By Robert Abbott
The Six Environments Every Teen Needs Before They Drive Alone
A thirty-second test, and the two your family is almost certainly skipping.
Practice
What should we actually practice?
Coverage matters as much as hours. Learn which roads, conditions, situations and skills your teen should experience before they start driving alone.
By Robert Abbott
Is a Teen Defensive Driving Course Worth It?
One Saturday on a skid pad won't make your kid a safe driver. It might make them a humbler one. Here's what these courses actually do, what they cost, and the insurance question nobody wants to answer straight.
By Robert Abbott
Following Distance: Teaching the Space Nobody Thinks About
Space is the cheapest safety feature in the car. New drivers give it away constantly, because nobody taught them how to measure it.
By Robert Abbott
Highway Merging: The On-Ramp Is a Runway, Not a Stop Sign
The most common merging mistake is being too slow, not too fast. Here's how to practice it in stages, starting with the quietest ramp you can find.
By Robert Abbott
Left Turns: The Most Judgment-Heavy Thing Your Teen Will Do All Day
An unprotected left turn asks a new driver to judge speed, distance and gaps all at once. It's learnable, but only with a lot of reps.
By Robert Abbott
Skids, Blowouts and Brake Failure: Teaching the Emergencies Before They Happen
Every instinct in a driving emergency is wrong. The only fix is to replace the instinct before the emergency, not during it.
By Robert Abbott
The First Drive: What to Do in the Parking Lot on Day One
The first drive sets the tone for the whole permit year. Keep it short, keep it empty, and keep it boring.
By Robert Abbott
Feedback Without a Fight: How to Coach Your Teen Without Wrecking the Car Ride
The car is a terrible place to have an argument and a great place to learn. The difference is mostly when you say things, and how.
By Robert Abbott
Night Driving: The Practice Most Families Get Two Hours Of
Practice it on purpose before the license. Limit it on purpose after. Most families do neither.
By Robert Abbott
The 50-Hour Myth: Why the Number in Your Log Is the Wrong Number
Your state wants hours. The research says the hours aren't what's doing the work.
By Robert Abbott
The Permit Year, Month by Month
Most families run the year backwards. Here's the order the skills actually build in.
By Robert Abbott
Rain, Snow and Ice on Purpose
Almost every state counts your teenager's night hours. Two count rain.