At this time of year, in high schools across the country, young drivers are getting behind the wheels for the first time. It’s very exciting for them. Not quite so for their parents.

Parents may tend to grit their teeth and hope for the best as their offspring advance to another stage in development. A feeling of helplessness is not uncommon. After all, once their child hops behind the wheel and heads off down the road, what can a mother or father do to ensure that the child will return safely and without insurance-inflating tickets?

Actually, parents are not quite as impotent at this juncture as they might think. If they’ve done a reasonable job of raising responsible children, that will go a long way to increasing the odds in their child’s driving favor. Of course, that’s largely a matter of hindsight.

There are things parents can do now in the midst of their angst, for instance, holding their children accountable. Are their chores done? How about their homework and grades? What about their child’s behavior? Of course, if drugs or alcohol are part of a child’s life, it’s probably a good idea to withhold the keys altogether.

Such questions will help instill a sense of responsibility in a child. There are no laws stating that, when a child reaches driving age a parent is forced to hand over the keys. At times, the most loving thing a parent can do is to say, “No.” Better to refuse the keys now than to find a police officer with bad news standing at the door later.

In other words, parents should not be afraid to set limits and rules related to driving and driving privileges.

“Son, when you get your grades back up, you can start using the car again.”

Rules help develop good driving habits for those children who have good enough grades and behavior to drive regularly. Insist that all seatbelts are fastened before starting the engine and no cell phones are used – whether talking or texting – while driving. In fact, it’s a good idea to insist that no eating, drinking or other unrelated activities are performed while they’re driving.

It’s always vital that a vehicle is in safe driving condition and no more so than when a young driver is getting behind the wheel for the first time. There are questions they should ask before they start driving: are the tires properly inflated? Have they adjusted the mirrors properly? Do all the headlights, taillights and turn signals work correctly? Is their seat adjusted to fit the driver?

Beyond those things that can be checked in the driveway, it’s important to know that the car is otherwise in proper operating condition. Are the brakes functioning as they should? Is the steering and suspension in optimal condition? Will the engine stall at a critical moment? All of these are important factors for any driver. For a new driver, their importance is dramatically increased.

An experienced driver is better prepared to react in an emergency. New drivers should become more familiar with operating a vehicle before facing such crisis lest their learn lessons the hard way.

At Performance Unlimited, we can help to ensure the vehicle you and your child drive is safe and purring like a kitten.

To learn more about Performance Unlimited, visit www.4performanceunlimited.com or call 815-728-0343.