Life Skills: How To Teach Your Teen to Drive

Jenny Holt

Do you remember what it was like to sit behind the wheel of a car for the first time? Suddenly realizing you are the only one in control can be a very nerve-wracking thing. These memories have probably been flooding back to you if you are about to teach your child to drive, or at least give them additional lessons. There are a lot of things that they should be prepared for in order to be as safe as possible on the road, and you are there to help advise them. After all, you have decades of experience of Ukrainian roads and of road traffic laws. You know about driving at different times of the day and different times of year.

Know Your Landscape

Where you are driving has a tremendous impact on the way you drive. The Ukraine is overall relatively flat but does have mountaineous areas. The biggest differences are going to be climactic. There is a massive difference between the hot, sweltering summer and the frozen, ice and snowbound roads of winter. 

Many drivers will be unprepared for their first snowfall and those used to driving on smooth city roads as in Kyiv may panic when they find a slightly more derelict country lane. It’s important that you give your teen enough time to learn to drive so that they can experience as many different weather conditions as possible. Although it may feel scary for the both of you, it is much safer for them to experience strong winds on a high bridge while you are there to keep them calm and comfortable rather than them trying to tackle it alone later on.

Modern Technology

Technology has a massive influence on our everyday lives, and it will be important for you to talk to your teen about the dangers of texting whilst driving. This is something that should be avoided at all costs, and the severity of the consequences should be stressed. If your teen argues that they will want to use their phone to help find their way, it may be worth thinking about investing in a SatNav device and teaching them how to use it appropriately. While the thought of them using any technology whilst driving might be intimidating to you, having prepared for it in advance will keep them safer in the long run.

Now or Never

While putting off the task of teaching your teen to drive may be tempting, it could have a detrimental effect later in life. The longer they don’t drive, the more they will be afraid of it. Instead, take this opportunity to remind yourself of important driving skills you may have forgotten yourself, and use it to help keep both of you safe. Furthermore, while there are some areas in the country where you cannot safelty drive such as the Donbass region and around Chernobyl, there are many places you can drive together and in doing so, you can ot only explore this beautiful country, but have many parent-child memories too.