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If you’ve been out and about on the Phoenix-area highways and byways, you’ve probably noticed a few more young motorists on the road. Possibly, you’re even the parent of a young driver, and are debating about whether or not it’s time to send them out on their own. After all, car accidents claim more lives than any other cause, and studies have shown that the first 12 months of solo driving are the most dangerous that any of us will have in our lives. So, is your teen ready to drive alone?

Is Your Teen Ready to Drive Alone?

Have they completed all of the necessary pre-license requirements? Obviously, each state has its own list of tasks and rules that must be followed. In Arizona, the process begins when a prospective driver is fifteen years, six months, and involves a year of supervised training before they receive full privileges at sixteen years, six months.
Can they handle the responsibility? You likely know the answer to this question just by observing your kid at home. Do they typically follow the rules? Do they understand and accept the consequences of their actions? Do they succumb to peer pressure? Are they rebellious? All of these factors will inform what sort of teen driver they become.
Have they driven in high-stress situations? Although driver’s ed is important, it often glosses over some of the more stressful situations that they’ll eventually encounter. For example, have they driven through construction zones? Or in bad weather? Or at night? Or in high traffic? All of these will come up at some point in their driving career, so what better way to prepare them for it than by accompanying them on a quest to conquer all of these obstacles?
Read More: How to Drive Safely in Windy Conditions
Do they understand the trust that’s being placed in them? This is a big one. When you hand over the keys to your kids, you’re letting them know that you trust them to be responsible from the moment they leave until the moment they get home. That means that they need to understand that the rules in place are not open to question and, in the event that they get a ticket, they’ll be paying for it with their lawnmowing money.
The move from a nondriver to a full-time motorist is one of the biggest steps a young adult will take, and it helps to have parents that are clear and direct about the responsibility that they are welcoming. We hope that these tips help make that a reality, and that when it’s time to find your teen driver a new car, you’ll check out our lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles at Avondale Nissan!