This post is sponsored by Bouncie. All opinions are my own.

Getting ready to have a teen driver can be one of the scariest milestones for a parent. You try to teach them how to be a safe driver, but eventually you have to let them get into that vehicle and drive away on their own. Here are 4 driving tips for new drivers to help prepare and keep your teen safe for the road trips ahead.

4 Driving Tips for New Drivers

1. Set a good example

It is amazing how closely our children are watching, even as teenagers. I was sitting at a red light recently, and my 8 year old piped up from the back seat, “Geez! Turn Green! Let’s get a MOVE ON!” I was shocked at how closely he had been watching my driving habits, and imitating them! They become even more aware as they approach the age that they will start driving. If we want safe teenage drivers, we need to be safe drivers ourselves, because they will imitate what we do. It helps to talk them through your safe driving habits when you are out and about to help them recognize what’s going on. Also, beware of Road Rage. It doesn’t help anyone driving to get road rage, and it will inhibit your teenagers ability to make safe driving decisions, so PLEASE try and remain calm in the car especially when your kids are with you, watching you.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

There’s a reason why our teenagers have to spend a certain amount of hours behind the wheel with an adult present before they can sit for their Driver’s Test. They need practice, and lots of it. They need safe driving habits to become second nature to them. Make sure you child gets lots of practice in different weather types (ie. rain, wind, snow, etc.) and road conditions with you in the car to help guide them. Also, have plenty of practice with different types of driving (ie. city, freeway, construction zone, one way roads, driving during rush hour, night driving, multiple lanes, etc.). There are many different types of driving that we don’t realize we do every day. I remember being intimidated with driving the on-ramps to the freeway when I was a new driver. Merging with faster cars scared me quite a bit, so my parents made sure that I drove those on-ramps often to get more comfortable with the concepts and skills. The majority of teenage accidents happen in the first 12 months of their driving, so make sure they have had plenty of practice.

3. Set and Discuss Limits

Our kids need boundaries and limits to have a safe area to learn and grow in, and learning to drive is no different. Many parents develop and sign a “Driving Contract” with their child to outline the privileges and responsibilities associated with driving. Discuss what times are allowed/not allowed to drive; where your child is allowed to drive; how many people they are allowed to transport; using phones in the car, and any other rules and limits that work for your family.

4. Accountability

Teenagers need to know that someone cares enough to watch over them and check in on them. We discovered the most amazing device that tracks everything you’ll want to know about your driver. It is BOUNCIE.

Bouncie is a smart device that plugs into your car’s OBD port and communicates important information to your smartphone, tracking and analyzing locations, driving habits, car health and more. We recently tried out Bouncie and were blown away with all that it does. One of the main features that I loved, is the vehicle location data. It tracks trips, GPS locations, allows you to create and keep track of GEO-Circles, alerting your phone when your vehicle leaves or enters one. No more lost vehicles at the airport or big game either. It brought me a lot of peace of mind knowing where my child was when they were off driving on their own.

Bouncie also tracks driver data such as hard acceleration/braking, average speed/overspeed, idle times, distance traveled, etc. When a teenager knows that their driving habits are tracked, they are more apt to have those safe driving habits that we want them to follow.

Another thing Bouncie does that is great for new drivers as well as seasoned drivers, is keeping track of the vehicle health (through the same port that mechanics use), and reminding you of maintenance and renewals. It turns your car into a smart car that helps you keep your family safer on the road.

Bouncie offers different plans to keep your family and all vehicles connected and safe on the road. Check out Bouncie for more information on what Bouncie can do and the different pricing plans offered.

It is so intimidating setting our new drivers out on the road, but hopefully with these four tips, we’ll be setting them up for success!