Responsibilities of a Teenaged Driver
The rules of the road aren’t the only ones your teen will have to follow as they begin to drive. Your family will probably have its own set of rules, too. It’s important to be very clear about your expectations—and the consequences of not meeting them—before your teen develops independent driving habits.
One good tool for outlining these expectations is a family driving agreement: something you and your teen can refer to about safety rules, when and where they’re allowed to drive, whether they’ll be expected to pay for gas, and more.
Safety comes first
Make sure your teen is aware of the effort they’ll need to put in to obtain a driver’s licence, including:
- Earning a learner’s permit
- Committing to regular practice
- Abiding by licence restrictions
- Gaining an understanding of the legal and financial responsibilities that come with driving
Safety principles like wearing a seatbelt and avoiding unnecessary risks may seem obvious, but it’s good to call them out explicitly. Encourage your teen to observe and ask questions about driving situations.
Being a smart passenger
Your teen likely isn’t the only one of their friends to be working toward their licence.
There are decisions they can make to be safe passengers when they’re not behind the wheel, such as:
- Never riding with another teen driver without your permission
- Making sure not to distract the driver
- Calling you for a ride home if another teen driver is unsafe
Even if the law in your province or territory allows your teen to ride with other teen drivers, they should avoid riding with friends until they become more experienced. They’ll learn more about driving by riding with experienced adults.