The Best Way To Teach Your Teen How To Drive
Many parents actually fear having to teach their teen to drive. That said teens can often start bugging their parents to teach them how to drive once they become 18. So, parents now have a rather difficult decision to make i.e. should they teach their kid how to drive or send them to a driving instructor. If you have taught people how to drive before then you should be able to teach your own kid how to drive. But if this is not the case then it is best to enroll your kid into a driving school. This is especially if you live in a densely populated area where there is no way for you to teach your kid the basics of driving prior to taking them on the road.
The pros of being taught by a parent
Probably the biggest benefit of teaching your own kid how to drive is it’s free. There are some professional driving schools that can be very expensive. This is why teaching your kids how to drive will save you money but it will take up a lot of your time.
Cons
- You will need to take the time out every day perhaps around the same time to teach him or her how to drive.
- The other con is the fact that as a driver for years many parents have picked up on bad driving habits. These habits have become second nature to them but it will be passed on to their kids. Parents often don’t remember the intricacies of the various driving rules. This may lead to the kid failing his first few tests
- Teaching a teen how to drive is also stress and there will be arguments too. If your teen loses his or her temper easily and argues it is best that they be sent to a driving institute.
The pros of a driving school
- Probably the biggest benefit of choosing a professional school is that you can be assured that your teen will learn how to drive safely. Instructors are familiar with all the latest laws, rules and regulations and so your teen will learn exactly what they should in order to keep themselves safe on the road.
- There are a number of insurance companies that may offer discounts to students who have learnt how to drive from a driving institution. Some of these insurance discounts can be as high as 15% off their regular premium. So the investment of sending your teen to a good driving school can help to save you quite a bit of money in the long term.
Cons
- Probably the biggest drawback of a driving institution is the expense of the classes. There are some schools that will charge as much as $50 an hour. You also need to factor in the expenses of traditional driver’s education classes. So when you add all these expenses up the cost of choosing a professional school can easily be a few hundred dollars.
- The other con is the fact that schedules for good schools fill up quite quickly. This means that teens often have to wait for days if not weeks for a driving lesson. This can translate to less time behind the wheel of a vehicle. That said driving is best learnt via firsthand experience but many classes offer relatively less driving time. This will then have to be made up with a few lessons at home. However, there are institutions in Australia that offer more time behind a wheel post hours behind a simulator.
Before you enroll your kid into a driving institution make sure to first check the schools credentials. Also, find out how much time your child will be getting behind the wheel. If all sounds good only then should you pay the initial signup fee.
Avi is a professional driving instructor, car enthusiast and works for www.aasprint.com.au. He loves long drives on lonely loads.