Skills to Teach Your Teen Driver
Posted on January 19, 2018
If you have your driver’s license, you had to learn how to drive. For most people, that happens when they are a teenager. It’s a massive responsibility to be a teen driver, and it comes among dealing with pimples, hormones, first loves, and other distractions. But if you have a teen driver coming up in your family, there are some critical skills to teach that might just help them throughout their driving career.
Skills Your Teen Driver Ought to Know
How to Fill the Fuel Tank
It costs money to operate a car – your wallet is the evidence. It’s something your teen driver needs to understand while they’re still learning to drive. That way, when the time comes to buy their own car, they know what to expect money-wise. Teach them which side of the car the fuel tank is on, how to open the fuel door, and how to pump their own fuel. It’s an important skill many adults still struggle with, and it also teaches how much it costs to run a car.
Basic Car Maintenance
A teen driver doesn’t need to change the oil on your SUV – not unless you want them to. But they should know what to look for before they hit the road in the family car. Show them how to check the tire pressures, how to check the oil and other fluids, and how to top up the washer fluid. Even changing the wiper blades is an important skill that everyone should know.
Fundamental Driving Skills
Most new cars come with some level of technology. It might be a backup camera, reverse sensing system, automatic emergency braking, or adaptive cruise control. Yet, every teen driver should understand how to drive a car without the assistive tech features. Borrow a friend’s old car if you must, but teach the skills required to be safe on the road.
How to Wash a Car
The car gets dirty, and visibility is part of safe driving. Your teen driver should pay their dues for borrowing the car by keeping it clean. A sudsy bucket and a microfiber cloth combined with elbow grease is fantastic. If there isn’t time for that, your teen should at least know how to take the car through the car wash.
