Driving Tips?

[Amy in Orlando]

After many paperwork hassles, wasted trips and just nonsense, my oldest son is in possession of a learner's permit. :eek::eek::eek:

For now, I'm just having him drive on the side streets until he gets the hang of things and until I learn to keep my blood pressure level.

But, since he's been driving I find myself thinking as I fall asleep each night, I should have said this or mentioned this. So, who wants to help me make a list of the best driving tips, hints, things to do or not do to keep in the glove compartment?

What do you wish you had learned in driver's ed or from mom/dad BEFORE you had a license? What have you learned since you started driving?

[Liz CA]

Amy, I am headed there as well. This spring it's coming.
I will just be glad if he stays on the right side of the road.
Seriously though, I would start the same way. First go on country / less traveled roads until he gets a feel for this whole driving thing, then progress into a little more traffic and more and then...gulp, the freeway.

My son has been driving around our property but it's a whole different ball game out in the *real world*!

By the time we get going you will be miles ahead of us. I'll be asking you what was the most important thing, I'd guess not to kill them?!

;)

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Unless he is really headed for disaster, do not constantly grab the wheel. My dad did this and it freaked me out. He was king of impatience. Most new drivers can't keep a totally steady wheel. They do the back and forth thing like they did when pretending as a tot. My dad would grab the wheel and hold it when I would even slightly deviate! It was awful!!!!

Take him to an empty parking lot for practice too. I learned on a stick this way.

Another thing that really helped me with this one skill that I had a lot of trouble with was backing up in a straight line. My driver's ed teacher took us to an empty side street and very nicely had me just go forwards and backwards repeatedly. I got a perfect score on my test after that too!

Do you have cones or something of the like you can set up in a deserted area for finer skills when you get to that? That might be helpful.

I have little ones, so feel free to pay me no mind. ANd you'll surely hear from me in about 5 years when my oldest gets to that point.

Good luck! I don't envy that job!

[cat in black]

Amy,
I have survived teaching 3 of my youngun's to drive. Is your son doing a drivers ed course? Those courses cover pretty much every item you might want him to know as far as book information. The rest just comes with experience. I still have the course materials from my son's correspondence course for drivers ed from Keystone High School. If you want them, drop me a line. I was going to donate them to the thrift shop, but would rather mail to you. Also, we had our kids sign contracts before they could get their final license. If you want a copy of that, send your address and I think I can email it. The contract is 2 pages of our own rules--such as no driving alone after dark until you have had the license for 30 days...always call when you arrive at a destination and before you leave for a certain time period after getting the license. If you get a speeding ticket, you will lose your license ONE WEEK for every mile you were going over the limit.....10 miles over would be 10 weeks of no driving. You get the idea. My hubby has been an insurance agent for 36 years and has seen it all, so he pretty much thought of everything when it came to driving privileges.
Write me here
catleonard AT ntelos dot net

[Paz]

My son learned to drive effortlessly. He seemed to know most things intuitively. My daughter is now beginning and I am nervous. I am not a good driver myself. My husband would teach her but she wants me. Right now we drive from our house to her friends house which is a short drive on one lane back roads. I am scared for the more trafficked areas although she is driving fine. I needed to be told the most obvious things because I just didn't get the way things worked, all the turning rules, etc. It does help to be consistent. I remember driving with both my parents. My dad was telling me to go faster and my mom was telling me to slow down. LOL! I'll be interested to see what others post. Good luck to you. It will be great when they can drive on their own.:)

[Melinda in VT]

The best piece of driving advice I ever received was something my grandpa said that my father passed along to me: Driving in snow is easy as long as you don't speed up, slow down, or change directions.

My grandpa died 20 years ago, but I think of him almost every time I drive in the snow. And given where I live, that's often.:)

[Peek a Boo]

But, since he's been driving I find myself thinking as I fall asleep each night, I should have said this or mentioned this. So, who wants to help me make a list of the best driving tips, hints, things to do or not do to keep in the glove compartment?

What do you wish you had learned in driver's ed or from mom/dad BEFORE you had a license? What have you learned since you started driving?

My biggies are more character than skill. Skill can be learned pretty quickly, but the emotional stresses of driving can be tough.

my oldest is only 13, but we're already discussing this. We will not be having him get a driver's LICENSE until he is 18 unless something changes drastically and we need him to. I will absolutely make sure he gets a permit and try to give him as much driving experience as possible.

one of the things i have been stressing lately is communication: every signal we make is to communicate to the car or person we see *and* DON't see. You never know when some car/pedestrian/bike is right off to the side waiting for you to move so they can decide what to do next. We signal on the turn even when we think we're the only ones cuz you simply never know. Ok, maybe if you're in the desert and there's only sand for 360* lol.

the other thing is patience and optimism: the guy in front of you that isn't speeding up or is driving like an idiot may indeed BE an idiot....or suffering from a stroke, or been drugged, or having eye problems, or a sudden bad reaction to something..or just found out their mom died....you just never know. Cut people some slack. a LOT of slack. And don't drive too close to them, lol.

others:

going slow and getting there is better than driving fast and not. YOU might be a great driver at high speeds, but other people aren't as good at staying out of your way.

Do something constructive at red lights. -be observant and keep an eye out around you --you might make a detective's case easier one of these days..... that falls under "good citizenship"

'Tis better to pull over, stop, and re-group than continue on in uncertainty.

Know your maps and directions. My ds is already practicing telling me where to go, lol. I do encourage him to tell me turn by turn, signal by signal how to drive. I think he kinda gets a kick out of it. And he has to use road NAMES, not just "at the next light." If he doesn't know the name, i do NOT chastise him --just offer the name and have him give me the direction again.

basics to have on hand:
a cell phone --even if it is just an emergency one.
a local map, a state map, and a US map.
plastic bag
notepad and pen/pencil for directions. pencils break, but pens don't work in freezing weather :-)
jug of water --not all the way full in case you're driving in freezing conditions.

my basics list is quite expanded for driving in cold weather --if we wipe out and i'm stuck w/ no heat waiting for rescue, those reflective blankets are a must.

Hit the squirrel. It's cheaper than hitting the tree when you swerve.

i think that's about it for now, lol.

[WTMCassandra]

I'd sure like to see that, Cat. May I have a copy?

[Chris in VA]

Just a quick tip
New drivers tend to focus on the road very close to the car--teach them to look ahead down the road more--keeps the car straighter.
Have fun! Our 18 yo is doing Driver's Ed online, then a driving school. Just can't make myself put my life in danger LOL!