Getting your teen a car or letting your teenager drive is something a lot of parents do. It's often a sign that the parents trust the child and the teen has grown enough to take over the wheel. However, not every teenager is fit for this responsibility.
How do you know if your teen is not fit to drive? Here are some signs to look out for.
1. They are always going against your rules.
Driving is all about rules. If your children can't even follow house rules, how can they follow road rules? This is a major red flag and a clear sign that they will get into trouble.
2. They have a bunch of "bad" friends.
Bad influences are rampant these days, what with media and pop culture and all of that stuff. Your kids may easily be influenced by others who have a more rebellious approach to teenage life. This may reflect their driving by purposefully disobeying traffic rules and signs. Again, a huge risk for accidents and trouble with the law.
3. They are hot-tempered.
Road rage is real and a hot-tempered teen can also get it if they get stuck in traffic or come across another bad driver. Giving them the keys is like enabling them to get into a road fight.
4. They are impulsive.
Is your teen bad at making decisions? Do they do something without thinking and end up regretting it later on? This is a bad habit for a driver because a lot of things can happen on the road if you let your impulse take over. A life lost in a road accident can't be recovered no matter how much a driver regrets it.
5. They are not independent.
Sure, teens love to act all strong and independent, but if they always end up making mistakes and waiting for you to clean up after them, this only proves how dependent they are on you. If they can't do things right without your guidance, they probably aren't good enough to drive, especially without you beside them.
6. They often mess things up.
When a toddler gets curious and destroys things, it's cute, but when a teen is so clumsy that everything they touch seems to break, it's just not a good sign that it's time to drive. Driving requires care and attention, and if your teen can't give both of those, driving will only be a huge disaster.
7. They change their mind a lot.
Indecisiveness is often seen in teens but this habit isn't a good one for drivers. Imagine buying a car for your kid then after a couple of months, they tell you they want to repaint the car to a different color? Not only is it expensive but also time-consuming. The worst part is they may even ask for another repaint sometime later.
8. They just don't seem responsible enough.
Do you really think your teen can already handle driving? Are they mature enough to take responsibility of a thousand-dollar machine that can take lives of other people when used incorrectly? It's good to reward your children but it's also important to weigh the pros and cons of every situation.
At the end of the day, you as the parent have the control over the household, especially when it comes to the car which is a valuable asset of the family. You have the final say, and it's your decision to either let your child drive or not. In the long run, making the right decision will only be beneficial to your whole family, especially when safety is concerned.