Teaching Your Teenager to be a Safe Driver

Great news! Melloy Dodge is offering a $500 discount to individuals who have recently completed their Driver’s Education course. All your teen has to do is bring in their certificate of completion to receive this amazing deal. But before we get to the purchase of your new car, let’s talk about how to make sure your teenager becomes a safe and responsible driver.

Teen drivers also tend to be high risk drivers. This is because, like anything else, driving is a skill that must be learned and practiced. At Melloy Dodge we understand how difficult the process of teaching your kid to drive can be, after all, for many parents, it is often the first time they’ve ever put their safety and the welfare of an expensive vehicle into the hands of their child. This can, understandably, be a very nerve wracking time, but as a parent, you play a key role in building your teenager’s confidence and ability behind the wheel. So, take a deep breath, be patient, and buckle your seatbelt.

You know the hazards of the road, and you can guide your teen through a great deal of practice. Practice in varied conditions is the most important step to prepare your child to hit the roads solo. If you frequently ride passenger, calmly and patiently providing support and advice, your teenager will be able to develop confidence while driving. Focus your driving lessons on specific skill sets and conditions, ideally ones that coincide with what your child is learning in their formal Driver’s Ed class.

Speaking of Driver’s Education, it can be quite difficult to find a good school for your teenager to attend. As school corporations cut back budgets they offer fewer training programs, so families must turn to private Driver’s Education schools. To find a reputable school, begin by asking around, get insight from friends, family, and coworkers about what programs worked or did not work for their young driver. You may also want to contact AAA or your car insurance carrier to see if they can refer you to a reputable institution. Once you have a few ideas, do your leg work. Talk to the instructors, find out how many hours of driving practice versus in-class instruction your teen will receive, and become familiar with who will be delivering the instruction.

Don’t forget that you’re also your teen’s driving instructor and always model good behaviors on the road. Set clear expectations about what is appropriate when driving- no cell phone use or friends in the car, for example. Also make sure to maintain an open dialogue about driving safety and talk to your kids about high risk driving conditions like driving at night, driving at high speeds, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Once your child is a competent, safe driver, you’ll be ready to purchase their first vehicle. We value safety at Melloy Dodge and have many models ranked very highly in this regard. Our Dart, Journey, and Grand Caravan models have consistently scored very high for safety standards, and are constantly being improved on to keep you and your family safe. If you want more information on the safety features of our vehicles, come in to Melloy Dodge and talk to one of our experts. We promise, when you put your teen behind the wheel of a Dodge, you’ll feel good about it. Stop in today! We’re open Monday through Saturday 8am-8pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.