A Message to Parents & Guardians

Safe drivers are no accident. As the parent or guardian of a teenager just learning to drive, you play a critical role in helping your teen develop the habits and skills necessary to be a safe and responsible driver. This supervised driving guide can be used to help you make the most of the time you spend driving with your teen.

You don’t have to go it alone. Is your teen enrolled or preparing to enroll in driver education at their high school or a commercial driver training school? Partnering with their driver education instructor will help you help your teen reap the benefits of this training. Your involvement is critical in ensuring your teen learns the skills needed to be the best driver possible. Please commit to spending the time necessary to help them develop life-long skills.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. Remind your teen that obtaining a driver’s license is a privilege that is earned by demonstrating they know and will follow the rules of the road and are committed to be a safe, responsible driver. Remind them they share the highway with many others, including their relatives, neighbors and their friends.

Be a Role Model. Teens frequently model the behaviors of their parents. Model the habits you want your teen to develop. They are more likely to do as you do, not as you say. Distracted driving has become an epidemic. Refrain from driving distracted yourself, and impress upon your teen the importance of ALWAYS paying attention to their driving.

Wanda Minoli

Commissioner