of each of these components. If you need help, use your owner’s manual.
Inspect the tires and, if you know how, demonstrate how to check the tire pressure (best done when the tires are cold).
With the hood still open, start the engine. Show the power plant at work to give a sense of the energy at the driver’s command. Then turn the engine off and let the youngster sit in the driver’s seat. Go over all of the vehicle’s controls, from the gas and brake pedals (and clutch, if applicable) to the gearshift, lights, turn signals, wiper controls, ignition switch, heating and air conditioning controls, and so on. Again, if you need help, use the manual.
Also discuss the instruments. Pay particular attention to the three critical gauges (or warning lights). A warning from each requires a different response. The important ones monitor temperature, oil level and battery power (“Boil, Oil, Coil”). We’ll discuss these items later; for now, just point them out.
You also should discuss the fuel gauge. Most fuel gauges don’t give true readings. When the tank is full, the needle moves above the “F” mark. When the needle indicates halfway, the tank usually is only one-third full, and when most gauges read “empty,” they are not quite empty—though it’s still advisable to refuel well before the gauge hits that point. Also, sometime early during the lessons, stop at a service station and demonstrate how to fuel up.
Don’t forget to open the glove compartment and show the vehicle registration card and owner’s manual. The teen should spend some time reading and studying the manual. It contains lots of useful information, and this is a good time to begin learning about vehicle maintenance and care.
Last, let your teen turn the key and start the engine.
Today’s vehicles have many different starting procedures, so you will have to fill in the specifics. Most modern ignition systems are electronic, so there’s no need to depress the gas pedal while starting; just turn the key all the way to the start position, wait until the engine catches, and release. Older models might need some help from the gas pedal.
The same goes for shutting the engine off. Sometimes you need to depress a on the steering column before you can remove the key.
The main thing to teach is that, as soon as the engine starts and the key is released, the key should never be turned to the starting position again. If you’ve ever done this, you know why. The noise is awful, because the gear teeth on the starter motor are jamming into the gear teeth on the engine crankshaft.
You might even want to let your teen try a double start one time, just for the experience. It’s usually enough to persuade anyone not to do it again, but maybe not. In any event, practice the engine start several times, until the act becomes comfortable.
Be sure your teen understands where the gearshift position should be when the engine is started (“Park” on an automatic, and either neutral or first gear, with the clutch depressed, on a manual transmission). Make sure the parking brake is engaged before starting up.
A Few Words about Teaching
As you study the material in this book, and prepare to teach your teen, try to keep in mind that everyone learns best by doing. It’s an approach based firmly on principles of human psychology and physiology. The mind and body can adapt to many conditions and activities; it’s a survival mechanism. The key to successful adaptation is repeated exposure.
Driving, learned properly, is a process that becomes automatic, allowing the mind to relax without sacrificing attention, but the only way it can be learned properly is by repetition. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t spend time talking about what to do; it’s just that for some people there may be a temptation to overdo it.
One of the things I discovered during my brief years as a teacher was that certain methods can get in the way of the learning process. For example, many people have a tendency to teach by asking open-ended questions or posing “fill in the blank” situations:
“What should you never do if you’re approaching the crest of a hill?”
Or, “The most important thing to do after you start the engine is ______.”
Or, they simply spend too much time lecturing about proper technique while sitting still.
Try to avoid these methods, because they really aren’t effective. For one thing, they tend to create tension between you and your teen driver. People are naturally put on edge by someone lecturing to them. In your own experience, haven’t you felt uneasy being on the receiving end of such behavior?
Instead, briefly and in a very straightforward way, tell your teen exactly what you want him or her to know and explain the reason for it. Ask once in a while if he or she understands everything you’ve discussed so far; otherwise, keep things moving. Let the teen perform the lessons.
As you proceed, try to include as much real-time instruction as possible. Calmly and matter-of-factly comment on the performance as it happens. Also—and this is very important—act as your teen’s co-pilot. Keep your own attention well ahead—and behind—on the road. There will be many situations and hazards your youngster will not be able to anticipate until he or she is more experienced:
—developing congestion ahead, for example;
—vehicles that could emerge from blind entranceways or parking spaces;
—certain impatient drivers whom you know will be lane-weaving around you;
—and potholes, because most young drivers seem particularly oblivious to potholes. Teach your teen to avoid them or encounter them as slowly as possible.
There won’t be a shortage of road hazards, so you must serve double duty as instructor and co-pilot. You’ll find the co-pilot role very valuable; it’s the best way to impart knowledge, judgment and experience. By narrating road conditions and pointing out potential hazards, you’ll help your teen develop and strengthen his or her awareness.
If something isn’t being done correctly, say so, as soon as you notice it, but do it gently. Mistakes are part of the process, so there’s no need to become emotional. You have to expect them; be calm and review what happened immediately.
Speaking of which, as I mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to spend a little time at the end of each session reviewing everything that was covered and anything unexpected that happened. Do it while everything remains fresh in both of your minds. Remember: Brief/Perform/Debrief. If your teen is experiencing a particular or persistent problem, note it in the lesson log for future reference.
Regarding the lessons, I designed them to increase the level of complexity gradually. Repeat each step enough so the teen driver recognizes the proper procedures and begins making his or her own corrections. It is important to stick with each step until the teen can perform all of its components well and consistently.
If not, it’s a risk to move on to a more complicated situation.
Remember to be just as quick to praise good performance as you are in pointing out mistakes. Be encouraging. It’s a way to build a young driver’s confidence and keep a strong bond between you.
If you are old enough to have a child of driving age, you have amassed your own body of experience on the road; try to make use of it whenever you can. If you disagree with one of my recommendations, replace it with your
