As a person who taught driver's education several years ago, I have some helpful suggestions for parents who have a teen on the brinks of learning to drive.

1) Start out by familiarizing your teen with the car. For example- do not take for granted that they automatically know what a turn signal is or how to use it. Sit your teen in the car and point out all of the instruments on the dash and what each item does. This does not have to be limited to inside the vehicle. Take your teen outside of the vehicle as well. Show them some simple maintenence operations, such as changing the oil, changing a tire, filling all of the fluids in the car. Show them how to put air in the tires. Show them where the jack is located and how to use it- what a tire iron is. This will help your teen learn the location and function of the parts of an automobile.

2) Make sure you help your teen study the driving examination book before they go take their test. Ask them questions while they are riding in the car with you. For example, point out different road signs and ask them to identify what kind of road sign it is-regulatory, guide signs, etc. This will help them identify the different kinds of sign on the roadway. It will also help reenforce information they have read about. Permits are generally pursued six months prior to your teen turning sixteen, so get a book in advance from the license bureau and start studying.

3)When it comes time for your teen to get behind the wheel- take them to a large vacant parking lot or other vacant spot that has a square and spend the first few weeks or so teaching them to operate the vehicle properly. For example, have them practice turning, using their signals, backing up, parking, and manueverability. This will help them learn to control the vehicle before turning them loose on the roadway. Once they have mastered these techniques without lines to follow- they will surprise you with their control out on the roadway.

4) When you feel confident that your teen is ready to begin driving on the roadway, start in small steps and let them drive for short distances at a time. Learning to drive is a very stressful time period for the teen and the parent, so the short distances will let them get some experience without feeling overwhelmed. Each day try to add a new manuever to your routine. For example, if you let them drive home from the grocery store and they made a right turn only one day, the next day, let them do the same thing, but include a left turn as well. Lots of small steps and in town driving in a location that is not heavily populated will help them master their turning skills, starting and stopping techniques and help them build confidence. As they progress, introduce changing lanes and how to check their blind spot. This is an important step that people fail to stress to their new driver.

5) As they begin to improve, begin adding a little drive time each day- increase your drive time by five to ten minutes or by whatever time frame you feel that they are ready for.

6) When they have mastered country raods, in town driving and highway driving, begin to introduce some interstate driving. Do this at a time when the area is not heavily polluted with traffic and in a location that is out of the way. This will give your teen experience entering the interstate and using exit ramps. Once again I stress- make sure you have covered information about blind spots and have them check over their shoulder. Let them drive only for short distances at first. Take them down an entrance ramp, let them drive a short distance to an exit ramp and back again. Repeating this process will help them learn and master this technique. Driving is much like anything else, you have to practice, practice practice to get better.

7) Probably the single most important aspect of teaching a new driver is not to force too much at them all at once because this will only stress both of you out and cause a screaming match in the front seat or a paranoid teen who never wants to crawl in the car again. Teaching someone to drive in an automobile is not an easy task and not one to be taken lightly. So take small strides and you will be so glad you did. You will produce a much more knowledgable and confident driver.