How To Improve Your Child's Confidence While Driving

It may only feel like yesterday that you baby-proofed your car, but now your child is ready to get behind the wheel and gain some essential life skills and independence of their own. But, as excited as they might try to be, there is also the chance they are nervous, and for good reason. Driving can be stressful, and if they aren't confident, they could put themselves and others at risk. So, how does a dad improve their child’s confidence while driving? Here are four things to consider. 

Stop With The Jokes 

Driving can conjure up enough stress and anxiety as it is without parents making jokes at their child's expense. As funny as you think it is, panicking at every junction or turn will only make things worse, and it will not do your child any favors. 

Rather than make jokes about their driving, encourage them (without veering too close to empty praise). By opting for this approach, they will feel more capable, although you should still be on the lookout for any hazards. 

Walk Them Through Accident Protocols 

One of the biggest fears for any driver is getting involved in an accident, but you know that it doesn’t matter how old you are, accidents can happen at any age. You can put your child at ease by walking them through accident protocols. Teach them what to do if they rear-end another driver or are involved in a collision that wasn’t their fault. 

The protocol should include getting out of the road where possible and surveying any damage. They should also speak to the other party, take pictures, and exchange contact and insurance information. Depending on the severity of the collisions, giving them the number for a car accident lawyer can ease other worries. They should also ring you as soon as possible. 

Validate Their Worries And Offer Advice 

You cannot act like you were never nervous behind the wheel, so rather than silently judging their driving, you should validate their worries. Some maneuvers and road sections are trickier than others, so remind them that others struggle with them. This makes them feel less like a terrible driver, and you can also offer advice on how to avoid mistakes or nervousness next time. 

Give Them The Chance to Practice

If possible, you can also take them out in your car to get essential practice in between lessons and before their driving exam. Empty parking lots or roads are a good way to do this, especially in mid-morning or early afternoon when the roads are quieter and safer. While your child will still need to become comfortable driving with other cars on the road, these quiet times help them become more familiar with using the car and training their movements to check mirrors or slow down at crossroads. 

Confident 

Driving confidence comes with experience, and there is always the risk of a young driver being too confident and cocky. This approach could put them at risk just as much as nervous driving, so you need to highlight the fine balance. By doing so, they will feel fine behind the wheel and learn more as they get more road experience.