driver’s ed – Traffic School Online

Teaching a teenager to drive may be one of the most stressful situations you encounter. Even the parent who has absolute faith in their child’s abilities as a student, athlete, or artist, will find themselves questioning their teen’s readiness to drive. It’s unlikely that you’ll manage to get through it completely stress-free, but there are ways to reduce the stress. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you put your “driving instructor” hat on.

Brush Up Your Own Driving Skills

In the years since you yourself learned how to drive, you’ve likely forgotten a thing or two. Furthermore, traffic laws are continually changing and being updated, and the same goes for vehicle equipment and features. Read through your state’s Driver Handbook, or enroll in a personal enrichment traffic safety course to make sure your knowledge is up to date. You will undoubtedly learn something new, and you’ll save yourself from having to admit you don’t know the answer to certain challenging questions your teen might ask. Your teen looks to you as an example, and you’ll want to impress upon them the importance of knowing what the rules are, and what to do, in different driving situations. As we all know, “ignorance is no excuse”.

Even when you’re the one behind the wheel and they are in the passenger seat, you are teaching them how to drive, whether you realize it or not. Be prepared to explain how or why you’ve done things. This can catch you off guard when you’re on “auto-pilot” rather than consciously thinking about what you’re doing. During this impressionable time, be vigilant in adhering to all traffic laws and safe driving procedures. Your teen will be watching you, and if you become careless or lazy, they’ll cite this as reasoning for themselves to do the same.

Get Help From the Experts

Some states require that teens take a Driver’s Ed course before getting their permit or learner’s license, and others don’t — but even if you live in a state that doesn’t require Driver’s Ed, it’s still a good idea to enroll your teen before letting them get behind the wheel. Learning about the rules of the road and basic driving procedures provides a solid foundation and promotes mindfulness of safe driving practices. Your teen will be better prepared to handle unusual or dangerous situations, as well as the everyday ones. The ability to take a Driver’s Ed course online is an appealing option, not only because your teen can complete the coursework around their busy schedule, but also because studies have shown that students who receive online education perform better than those who were taught the same curriculum in a classroom setting.

Mentally Prepare for Each Next Phase

The natural progression will be to start in an empty parking lot, then move to quiet neighborhood streets, and then on to increasingly challenging and higher-traffic areas. The need to protect and shelter your child can be a strong deterrent to putting them in traffic situations with an element of risk, but this is a necessity in learning how to drive. It is imperative that they learn how to control their vehicles in the numerous and varied high-risk traffic environments that they will encounter after they receive their license.

As you think about the next location for your driving lessons, go over the potential hazards and problem areas in your mind. Think about how you would handle each as a driver, and how you would assist your teen from the passenger seat. This should be ongoing. As your teen drives, keep an eye on the mirrors and look far down the road. Anticipate possible scenarios, and plan what you would do to respond to them.

Remain Calm — At Least, Outwardly

A calm attitude can go a long way toward the effectiveness of your driving instruction. You’ll need to remain alert to absolutely everything in the driving environment, but when the unexpected occurs, maintain your composure. If you suddenly exclaim, grip your seat, or reach for the roof handle, it could cause your teen to panic and react with a dangerous driving error. Their first instinct might be to slam on the brakes, which could mean trouble for anyone following behind.

Watch your tone of voice. If you shriek a warning at them or bellow a command, they are now paying attention to you and not the road. Be assertive in pointing out any potential problems, but do so in a calm manner, and firmly correct any mistakes they make. It should go without saying that shouting, berating, and demeaning your teen will make for a traumatic experience, and a very nervous new driver.

Coping With Loss of Control

Regardless of personality type, we all enjoy a certain amount of control when driving a vehicle. If you’re known to be a backseat driver, you’ll need to work especially hard to curb those feelings while teaching your teen how to drive. Though you’ll be advising them throughout the process, you must make them feel that they are the ones in control of the vehicle and that they understand the responsibility of that control. There’s only so much you can do from the passenger’s seat. To soothe some of your anxiety, take an inventory of the things you can control, or at the very least, the things you can affect. This includes responsibilities such as vehicle maintenance, limiting distractions, and pointing out roadway hazards.

Your Physical and Mental State

To create a positive learning experience, both you and your teen should be physically and mentally prepared for the driving lesson. Don’t go into the lesson hungry, angry, sad, or otherwise emotional. Remember to stay hydrated, and above all, do not conduct driving practice when either of you are fatigued. Get plenty of sleep beforehand, and remember that fatigue causes severe driver impairment — drowsy drivers can be as dangerous as drunk drivers.

Remember to Use Positive Reinforcement

Driving is an inherently dangerous activity, and it is all too easy to become solely focused on the mistakes, close calls, and lack of technique that are all a normal part of learning to drive. Remember to encourage your teen when they demonstrate safe, courteous driving behaviors. When they take note of new or unusual circumstances, or they ask questions, remain positive in your responses. Give them the benefit of your driving experience, and help them to develop their own safe driving habits. Remember, there was a time when you were a new driver, and it took a long time to develop the instincts and judgment you have now. You’ll see more progress and better judgment from them the more you emphasize and encourage safe driving behaviors.

For some teens, taking driver’s ed is a rite of passage that they assume they’ll undergo before they’re able to get their license. Other families, however, find themselves debating the value of driver’s ed for teens. If you’ve been on the fence about whether or not driver’s ed is the right decision for your family, consider the benefits of professional driver’s education for new and teenage drivers. We’ve outlined six primary reasons why most parents opt to enroll their teens in driver’s ed, supported by various National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies and recommendations.

1. Driver’s Ed Can Lower Insurance Costs

Many insurance companies offer a discount for teens who have taken driver’s ed. The cost savings can really add up, especially if you were dreading the increase in your insurance premiums when you added your teen to the policy. According to the Insurance Information Institute, contact your insurance company to find out how much of a discount is offered.

2. Driver’s Ed Helps Teens Learn the Details

It’s been a long time since you learned how to drive. Chances are, you’ve forgotten many of the details that make up the driving process. Many driving tasks and habits are second nature to experienced drivers, and remembering to explain these processes to a new driver can be rather challenging. Driver’s ed teachers, however, have worked with teens for a long time. They know all the important details that go along with learning to drive, and how to express them in a way that’s sure to sink in for your teen. State-approved online driver’s ed courses, like those offered by Online Drivers Ed, are generally developed by driving instructors and follow educational practices that help ensure that students can easily remember the material.

3. Some States Require It

Not every state requires driver’s ed in order for your teen to get their license. But for those states that do, it’s not just a suggestion: your teen has to get that important driver’s ed class somewhere. Those states that do require it have seen an increase in the safety and competence of drivers who took the class, which means that taking driver’s ed is a proven method to help teens drive more safely.

4. Teens Get More Experience

Let’s face it: you don’t have time to go driving with your teen every day. When they take a driver’s ed class, they will gain more experience with everything they need to know about driving. From a refresher in driving safety from someone who isn’t their parent, to detailed lessons about how to handle harsh driving conditions, driver’s ed will offer your teen more information about how to drive safely. The National Safety Council recommends a combination of driver’s ed and supervised practice for optimal skill development.

5. Road Test Preparation

When your teen takes driver’s ed from a professional in your area, they’ll get the scoop on the driver’s license test: what they’re expected to know, how it will impact their test score, and what they’ll actually need to do in order to pass the driving test. Some cities, for example, require parallel parking to get a driver’s license. Other cities, where it’s less common, may require little more than a drive around the block. Make sure your teen knows what they really need to know before they get their license, instead of failing the test due to lack of experience with one crucial point — even if it’s a point they won’t necessarily use during everyday driving. A resource like the DMV.org’s Driver’s Ed guide can help your teen prepare for the road test.

6. Increase Your Teen’s Confidence

There’s nothing like going into a test with the sure knowledge that you’ll be able to pass it — and driver’s ed can provide that for your teen. It gives them the confidence to know that they can handle what happens on the road and the experience necessary to back it up. Good instructors will help build that confidence, preparing your teen for what they’ll face when they start driving. The NHTSA recommends building confidence through practice and reinforcement.

If you want your teen to have professional instruction that will make sure they know everything they need to know, not only to take their road test but to increase their safety behind the wheel, driver’s ed is well worth the investment. Sign your teen up to give them all the benefits of that experience.

Learning to drive takes time and practice. It is both scary and thrilling to go out on your own. If you had enough practice, you should feel (almost) ready to be out and about on your own. However, it does take time to gain confidence in your driving.

Here are some tips to help you gain confidence as you start driving.

Practice, practice, practice. It takes time to become a good driver so the more you drive, the more comfortable you will become.
Drive as much as you can with another driver. Take every opportunity that you have to drive with someone. Listen to them and learn from them. It is also important to drive with different people so you can appreciate how others think.
Be careful who you pick to drive with. Though you might want to drive with anyone who will take you, it is important (especially when you are first starting out) to pick carefully. You are going to want to pick someone who won’t make you nervous. You are going to want someone who is calm and does not easily get rattled when you make mistakes.
Start in a parking lot. Many young drivers learn to drive in a big parking lot. This will allow you to learn to maneuver your car without having to worry about hitting anything. You can focus on starting, stopping, and steering your car.
Once you master the parking lot, start with back roads and gradually work up to busy streets and highways. Take your time. Drive in the parking lot as long as you need to. Once you feel confident enough, you should venture onto back roads and other streets so you can learn to drive with more speed, other drivers, and use road signs. As you gain confidence, you will be able to go out further and further until you are ready for busy streets and highways.
Practice in all types of terrain. You should try to drive all over and experience all types of roads, including the highway, back roads, and even dirt roads.
Drive in all weather. You also need to be prepared to drive in all sorts of weather, including light rain, heavy rain, and snow (depending on where you live). You need to be prepared to drive in all types of weather so you don’t get stuck somewhere in inclement weather. Many people are unprepared with winter weather and you don’t want to be one of them!
Drive different vehicles. If possible, you should try to drive several types of vehicles so that you know how different types of vehicles handle. This will also come in handy when you decide to buy a vehicle.
If you are feeling anxious, try listening to some quiet, soothing music. Music is very good for calming people down quickly. You might also find that playing quiet music in the background every time you drive will help you keep your nerves down as you learn to drive.

It can take a lot of time and practice to get confident behind the wheel. Depending on how much you drive, it can take a few weeks (or months). However, you really need to take advantage of the time that you have with older and wiser drivers. If possible, you should go driving with a few people. It is also important that you know how to handle different roads and weather before you go out on your own and find yourself stuck and unsure of how to handle yourself.

The message is being shouted across the media and in high-quality driver education courses: texting while driving is lethal. In many states, it’s illegal. Drivers of any age are prohibited by California law from sending text messages at any time while operating a vehicle, and other states are passing similar legislation. But amazingly, thousands of people still text while driving, and these drivers are causing serious accidents.

It’s often passengers or other drivers who die in crashes caused by texting. Rob Reynolds lost his 16-year-old daughter Cady Ann when a texting teen driver ran a red light and crashed into the side of Cady’s car. Reynolds founded C.A.R. Alliance to educate teens and their parents about the dangers of distracted driving. He shares stories of accidents that make you wonder, “What were they thinking?”

Reynolds tells audiences about how his daughter died when the entire side of her car crushed the driver’s seat. He talks about the Houston driver who dropped his cell phone and swerved off the road into a canal as he was trying to pick it up. The man and two adult friends escaped the submerged car but were unable to pull his five children out of the back seat. All of the children drowned. Reynolds also mentions Hollywood plastic surgeon Frank Ryan, who drove over a cliff while using his Twitter account.

Reynolds is one of a growing number of dedicated advocates for no texting while driving. The Brown family, who lost their daughter when she chose to text on the road and totaled her truck, were featured on Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” episode. They educate families about distracted driving and encourage drivers to sign a pledge to stop texting and driving. Students say that hearing how many people have died makes them think that it’s not such a good idea to try to text on the road.

Safe driving requires good judgment, visual acuity, and motor control. It’s hard to bring those into play in a motor vehicle if your hands are off the wheel and your eyes are following the text instead of traffic. As Rob Reynolds tells his audiences, “Those messages will be in your phone ten minutes later when you get to where you’re going.”

If you’re interested in getting a permit to drive and need to learn about driver safety, you can register for a complete online driver education course at http://onlinedriversed.com.

As a parent of a teenage driver about to embark on a land-based or online driver’s ed course, you’re likely filled with concern for their safety on the road. Your top priority is finding the best driver training option to help your new driver avoid accidents. The online driver ed course offered by Online Drivers Ed brings intuitive education into your home, teaching your new driver everything they need to know to stay safe.

However, accidents can still happen. Whether it’s your teenager’s fault or another driver’s, your new driver must know how to react in the unfortunate event of a traffic accident. Online Drivers Ed provides a quick rundown of key steps your new driver should take in the event of a traffic accident.

Essential Steps to Take After a Traffic Accident

Stop and Signal: As you’ll learn in a California online driver’s ed class, stop your vehicle and turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers that an accident has occurred.
Call 911: Report any injuries and request an officer to be dispatched to the scene. Do not leave the scene, as California law requires you to remain there, or else you could be charged with a hit-and-run offense.
Exchange Information: Collect key information from the other driver, including their name, address, date of birth, telephone number, driver’s license number, and insurance company. Additionally, gather the same information from any passengers and witnesses.
Take Note of Officer Details: Get the badge number and name of the officer who reported to the scene of the accident.
Avoid Speculation: Don’t volunteer your thoughts on the accident to the other driver involved. Even if you think the accident was your fault, keep that to yourself. Police officers will use various details to determine the cause and fault of the accident.
Don’t Settle on the Spot: Don’t agree to pay for damages or settle on the spot. Leaving the police out of the situation could lead to complications. Let the police and insurance companies work things out.
Document the Scene: Online driver’s ed courses often emphasize the importance of having a camera on hand. Use your smartphone camera to take photos of the accident scene, including any damages to both vehicles. Capture images from a distance and multiple angles, but ensure you do so safely.

These are just a few essential steps to take in the event of an accident. While an online driver’s ed course in California may recommend additional measures, this list is a great start. Print out this article and keep it in your glove compartment for easy reference.

◉ Reducing The Stress of Teaching a Teen How to Drive

Tag: driver’s ed