It’s the moment you have been waiting for, or possibly dreading if you are a parent. Your baby isn’t a baby anymore. They’ve been gaining more and more independence with each year that goes by, but now it’s time to put them behind the wheel of the car and that’s a whole different ball game. As parents, it’s expected to be nervous about your child driving for the first time. There are so many different distractions and types of technology that didn’t exist when you started. With multiple resources at your fingertips like online articles from eTags and DMV resources you can obtain at a licensing office, you can better prepare your teens to hit the road alone.

Before you begin teaching your child about the road, make sure they understand that driving is a privilege, not a right. When you turn of age, you have the privilege of getting your license. It may seem like a necessity that your teen has their license and their own car. With the busy and conflicting schedules that your family has, it may be easier for your teen to have their own car. However, driving should be seen as a privilege, something that should be taken seriously.

Once your teen understands that driving should be taken seriously and not taken for granted, help drive home the following rules:

• Practice truly makes perfect: The more your teen practices driving, the more they start to develop better driving habits. Help your teen get behind the wheel of the car as much as possible so they can get used to various road conditions, handling a car, and different levels of traffic. Depending on the state you live in, practice hours are a requirement before a teen can be licensed.
• Turn off electronics: We’re all attached to our phones, especially teens. Whether they’re taking selfies, sending texts or posting Snapchats, their phones are constantly in their hands. Teach your teen that using a phone while driving is not only extremely dangerous, but also illegal depending on the state you live in and what it is being used for. Distracted driving is known to be the cause of thousands of crashes ever year, many of those involving teen drivers. Calls, texts, and checking social media should be done when they are at their destination. And remember, practice what you preach.
• Understand state laws: Each state has different laws for driving and for licensing residents. Certain rules-such as wearing your seatbelt and use of directionals- are standard across all states. However, some states have restrictions on when teens can drive and how many people they can have in the car with their provisional license. Make sure your teen understands these rules and adheres to them accordingly.

As much as teenagers dream about getting their license and getting behind the wheel of a car, make sure they understand that it comes with tremendous responsibility. Driving goes beyond looking cool, hanging out with your friends, and coming and going as you please. Keep your teen safe on the road with these helpful tips.