What is it that teens need to learn to be a safe driver? Here is a checklist of what you and their drivers education professional will need to emphasize during their process of learning to drive.
The Vehicle Itself
- Mirrors
- Seat belts and air bags
- Tire inflation and inspection
- Dashboard warning lights
- Fueling up
- Checking fluids
Basic Operations
- Controlling the car
- Safe turns
- Shifting gears
- Backing up
- Signaling to other drivers
- Braking
- Avoiding distractions
Interactions with Others
- Making lane changes
- Dealing with intersections
- Maintaining safe driving distances
- Defensive driving skills
- U-turns
- Three-point turns
Parking
- 90 degree parking
- Angle parking
- Parallel parking
Advanced skills
- Freeway driving
- Night driving
- Driving in snow and/or wet conditions
- Towing
Emergency Response
- In case of an accident
- Changing a flat tire
- High wind driving
- Downed power lines nearby
Feeling a little overwhelmed? Well, that's certainly natural in this situation. We forget sometimes how complex driving a car can be. The key to tackling an overwhelming task is to break it down into steps and work each step. Let's take a look at one way to put these skills into stages of teaching.
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