Successful coaching begins before your teen first gets behind the wheel. And it can continue long after they get their full-privilege driver's licence. Here are a few guidelines to help you as you work with your teen:
| 1. | Encourage two-way communication. Clear communication and a consistent approach to enforcing rules will help you set boundaries while enabling your teen to gain driving experience and confidence. |
| 2. | Make time for practice. Help and encourage your new driver to practise driving at every opportunity. |
| 3. | Periodically discuss driving strategies, even after your teen gets their full-privilege licence. |
| 4. | Play it cool. Try stay calm and logical as you discuss your teen's driving - and wait until you're at home to do so, rather than when one of you is behind the wheel. |
| 5. | Model safe driving behaviour yourself. This will influence your teen's life-long driving behaviour and attitudes. |
| 6. | Talk to your teen's friends. They need to understand the huge responsibility that your teen has as a driver. And they can help your teen by following your house rules. |
| 7. | Support safe driving in your community. Ask your Autoplan broker about other road safety programs for children and youth, such as the Road Sensibility program for new teen drivers. |
Successful coaching relies on varying your approach and using a number of different tools (e.g., practice sessions, modeling good driving behaviour yourself and implementing house rules).
Check out the sample coaching schedule in this section.
