Driving School Blog

Today's driving school blog entry on the Maryland Graduated Driver Licensing System will focus on useful driving tips for Parents. As a parent, the responsibility for your child as he/she begins the process of becoming a licensed driver can be a cause of great concern and anxiety. To maximize the preparedness of your teen as he/she embarks on their journey of becoming a responsible driver, we have provided the following driving tips that you, as a parent can share with your teen drivers. Please keep in mind that any graduated driver licensing program (GDL) only works with the proactive enforcement by parents. Some things parents should consider include:

Driving Tips for Parents:

(1) Don't rely solely on driver education: Drivers education is only ONE piece of the learning to drive puzzle for your teen. It provides the basic skills and knowledge necessary, and then it’s up to YOU to provide plenty of safe practice and close monitoring of who, what, when, where and how they drive.

(2) Require seat belt use: Although your teen may buckle up when you’re in the car, don’t assume seat belts will be used all of the time, especially when your child is out with peers. Remember that seat belt use is lower amongst teens than any other age group. Insist on seat belt use all of the time.

(3) Restrict night driving: Most young drivers’ nighttime fatal crashes occur from 9 p.m. to midnight. So, limit your teen’s driving after 9 p.m. if possible.

(4) Restrict passengers: Teen passengers in a vehicle can distract a young novice driver and/or lead to greater risk taking. About six of every ten teenage passenger deaths occur in crashes with teen drivers.

(5) Supervise practice driving: Plan a series of practice sessions in a wide variety of scenarios and situations, including nighttime driving. Supervised practice should be spread over at least nine months and continue after a teen graduates from a learner’s permit to a provisional license.

(6) Prohibit driving after drinking: Make it clear that it’s illegal to drink regardless under the age of 21 and it’s highly dangerous for a teenager to drive after drinking alcohol or using any other drug.

We hope you have found these parental driving tips for teenagers useful and that you will incorporate them into your child’s driving routine. Parents: Are there any additional tips you would like to mention that we may have overlooked? We welcome any comments, stories or additional tips you can provide to help make our Maryland streets safer for all drivers.