Daughter's First Solo Drive

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My 16 year old daughter took her first short solo drive today, and thank you to GOD she arrived safely. It’s a huge step in parenting, the first taste of letting your kids go to fly off soon, but are there any tips to deal with the nervousness of your kids driving by themselves? Are there any special prayers or so forth out there? Any advice is welcomed from those who have been through it.

Nervous Dad
 
This is the most nerve-racking time of a parent’s life. We went through it four times. Just pray and TALK to them about safe driving. Above all, no driving with other teens in the car!
 
Congratulations. It’s exciting and nerve wracking!

Our youngest has her permit and is taking driver’s ed this summer. 2 down, 1 to go!

—KCT
 
Michigan has a gradual driver’s license system, so by the time a teen can solo, he or she has had many, many hours of classroom instruction and even more hours on the road with a coach or parent.

My son is at Level 1 right now. He gets his Level 2 license in September. I still cringe when he’s driving with me in the car, but I try not to show it.

I really don’t know how a parent with many children can go through this over and over! It’s incredibly stressful!

I think that their guardian angels must be on overtime during this period.

'thann
 
I’m 23 with no kids but I do have a suggestion. Get her a cell phone. I know you are probably thinking I’m not about to give her a phone…It really is a safety thing. I’m saying this from experience…

I was in dance in high school and I was driving home. I’m in OK and there is a 12:00 am curfew for under 18 kids. My parents knew where I was so it wasn’t like I had snuck out. I went out to eat after the game to celebrate since it was the last time our dance group would all dance together since the seniors would be gone soon. I was pulled over and was told I was out past curfew and to step out of the car. The cop wanted me to get out of my car! And that “Oh No” thing kicked in and I told him I wouldn’t until my Dad got there. I get out my CELL PHONE and started to call 911 to make sure this was a real cop. Funny…Once I got on the phone he got back in his car and he drove off…I know think that my phone and my quick thinking saved my life. I think it was a fake cop.

You need to make sure your new driver understands its ok to question stuff like that. I was so scared I was going to get grounded for not showing respect to a cop like I was taught to do. I almost got out of the car. I think God that I didn’t.

As girls, we are taught to be sweet and respectful…I think sometimes its ok to not be. I wish my parents would have told me about things like that. I’m not saying to scare her…But there are some sick sick sick people out there. I tell everyone I know to never get out of the car! Always call and make sure it really is a real cop outside your car. I’ve now done this a few times…Even when I got pulled over because he wanted to tell me my brake light was out and wanted to show me which one and everytime the cop was ok with it. I’m a single girl. I’m not about to take any chances with my safety.
 
I’m just down the road from you in Huntsville and certainly with you on those nervous feelings. Mine will be 16 in just under 3 weeks. She will have the rule of call before you leave and then call when you get there.
 
Well, she called to say that she made it safely both ways! I suppose it takes a long time for the nervousness to abate somewhat. I do have a cell phone that I make her keep charged and use to call me when she gets somewhere. You know, cell phones bug me, but in these situations, I’m all for them!

Keri6789, that was a very good suggestion you made! I really hadn’t thought about it that much, but having her call to make sure that a policeman is actually legit is a good idea. You hate to think about it, but there are a lot of predators out there just waiting to take advantage of women.

I’m definitely going to ask for help from the Guardian Angels. I don’t know my daughter’s angel, or how to pray to it, but I ask mine to also look after her and request that He asks my daughter’s angel to be vigilant.

For those of you with quite a few kids, like someone else said, I don’t see how you do it!🙂 May God give you the special graces that your lives require! I admire your fortitude!
 
St. Christopher is the patron saint of automobile drivers and motorists. Perhaps a little medal would help with her courage.

Also keeping to the areas she knows and is familiar with is a good idea. I agree no other teens or siblings in the car. No distractions please - there is too many of them already.

Don’t forget to go over what to do in bad or inclement weather. Where should she go? Should she pull over? What if the water on the road is high? How close should she be to the other cars?

Good luck and God bless - sounds like she is doing great.
 
CONGRATULATIONS to you and your daughter (I’m sure that as a parent that must be really stressful!)

My advice would be to make sure she starts out driving in areas where she’s familiar, especially at night, because the last thing you want is to get lost at a really late hour and not have the experience driving to know what to do! Having a cell phone is also a very good thing, so that if something did happen, she could get in touch with you.
 
Yea!!!

Now for the hours and hours of worry…

My dd (my youngest) has her permit and has been driving with dh because I get too nervous. Two weeks ago as she was getting ready for school, I told her she wouldn’t be going to school… she was going driving with me. She was stunned! Unfortunately, it wasn’t a “fun” trip. I needed her to drive me to the emergency room but I didn’t want to make her nervous so I did it that way. When we got to the hospital, I told her why we were there. I let her drive me anywhere now… she did excellent!
 
🙂 I thought of something else…Not sure if you had done this or not…Teach her to drive in the rain!! My Dad was going to teach me one weekend after I got my license when there was a 100% chance of rain for Saturday. That week I was at school and it started raining. I never drove in the rain and I was a HUGE mess…We lived really cose to the school (about 7 min away) But I was still a huge panic mess! I really wished my parents would have gotten me out in the rain instead of me just doing it. I’m in OK and we don’t get snow we get ice…I was shown how to drive on that!! Always tap your breaks!! I’m sure she will do great.
 
Heath_Bar said:
My 16 year old daughter took her first short solo drive today, and thank you to GOD she arrived safely. It’s a huge step in parenting, the first taste of letting your kids go to fly off soon, but are there any tips to deal with the nervousness of your kids driving by themselves? Are there any special prayers or so forth out there? Any advice is welcomed from those who have been through it.

Nervous Dad
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My daughter started driving herself and her sisters to and from school this fall. She is only 15, but in the state of Iowa, 15 year olds can obtain a school permit, which allows them to drive to and from school between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. I was a nervous reck for the first few weeks. I would make them call as soon as they arrived at school, and I always made sure they had a cell phone in the car in case something happened, and they needed help. I’ve relaxed a bit now, since we have had no incidents all school year (thank God). Still, I usually say a prayer to their guardian angels every day, thanking them for getting the kids to and from school safely.
 
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