Guardians play an integral role in teaching their teens the ins and outs of a car and how to be a safe and defensive driver. As a guardian, you’re setting an example of how to drive and have a significant impact on shaping your student’s driving habits on the road. While the students will learn the mechanics of driving through their courses and gain experience in behind-the-wheel instruction, it’s equally important their guardian is instructing them as they embark on the process of earning their license.
It is the guardian’s responsibility to educate new drivers during this exciting yet nerve-wracking time. Encourage your teen to create safe driving habits and reinforce defensive driving skills at home. Your support is vital to their success. Here are all the ways you can support your teen as they earn their driver’s license.
Define the Role of a Defensive Driver
Talk to your student before they get behind the wheel. Review the main parts of the car and the rules of the road—such as who has the right of way when coming to an intersection and allowing space between you and other drivers. Remember, your student needs to know this information before they’re in the driver’s seat. Guardians should be hands-on during this process. While a DriverEd Safety instructor builds the foundation of a defensive driver, it’s important that the guardian reinforces those practices.
Define the role of a defensive driver with your teen. Before beginning the entire driving process, your teen should know what’s expected of them on the road—defensive driving practices, signage, and rules to follow.
Take accountability for your teen. This is all new to them, and it can be overwhelming. Staying patient and open to questions fosters a safe learning environment outside of DriverEd Safety, where they can practice the skills to become a defensive driver.
Make a Game Plan
Earning a driver’s license is a multi-step process. It takes a few months and dedication from both the student driver and their guardian. While the student driver should show initiative, as a guardian, you can support them by helping them navigate this complex process. Noting deadlines and talking through a schedule with your teen is an easy way to keep them on track.
A game plan helps ensure your teen isn’t missing deadlines or having to reenroll in courses because they failed to complete them on time. Once the payment is made for the Online Course, your teen will have 120 days to complete the course. Reiterating deadlines allows the student to plan accordingly.
After the Online Course is complete, the next step is to proceed to the BMV to take the written knowledge exam and, if the student passes, obtain their learner’s permit. For students under the age of 16, a certificate of enrollment (CDE form) is required by the BMV to obtain the permit. Once the permit is obtained, students must update their accounts with their permit number to get on the waitlist for Behind the Wheel instruction.
Your student should bring their Certificate of Driver Education enrollment form from the behind-the-wheel training and identification documents with them to obtain their learner’s permit. This should include the following information:
- Identity
- Social Security number
- Lawful status
- Indiana residency (two unique documents)
Behind the Wheel instruction includes six hours in the car with an instructor. Pick up and drop off locations for these lessons can be found on the Behind the Wheel Services page. Please note that home and work pickup is not available. Once assigned to an instructor, your teen has 90 days to complete their sessions. Your student should bring their learner’s permit and wear comfortable clothes (and shoes) to drive in. After completing the in-car sessions, 50 hours total behind the wheel, and is at least 16 years old and 90 days, your teen is eligible to take their driver’s license exam.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Once your student has gained the skills and knowledge from their Online Course and Behind The Wheel, they can continue to apply it on the road with a guardian. Driving with your student is a huge part of supporting them as they gain experience. A student driver needs at least 50 hours of driving with a guardian or instructor before they can take the final test to earn their license. Behind the Wheel instruction only covers six of those hours, so your teen is counting on you for the rest.
Allow your student to apply their skills from the driver’s seat. Review driving protocols with them before they begin driving, and map out directions beforehand. It can be stressful to trust a new driver behind the wheel, but without practice, they’ll never gain the experience and confidence to become a confident, defensive driver on their own.
Learn How To Drive Safer with Driver Ed Safety
Take advantage of winter break to get those hours in for our online course! In addition to our Online Course, we offer Behind The Wheel lessons to ensure defensive driving so you can make informed decisions on the open road. Get started today!
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