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| SUNDAY,
SEPTEMBER 11, 2016
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Taking parent cues
Your parents will want to set some ground rules for your time behind the
wheel. These must start with obeying the state’s GDL laws. Your parents
may want to take these a step further with house rules like no driving past
9 p.m. Try not to take these limits personally! Your parents aren’t setting
rules to control you or because they don’t trust you. They just want to
make sure you know the law and stay safe.
The best way for you to stay safe and earn driving privileges is to
work with your parents. They may want to create a parent-teen driving
agreement where you work together to define your driving rules.
Keep in mind that driving rules can change as time goes on.
For example, if you and your parents agree to no driving past 9 p.m. and
you maintain a clean driving record for a year after getting your license,
talk to your parents about rethinking this rule. Proving responsibility is the
best way to earn new privileges.
There are many great examples of parent-teen driving agreements.
Below are some resources to get you and your parents started:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Parent/Teen Agreement:
State Farm Parent-Teen Driving Agreement:
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Farm_Teen_Driving_Set_House_Rules_engl.pdf
Parent-teen driving agreements work!
Teens with involved parents (who set rules and monitor) are:
• Twice as likely to wear seat belts
• 70 percent less likely to drink and drive
• Half as likely to speed
• 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone while driving
Make the car a nag-free zone
Learning to drive isn’t easy. Even after the supervised behind-the-wheel practice is logged and you get your Probationary
License, your parents will need to monitor your driving activities for the first year and help you practice new skills. To help
reduce the stress and arguing that can develop during this period, we propose making the car a “nag-free” zone where
you can concentrate on learning to drive, not on other issues. In the past, the car may have seemed like the right place to
discuss a wide range of topics with your parents. It still can be — but not when you’re behind the wheel. In the car, try to
restrict the talk to driving-related topics. Keep this in mind when you and your family develop house rules.
Establish a safe space to talk outside the car.
Agree to discuss anything sensitive or important somewhere calm
outside the car — the front step, living room or the backyard. It’s okay to tell your parent to keep calm. An angry parent
is one of the worst distractions. Politely encourage your mom or dad to count to 10, save the criticism for later and stay
focused on teaching.
Learn to accept constructive criticism.
When your parent gives you focused and specific feedback on your driving
performance, accept it and learn from it.
