3 Questions You Should Ask To Determine If Your Child Is Mature Enough To Drive
Knowing when you teen is ready to drive can be a hard decision. Many parents assume that once their child has reached the legal age to drive, they are ready to operate a car. Although this is a good starting point to know if the child is ready, it is not the only way to determine if the child is mature enough emotionally to operate a car. Here are some things you should be asking yourself.
Do You Trust Your Child To Be Out Alone?
Driving allows the child to have more freedom than they have ever had before. You don't want to be worried the entire time they are out driving, so you need to ask yourself if you trust your child to be out alone and without supervision? Do you think that they will abuse this freedom? Will they follow the boundaries that you have set? Do they make wise choices even when they think no one is watching? If you cannot confidently answer these questions about your teen, then perhaps you should restrict their driving privileges until they are older and more mature.
Can Your Teen Follow Simple Rules?
Driving is a privilege that should be given only to those who can follow the rules. If your child struggles with even following simple rules around the house, then perhaps you should wait on their license. For example, does your child honor the curfew rules in your home? Do they get in a lot of trouble at school for breaking rules? Does your child see the rules as a way to protect them, not punish them? The rules of the road are there not to restrict drivers, but to keep them safe. If your child doesn't have that kind of perspective and if they can't follow even simple rules, then they aren't ready to drive.
Is Your Child Especially Susceptible To Peer Pressure?
Lastly, you need to consider how susceptible your child is to peer pressure. There will be times while driving that your teen will feel the need to impress others, or may even be taunted into making an unwise choice. If your child will do anything to impress others, even risking their own safety, they are not ready to drive. Many parents even restrict their child from driving with friends in the car for this very reason.
By asking these questions you can determine if your child is ready to drive. Contact a company like Morgan School Of Driving Inc for more information about training a new driver.