Homeschool Zoo Annex: Teen drivers revisited

Friday, February 11, 2011

Teen drivers revisited

When my kids were teens, I taught them to drive defensively. I rode with them for many months until I felt secure in the knowledge that they could be trusted on their own. I set limits about things such as where they went, driving at night (a big no-no), and friends in the vehicle with them (another big no-no). I instructed them on a basic premise to always be in control of the vehicle no matter what.

You are probably scratching your head over the last point. "Always be in control of the vehicle"...well, duh! That's easier said than done when a dog or other animal dashes across the road in front of you. My instruction to them was to never swerve or brake hard. Slow down to give the animal a chance, but under no circumstances were they to swerve into the path of oncoming traffic or into a ditch, tree, or fence on the right. Braking hard might cause them to skid and lose control. Hit the animal in their lane if they must, sad as it is to do that. Their lives are a million times more valuable than a loose dog's.

There were even times when I was with them that they had opportunities to practice that particular skill. It's hard to not swerve or brake hard when someone's pet or even wildlife is in the road, but they practiced and rarely hit any animal because they let off the gas and would brake lightly to slow down. Usually, the animal would have time to scurry off. Occasionally, a squirrel or rabbit would be run over. Sad, yes, but no person was in danger, at least.

They have now been driving, accident free and ticket free, for 6 years. This means their insurance gets lower each year, so the rewards are good. You can look at carinsurancelist.com to find insurance companies that are a good fit, but you can also find quite a few great articles there with driving tips, insurance tips, and explanations about various types of car insurance that would add to your knowledge as a parent, and to your teen driver's knowledge as well. Definitely worth a lingering visit!