How to Teach a Teen to Drive and Why Mums are Best for the Job %page

I don’t know about you but when my kids hit driving age, I was planning on taking a back seat. Like literally. No front-seat action here, thank you very much. I’ve done a lot in the parental duties department and the whole ‘how to teach a teen to drive’ thing most certainly falls into the lap of an instructor or their father.

Except… turns out, having mum in the car actually changes a teen’s brain, for the better. Science proves it. So buckle up mums, you may be in charge of driving lessons after all. Damn.

Slow down, mum’s watching

Teenagers are safer drivers with mum, according to a study at the University of Illinois. They are more cautious, more aware ad less likely to run a yellow light.

The study focused on 25 teen drivers who were asked to complete a driving simulation test as quickly as possible. The driving simulation included 26 intersections. The teens had the option to stop for a yellow light, which would cause a three-second delay, or speed through the light — which was the fastest option — if they didn’t crash.

If they did crash, it caused a six-second delay in their total time.

The teens went through the course once on their own, and once under the gaze of mum.

So, how did they go?

The study confirmed that, with mum in the car, the participants were less likely to run the yellow lights. Driving alone, the participants ran through the yellow lights around 55 percent of the time, but when mum was there, that rate dropped to 45 percent.

via GIPHY

Top tips for teaching teens to drive

So there you go – mum in the front seats makes for better teen drivers. And considering learners need 120 hours of supervised driving lessons (with an adult), you better get comfy in that passenger seat. Oh, and 20 hours of those are at night too. Fun times.

Below are our top tips on how to teach a teen to drive:

Avoid annoying times. Like school pick up and 5pm rush when other drivers on the road are not quite as tolerant of slow learner drivers who don’t want to risk going 2km over the limit.

I think one of the most stressful things about learning to drive is the impatient drivers on the road. It might be a good idea to start on roads that are less busy before moving to freeways, highways and main routes.

Mix it up. You will eventually need to get your learner comfortable in all driving situations – roundabouts, stop signs, driving at night, driving in the CBD, and driving in the heavy rain. It’s all part of the learning experience.

Don’t pressure them to take the wheel. Some teens simply don’t feel confident behind the wheel and it may take months and months to get those hours up. Don’t force it – ask if they want to drive, and, if not, reclaim your spot in the driver’s seat.

Add road safety to the dinner convo. Try to slip some road rules into regular conversation. You will 90% of the time be met with eye rolls and “mum, really?” but, hey, at least you tried!

Ask, don’t tell. Rather than telling them what to do, ask them what they should be doing. They need to be able to make decisions on the road themselves and asking them what they should be doing can help them train their brain to do this.

Set a good example. Sure, you’ve driven with one hand on the wheel for 10 years now, but it’s important to return to the realm of ‘good girl’ driving to model for your teenager. Or else, when you tell him to put his hand on the 10 and 2 positions, he’ll happily reply with, “but you don’t.”

Point to where you want to go. Ues, use left and right but also point. Why. Because left and right can be tricky for some learners and just adds another level of pressure to the situation. To this day I still need help with my lefts and rights.

And, whatever you do, don’t make that weird mum-wincing face. You know the one. Like you’re about to die every time they touch the break. Also don’t sigh, or suck out through your teeth, or breathe out heavily or hold onto your seat for dear life.

Not a good look for an already-anxious teen behind the wheel!