As your child gets older, they will reach all sorts of milestones, from finishing school to learning to drive – and lots in between. While some milestones are easier to accept and enjoy, others can be a little more nerve-wracking for parents, because no matter how old our children get we still worry about them. 

Your teenager reaching the legal age to be able to get behind the wheel is one of those love-hate parenting moments. On the one hand, you’re most likely pleased that they will have some freedom and be able to get around without calling on you to taxi them around, but on the other hand, you may be wondering how safe of a driver they will actually be and whether they will be a risk to themselves (and others) while out and about on the roads. 

While it can be daunting having your child reach an age where they’re legally allowed to get behind the wheel, there are lots of steps that you can take to make sure that your child learns how to drive in a safe manner, without putting themselves or others at risk.

Wondering how you can encourage your teen to become a safer driver? Have a read of the tips and advice below, 

Find them a good instructor 

The first step to ensuring that your teenager becomes a safe driver is to make sure that they have a good instructor to teach them. What you want to look out for is a driving instructor who is skilled and experienced and who takes driver safety extremely seriously. 

If you’re unsure of who to choose, look for top-rated driving instructors from your local area. Search online to find all the best-reviewed instructors, as well as ask friends and relatives if they can recommend anyone. 

Ensure that they understand the highway code 

An important aspect of making sure that your teen stays safe while out and about on the roads is to make sure that they understand (and are clear about) the highway code. The highway code is a key aspect for making sure that your teen is a safe driver because without following the rules of the code it’s impossible to drive in a safe and stable way. 

In addition to highway codebooks, there are lots of other more interesting resources that you can utilize to encourage your teen to learn and understand the highway code and the many aspects that come into it. There are online video tutorials, as well as smartphone apps that make learning and understanding the code more interesting and more achievable. 

Get them a safe car 

If you’re going to give your teen the best chance of being safe while out and about on the roads, it’s important that they have a safe car to drive in. Don’t make the mistake of picking them up an old, outdated car that lacks adequate safety features. Instead, select a vehicle for them based on how safe said make and model is to drive, and the safety features it has in place. 

When choosing a car, adding a few treats to it is a nice way to congratulate your teen on their driving success. Little things like nice seat covers, a steering wheel cover, and perhaps looking at private plates for sale, could all be nice ways to show them how proud you are of them and how far their driving has come. 

School them in the consequences of unsafe driving 

A good way to make sure that your teenager does their very best to drive safely at all times is to take the time to school them on what the consequences of unsafe driving might be. 

There are lots of videos online that show bereaved parents talking about how their children died in car wrecks, police men and women talking about the severity of the accidents that they’ve seen, and teenagers explaining how their silly decision led to the loss of someone who they cared very much about. 

These videos might seem intense and sad, but being clear with your teenager about the consequences of unsafe driving is the best way to encourage them to drive safely and not make silly choices. 

There you have it, a guide to how you can encourage your teenager to become a safer driver. Take note of the tips above and you can give your teenager the best chance of learning how to drive safely on the roads, keeping themselves and others safe.