Remember, you are a role model. That means Mom and Dad should check themselves; drive the speed limit, do not use your cell phone while driving and show good examples of how to deal with driving frustrations.
Supervise as much practice as possible. Use commentary driving with your son/daughter; have them speak aloud while driving. Have them tell you what they are seeing ahead and what they intend to do each time you encounter an intersection. This helps you feel more comfortable and safe whenever you go out driving together. Practice driving in different road conditions. Place a "Student Driver" sign on your car to enlist the cooperation from others around you.
Remember teens need to stay away from fast-moving, high volumes of traffic until they feel comfortable. Gradually introduce more difficult driving situations.
Train for poor weather conditions. An empty parking lot is a good place to practice snow and ice conditions and ABS braking.
Always wear your safety belt to show a good example of responsible driving.
Discuss realistic consequences of drug and alcohol use. Face to face discussion is very effective for making the student understand that there are consequences to choosing drug and alcohol use.
Choose safe vehicles for your teen; Avoid small vehicles as they offer poor protection in a crash. Look for high safety ratings on the vehicles you buy.
Remember Wisconsin Act 164: no person who holds a probationary license issued under s.343.085, or an instruction permit issued under s.343.0, may drive any motor vehicle while using a cellular or other wireless telephone, except to report an emergency. Also, remind and discuss Wisconsin's law; No texting while driving a motor vehicle, for any age.
Limit the students night time driving until they have a gained driving experience. Many teen driving accidents occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and midnight.
Know the law. Wisconsin is under the GDL laws (Graduated Drivers Licensing), this means the hours and number of people in the students care may be restricted depending on the license they hold. Make yourself aware of each license restrictions by reading the Wisconsin Motorist Handbook that you can find on HERE. The DMV website is also a great resource for Wisconsin driving laws.
