A lot of teenagers are chomping at the bit, they can't wait to get their license and hit the high way! One minute they are in high school and the next, they're driving and still in high school!

However, when my Daughter reached the required driving age, I felt that it was important for her to learn to drive. I told her that it may take a while but she will, one day, reach a point where she is competent enough to embark upon it single handedly.

I felt that the longer the learning process, the safer my Daughter would be and the more assured I will be! She was fine with this!

My Wife and I took her to vacant parking lots and we taught her many techniques, over and over again. After a year, a flat tire and a couple of crushed hub cabs, she became one of the best parallel parkers I have ever seen.

We taught her to drive on a manual transmission and this made her more aware of the gear ratios and speeds. Using this type of transmission made her more aware of other things; For one she was able to multi task by changing gears whilst keeping her eyes on the road. I felt that this was good, because a lot of teenagers tend to become distracted easily when they are not focused on the operation of their vehicle.

My Daughter and I would argue about what speed verses what gear one should be using. I was always wrong by the way, even though I had been driving a stick shift for twenty five years!

Anyway, after a long period of time, she impressed us and we felt it time for her to take the test. She passed first time. Even then, we advised her not to drive by herself for a while.

The one thing that really helped is that we didn't have a car for her. Many parents, when their children pass their driving test, rush out and buy their kids a car, sometimes a brand new one! I think this is totally irresponsible of the parent!

I don't think that the average teenager learns the real value of a free car. After all, learning to drive a car properly, should be a slow learning process in as much saving up for one yourself should be. Besides, our Daughter respected driving our car and she knew that if something happened to it, then her parents would have an expensive repair bill.

We all used to take weekend excursions, sometimes a hundred or two hundred miles away from home. We'd encourage our Daughter to drive as much as possible. Eventually, she became experienced and the many different types of incidences that cropped up, would not phase her at all.

My Daughter has been driving for four years now. She is in college, she has her own car and about once a week I meet up with her and she takes me for a drive. I am very proud of her, she is a very safe and focused driver.

However, the one thing she can't seem to do, is check the darn oil.

Learn more about this author, Jon Coe.
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