If you have a teen who’s going to be driving soon, you’re likely thinking ahead to all of the things that you’ll need to teach them and all of the time and practice it will take for them to become proficient at driving.
One of the last and scariest things that parents teach teens about driving is how to drive on the freeway. Because there can be car accidents involving trucks and other vehicles when on the freeway, parents are often much more nervous about getting on the freeway with their teen drivers. But with the right teaching and preparation, you can feel confident with your teen being on the freeway.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three safety tips for teaching your teen about driving on the freeway.
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Don’t Drive On The Freeway If They Don’t Already Have Basic Driving Skills
One of the very first things that you should know about teaching your teen how to drive on the freeway is that this is one of the hardest parts of driving. As such, freeway driving should be something you tackle together only after they have learned all other skills.
The skills that your teen will need to know before the venture onto the freeway include things like the basics of driving as well as interacting with other vehicles. Only when they have practiced these skills and feel comfortable with the idea of being on the freeway should you even attempt to have them drive here.
Start Out With Something Simple First
On your first trip to the freeway with your teen driver, you should plan to only be on the freeways for a few minutes. Focus on getting them on and off the freeway safely. This will include just staying in the right-most lane on the freeway.
During this first drive, try to choose a time of day where the freeway will be quieter and less busy. Then, as they get used to merging on and off of the freeway, you can then help them move onto changing lanes or getting used to driving during busier times on the freeway.
Let Them Practice With You Frequently
Going out onto the freeway one time isn’t going to be enough time for your teen to ready to just jump onto the freeway whenever they want. You’ll have to help them practice frequently and get used to being on the freeway at any time.
In fact, one thing you can do to help them with this is to go on the freeway when conditions may not be ideal, like if it’s raining or when there’s snow. Just make sure you teach them how to stay safe while in these conditions beforehand.
If you’re going to be teaching your teen to drive on the freeway soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do so safely.