If you’re in the process of teaching your teen to drive, you’ve probably wondered if you’re covering all of your bases. Have you taught them how to merge safely? What about a three-point turn? Did you talk about speeding, braking, and signaling?
While it’s important to teach your teen the basics of driving, it’s also critical to model good driving behavior in front of them.
One thing many parents fail to cover when they’re teaching their teens to drive is how to be a polite driver! Considering the fact that aggressive driving is a traffic violation and road rage is a criminal offense, teaching your teen to drive respectfully and safely should be a key component of your teen’s driving education. Of course, the best way to teach your teen good driving behavior is to demonstrate this in your own driving. Staying calm under pressure and not reacting aggressively when someone cuts you off, for example, shows your kids this concept in action. Your teen has learned about good driving etiquette in driver’s ed; now they need to visualize it in real life.