2. Learner's Stage

Goal

Your to do's

Points to remember
Develop your teen driver's experience slowly and incrementally.

Help your teen develop confidence and ability with as little risk as possible.

Ensure your teen has a thorough understanding of the financial and social risks of becoming a driver.

1. Discuss your teen's responsibilities as a driver. Explain how insurance works, and the financial and social implications of a crash.
2. Consider asking your Autoplan broker to have a frank discussion with your teen about the risks — particularly financial — associated with driving. Chances are your broker will be happy to do this, and listening to facts from an objective 3rd party may have a greater impact with your teen. 
3. Implement your own house rules to augment Learner restrictions. Be sure to encourage discussion with your teen. Discuss implications if teen breaks your house rules. 
4. Complete the family contract.  
5. Continue with practice sessions as often as you can, introducing new challenges slowly and incrementally. Use the Tuning Up booklet to help guide your practice sessions.  
6. Introduce and begin using the pre-trip checklist. 
7. Continue to model safe driving behavior. 
8. Continue map reading and route planning sessions 
9. Make sure your teen knows basic car maintenance such as how to get gas (and how to fill up at a self-serve station), how to check oil and other fluid levels, checking tire air pressure, and what to do in a flat tire situation.
New drivers are unprepared and inexperienced. And they often cannot identify or assess risks the way more experienced drivers can. That's why crashes happen.

Keep your teen in low-risk driving environments (e.g., quiet streets, during daylight hours) for as long as you feel is necessary before moving on to more challenging sessions. Your teen may disagree, but remain firm.

Ensure your teen's first challenging drives have minimal risk. For example, if you are driving on a highway, ensure it's in daylight hours and in good weather conditions.

When conducting practice sessions, identify and minimize potential risks that perhaps your teen can't yet recognize. For example, don't let your teen drive on a new route during rush hour.

ICBC's Tuning Up booklet contains excellent suggestions to help you practice with and coach your teen. The booklet is provided free of charge with each learner's licence; it can also be downloaded from the ICBC Web site.

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