Teaching your teen to drive can be a stressful time for both the teen and yourself as a parent. Your teen wants to prove they are capable and independent and you want to prepare them for the road ahead as best as you can.
Fortunately, the Star Wars franchise offers some timeless wisdom regarding how best to teach your teen to drive.
Has there been a disturbance in the Force?
You’ve watched your child turn into a teenager before your eyes, so you should have a sense of when you think your teenager is ready to get behind the wheel. Feel free to express that feeling but let your teen take the initiative to ask for assistance.
Let’s get it started
Before you have even hit the road, make sure your teenager is comfortable in their seat. Adjust the mirrors, seats and steering wheel to fit their size and acquaint them with some of the features of the car.
Proper hand placement
Always good to remember that hands on the wheel should be at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock.
Everybody likes a compliment
Positive reinforcement makes good habits stick. Finding things to correct about your teen’s driving will be easy, especially at first. Do your best to highlight the things they are doing well!
Hard work and focus is all you need
Always ensure you are keeping your young driver aware of their surroundings. Ask questions to keep their attention on the road ahead and give them plenty of notice before giving directions.
Positive you must be
Your role as a parent is to give your child the confidence to grow up to be their own person. The same is true behind the wheel. If you are getting frustrated, your teenager is going to have a harder time following your instructions. Give your teenager the confidence to be a good driver by keeping a level head.
Avoid adverse driving conditions
Keep it simple at first. Start off in daylight and good weather in an empty parking lot. Once they’re more comfortable, move on to a quiet residential area and then, if they’re ready, challenge them a little on the streets with heavier traffic. Remember, the number of times you drive with your teen is more important than the amount of time in each session. In the beginning, limit your practice time to 15 to 20 minutes at a time. As your teen’s confidence increases, you can extend practice times.
Set a good example.
Follow good driving practices when you’re in the drivers seat. If you try to beat the yellow light or make abrupt lane changes, so will your teen.
Checklist
Here is what your teenager should comfortably be able to do before taking a driver’s test:
How to turn on and off headlights
How to turn on and off and to adjust windshield wipers
What the various lights on the dashboard mean
Stop the car smoothly
Shift gears if using a manual transmission
Use mirrors and check blind spots
Safely back the car up straight
Scanning for, identifying and obeying traffic signs
Keeping a safe following distance when in traffic
Navigate safely through an intersection, including those with signals, four-way stops, two-way stops and uncontrolled intersections
Make a smooth and safe lane change
Operate within posted speed limits
Safely cross railroad tracks
Park safely on a hill—facing uphill and facing downhill
Safely parallel park
Make a safe U-turn
Make a safe three-point turn
How to fuel the vehicle, check the oil, and inflate the tires
What to do in case of an accident
May the Force be with you.
Teaching your teen to drive can be a harrowing experience, but it doesn’t have to be. You can make a huge difference in your teen’s driving, now and in the future by keeping a level head, building skill by skill and by appreciating the cinematic masterpiece that is Star Wars.