them along the way.
Here are 5 tips on how you can help your kids pass their driving test:
Find the right driving instructor
It might sound very obvious but finding the right driving instructor is crucial to your kids not only gaining the necessary skills but also the necessary confidence to pass their driving test and conduct a vehicle in a safe way. Ask friends or family recommendations, check Google for reviews or arrange for a taster session. Many driving schools offer them to help you figure out if the driving instructor might be a good fit. Of course, you aren’t looking for your teen’s soulmate or happily ever after but they (and you) should have a good feeling about the person they’ll be spending their driving lessons with.
Get insurance
If you are planning on practising with your teen, no matter if you are using your own or a borrowed car, it’s important to have suitable insurance for your junior’s first diving adventures. Organising day car insurance is a great option if you don’t want the long-term commitment of adding a driver to your personal policy. You can book different options from 1h to 5 months and for drivers of almost every age, so make sure to check out the best option for you before you hit the roads with your offspring.
Organise private practice
Practice makes perfect - so make sure to squeeze in the odd extra lesson with your teen. Almost every big city has driving centres that allow you to practise everything from roundabouts to parallel parking and if that fails just head to a big supermarket car park after hours and let your teen get that little bit more confident behind the wheel.
Brush up on theory
All their practical driving skills don’t mean anything if your future driver doesn’t know the highway code, including road signs, right of way or other important rules that will help them drive safely. Don’t worry, though, there are several ways to support your learner driver. Help them revise for the test or supply them with practice material such as apps, DVDs or mock exams. Making sure they know their theory by heart will give them much more confidence once they’re ready to hit the road - I mean, who wants their kid to break out in a nervous sweat once they roll up to a crossroad or roundabout, right?
Be encouraging
Rome wasn’t built in a day and the same goes for learning to drive - it takes time and practice to learn a new skill. So try and encourage your learner driver whenever you can. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on them when you’re out practising and try to stay calm and collected even if you feel like ripping the steering wheel out of their hands. Shouting at them will only stress them out and make them feel insecure about their progress. Constructive feedback and praise will go a much longer way and even if your teen fails their test, they are not alone. A whopping 73% of learner drivers fail their first test, so it really isn’t anything to worry about. They will drive eventually!
What about you, did you pass your driving test the first time around?
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