5 Worst Driving Habits Parents Pass To Teens

Maybe you haven’t had many collisions. Maybe you haven’t had any at all! Perhaps you have impeccable driving habits. No matter how good of a driver you think you are, the majority of people unknowingly pass on unsafe or even illegal habits when they try to take on the task of teaching their teen to drive.

You might be thinking, “oh, but not me”! Are you sure? Read on to find out what habits most parents pass along to their teen driver and what you can do to make sure your teen stays safe.

#1 Steering

Wait, what? You know how to steer. Of course you know how to steer. It’s fundamental! No way you could mess that up, right? Good old 10 and 2 hand positioning.

Actually, that hand positioning was invented pretty much when the steering wheel was invented. It isn’t the correct technique for modern driving and car control. The 10 and 2 positions are when your hands are where 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock would be on your steering wheel. They should not be what your teen is learning.

In fact, it’s one of the toughest things for us to help your teen unlearn because they have probably been watching you do it all their life. Proper hand positioning is critical to helping them be able to successfully maneuver out of a skid, avoid collisions, and negotiate other hazards. In other words, there is a huge value in having your teen work with an expert at MasterDrive to ensure they make the correct positioning a driving habit for life.

#2 Distracted Driving

From checking your phone to reaching for something out of the backseat when your car is moving, or digging around in your console for some Chapstick on the highway, pretty much every driver has driven while distracted at some point. The longer you’ve been driving, the more comfortable you probably are with “multitasking” on the road.

Although you might feel in control and safe doing this, chances are you’re not. Even if you’ve never had a collision due to distracted driving, it can be dangerous for a reason you may not have considered. Unfortunately, your teen watches you do these things and is likely to think they are safe to do them too. As a result, they may take actions that put them, and the drivers around them at risk.

Distracted driving is a very dangerous habit and a tough one to break. At MasterDrive, we work hard to help our students understand the importance of focused driving. We also teach them how to feel what their vehicle is doing at all times.

#3 Speeding and Unsafe Speeds For Conditions

This is another example of a more experienced driver feeling confident enough to do something unsafe and inadvertently “teaching” their teen a very dangerous habit. We all have excuses we make for speeding. You’re running late, you just had an argument with someone, you might even just like to go fast.

Remember, you aren’t just teaching your teen to drive during structured times you designate. They are always watching you and will very likely do as you do, not as you say. Without the coaching and practice like they get in MasterDrive’s programs, they probably don’t have the maturity or experience to manage dangerous conditions. The danger increases as speed increases.

#4 Following Too Closely

Do you remember how much length you are supposed to leave between you and the car in front of you? How often do you maintain the correct distance?

Spend any time watching people drive and you’ll notice that most drivers don’t. Not allowing enough space between your vehicle and the one in front of you is a recipe for disaster. Even an experienced driver won’t have enough time to respond because you can’t outdrive physics.

It’s important for a new driver to understand how long it takes their vehicle to stop at different speeds. They also need to be able to take the size of their vehicle and the existing road conditions into account.

We teach our students how to do more than just get from point A to point B. We teach them how to safely handle their vehicle and respond correctly to the situations they will very likely encounter on the road.

Remember, you aren’t just teaching your teen to drive during structured times you designate. They are always watching you and will very likely do as you do, not as you say. Without the coaching and practice like they get in MasterDrive’s programs, they probably don’t have the maturity or experience to manage dangerous conditions. The danger increases as speed increases.

#5 Rolling Stops and Other Lazy and Dangerous Driving Habits

How many times have you rolled through a stop sign? Do you always turn into the correct lane? How about at a double turn in an intersection?

Lots of people have lazy, dangerous, and even illegal driving habits that they do because either they weren’t taught correctly or they don’t remember what they were taught because it’s been so long. However, it might be that they have just gotten comfortable and complacent. In addition, their driving standards may have relaxed a little as confidence behind the wheel increased.

We find that many parents don’t even realize the negative habits they have. However, even if they do realize, they struggle to stop doing them even just to teach their teen because the habits are so ingrained.

This is where an expert coach on your team can really be an asset. They teach your teen correctly from the beginning. Additionally, they help them have the confidence and control they need to be a great driver no matter what your driving habits may be.

Bringing It All Together

You might be a good driver. You may even be a great driver! Maybe you know the correct hand positioning for your steering wheel, never drive distracted, never speed or follow too closely, and follow all traffic safety rules. That’s awesome! However, you still may not know enough to teach your teen everything they need to know. The proper training helps increase their chances to come home safely every time they get in the car.

You probably taught them how to brush their teeth, but you still take them to a dentist, right? Having an expert help you and your teen through such an important milestone is a great decision. Teens typically respond better to learning from another adult who isn’t a parent. Besides allowing your child the benefits of learning how to drive from an expert, you may also save money on your car insurance. You can learn more about that in our other blog post written by a local agent.

Want to learn more about the programs we offer for your teen to master the skills they need to know?