How Do You Teach Your Teen About Responsible Driving?

Getting a driver’s licence and being able to drive independently is a defining moment in many teenagers' lives. But it’s also an important moment for parents, too. It signals a degree of trust and responsibility between the guardian and ward. That level of trust doesn't come easily, and parents have to do their part in helping kids understand the responsibility involved when driving a car with other motorists.

According to the U.S. non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), teen drivers have crash rates nearly four times those of drivers 20 and older and have fatal crash rates about three times higher. According to a study cited by the IIHS, “age and experience have strong effects on teenage drivers’ crash risk.” The Institute points out that immaturity can result in risky driving practices, while inexperience makes it hard to identify and react to hazards. 

A few of the factors that play into fatal crashes involving teens include driver error, speeding, and driving at night. Many fatal crashes involving teens are single-vehicle collisions, but studies have shown that the presence of passengers increases the crash risk among teenage drivers.

These facts are worrying for parents, but the graduated licensing program found throughout Canada is seen as a way for teens to gain experience and maturity on the road.

What is Graduated Licensing?

Graduated licensing is when the license issued to a new driver comes with restrictions, which are lifted over time, and with a practical evaluation. For example, in Ontario, a teen can get a G1 learner's permit at 16, when they pass a road theory test and vision test. This G1 allows the learner to drive, but only when accompanied by a full G-licensed driver whose blood alcohol content (BAC) level is under 0.05. Furthermore, the G1 driver cannot drive between 12 and 5 am and cannot drive on any of the major highways without an instructor. After a year (or eight months, if the learner has attended a ministry-approved driver education course), the G1 holder can take a road test to graduate to a G2, which allows them to drive at any time and on any roads without an accompanying driver. There are a few restrictions on BAC and the number of teenage passengers they can drive with at night.

After a year, the G2 driver must take another road test, which includes a highway evaluation. Upon passing that, they earn a full G licence, which has almost no restrictions. Drivers under 21 must have a zero BAC, while those 22 and older can have a maximum BAC of 0.08. Other provinces are similar, though there are some differences. For example, Alberta and the three Canadian territories have a lower age for the learning permit (a learner must be 14 years old in Alberta and 15 in the territories). Furthermore, Quebec and Nova Scotia have mandatory driver education courses for learners to earn their full licence.

Graduated licensing helps teens gain driving experience with someone who can guide them on their progress. Since the process takes many months, it gives teens the opportunity to gain some maturity behind the wheel. Many studies point out the effectiveness of graduated licensing programs. For example, the IIHS points out that since the graduated licensing program was first implemented in the U.S. in 1996, fatal crash rates for teens have fallen dramatically.

However, many of these programs have restrictions and limitations that may be out of date. A driver's blood alcohol level isn’t the only aspect that impacts road safety, and perhaps provinces could consider stronger guidance around the usage of cannabis or drugs while driving, as well as significant warnings about distracted driving. 

Studying and Testing

With all that in mind, parents must prepare for their teen’s driving journey. First, they should check in with their province's driver's licence process. Each province has a detailed agenda for what a prospective new driver has to do before getting out on the road. Most require a written exam or multiple-choice test, which requires studying the official driver's handbook. These books are available as physical copies, but teens might appreciate checking out the online versions, which are typically free. These handbooks thoroughly cover the rules of the road and are the perfect starting point for responsible driving. Many also have sample test questions. Watch how your teens prepare for their written test — it could go a long way in understanding how seriously they take the responsibility of driving.

Choosing a Driving School or Teaching Yourself

Following the written test and earning their learner’s permit, your teen will want to get experience on the road. In most provinces, going from a learner's permit to a full licence requires a few months of practice or a requisite amount of time driving, but every province except Alberta and Quebec will reduce that time if the learner takes an approved driver training course. 

It helps that many provinces offer a list of approved driving courses; Ontario even provides a list of schools that don’t meet the government standards. Armed with information from the province, it should be easy to pick a school that meets your budget and needs. 

On the other hand, parent-taught driving has a few benefits. It’s not only cheaper, but parents may understand their teens' needs and learning styles better than an instructor. There’s also invaluable bonding time, but this method requires patience and understanding combined with tough love to squash bad driving behaviour before it becomes a habit.

Whether parent-taught or instructor-driven, teens should understand the rules of the road and proper road etiquette before taking their road tests. Most provinces outline what drivers can expect for road tests. For example, the Ontario G2 licence will test for left and right turns, stopping, parallel parking, navigating one-way streets, lane changes, three-point turns, driving in residential neighbourhoods, and dealing with traffic lights, stops, and yield signs. The full G licence test will assess the driver’s abilities on the highway, navigating through intersections, and driving in business areas. 

Getting Comfortable with Teens Driving 

Check in with your teen throughout their lessons and ensure they understand the test requirements and other essential driving rules. Consider discussing the consequences of impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, and other moving violations to help teens understand the weight of their actions behind the wheel and that driving is a privilege, not a right. Safe driving is about being responsible, and when a teen understands that, it will be easier for parents to be more comfortable and trust their teen behind the wheel.

Of course, it also helps for parents to hop into the passenger seat and see their teen apply their developing skills on the road. For both the driver's and parents' sanity, consider driving together in an empty parking lot, where there’s plenty of space to practice, along with limited chances for personal and property damage. Then you can graduate to quiet residential streets to get them comfortable around traffic and pedestrians before trying other types of roads. To further grow your trust with them behind the wheel, integrate your teen into running errands, encouraging them to hop in the driver’s seat when going on a grocery run or appointment together. 

Finally, since we live in Canada, parents should try to get their teens some experience with driving in various weather conditions. Driving in the snow or heavy rain is very different from driving in clear and dry conditions, so novice drivers can benefit from learning how their car behaves on low-grip surfaces.

Are They Ready? How to Help Them Get There

After all the studying, practicing, instruction, and discussion, you still might not know if your teen is ready for independent driving. While that requires a leap of faith, there are a few resources to help you gauge their decision-making and behaviour behind the wheel.

For example, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) has a free game called Street Sense that simulates various driving scenarios to help new drivers identify hazards they can encounter in the real world and understand how to navigate them. A product of collaboration between ICBC, the B.C. government, Telus, and Project Whitecard, Street Sense can even be played on mobile devices, a computer, or a virtual reality headset.

A few cars come with apps that are ideal for new or young drivers. The Ford MyKey can be programmed to provide extra reminders about seat belts and low fuel, and can also stop certain advanced driver assistance features from being disabled. Parents can even limit the max speed or media volume to ensure their kids are driving safely and without distractions. 

General Motors’ Teen Driver Mode has a few other features that can help give parents peace of mind. For example, Teen Driver Mode can send alerts if the car is driving too fast and log moments when the car is tailgating another vehicle or driving at full throttle. Other third-party apps can report the car's location or lock out your teen's smartphone while the vehicle is in motion. 

Final Thoughts

Getting a car to snitch on your teen isn’t the point, but teens need to learn about responsibility and accountability with their new driving privileges, especially since driving can be so high-stakes. Parents may want to see how their teen drives to build trust and encourage them to drive in a safer, more responsible way. Along with the long journey needed for a teen to earn their full licence, building trust is how parents can feel confident when handing over the keys and ushering in a new chapter in their teens’ lives, one with more independence and responsibility.