Teaching your teen to drive can be a daunting task. There are specific skills required by state testing for each student to know before receiving their license. Here is a checklist you can refer to, to help review concepts and mark where you need to review information or practice a little more. The list is broken into three sections- beginning, intermediate, and advanced driving skills.

Beginning Skills

These skills should be the basic foundations of driving a vehicle. They include steps to complete before driving and maneuvers done in a parking lot, before ever operating a vehicle on the road.

Intermediate Driving Skills

These skills are improved after the basics have been mastered. They are learned and practiced on the road, but not in heavy traffic. Practice should be done once the student has learned the driving laws and what all the signs mean. Master these skills before moving on to the advanced section.

Advanced Skills

Each section of driving skills should build on the other. Once the two lists are mastered and the student has become increasingly comfortable behind the wheel, move on to these advanced skills.

Once the Skills are Mastered

Not all teens are ready to drive at the same time and some need more help than others. Referring to these lists every so often is a great way to know what skills to work on more so that you both know that they are prepared to move on to the next level of skills. Another way to utilize these lists is to recognize the areas your teen has improved. Take the time to acknowledge areas of improvement and encourage their efforts.

If you are taking adult driving classes to learn how to drive yourself, you can use these lists with the help of a friend, significant other, or just yourself as you practice before a test. No matter what stage of life you are in, these skills are required on driving tests for licensing. Once you have mastered each level you or your teen driver should be ready to take your driving test.

Making an emergency preparedness kit for your car is so important that you should put one in each of your family’s vehicles. When putting together your kit, there are three categories of items you should consider; medical, breakdowns, and emergency supplies.

Medical

Medical emergencies can happen any time, any place, even in your car. If you get in a car crash or drive up to crash, you will be glad that you have some basic medical supplies on hand until help arrives.

If you are out for the day in the mountains or spending the day at the beach, injuries can happen there too and having some first aid items in your car can be very useful. Plenty of big box stores have pre-made first aid kits to buy, or you can make your own. If you decide to put your own first aid kit together, consider the following items:

• Band-Aids
• Antibacterial ointment
• Burn cream
• Gauze pads
• Ace Bandage Wrap
• Anti-diarrheal medicine
• Antacids
• Pain medication such as Tylenol or Aspirin
• Antiseptic
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Hand sanitizer

Store all items in a container that closes securely. Rotate items that have an expiration date and keep the kit in your car.

Breakdowns

Cars are something that everyone hopes will always work properly, there are times that they won’t start or have something break while on the road. While you can’t anticipate everything that can go wrong, there are some basic supplies to keep in your car, like

• Jumper cables
• Spare tire
• Tire iron and jack
• Flashlight
• Tool kit
• Road flares

Even if you don’t know how to fix your car, it is a good idea to keep these items in it so you have the things you need if someone pulls over to help you.

Emergency Supplies

Some items that are good for your car for unanticipated emergencies are bottles of water, long-lasting food items, and extra clothing. If you are ever stranded or find yourself in a remote area, it is a good idea to have bottled water for drinking, pouring in your radiator, or washing off an injury.

In this instance, you might need food as well, so consider keeping granola bars, jerky, crackers, or other items that last a while in your car. Extra clothing such as a poncho, sweatshirt, jacket, socks, or even some extra shoes for if you need to layer up or walk a long distance for gas.

Other Things to Consider

Depending on where you live, there are other items you should consider. Live in a snowy environment? Add an extra ice scraper to your back seat and pack some extra blankets. If you live in a hot climate, make sure you have a lot of extra water in your car and a hat.

The time of life you are in is also something to consider. If you have a young family, keep an extra pack of diapers, some formula, and toys in the car. No matter what you include in your emergency preparedness kit, just be sure to pack one and be intentional about your items.

More drivers are out on the road during the holiday season. Whether it’s driving to a holiday party, family function, or going out shopping, there are many reasons why the roads are more congested. If you are out in the holiday traffic for any reason, here are five tips you can use to deal with the traffic and keep yourself safe.

Plan Ahead

Timing is everything for road trips. Whether you are driving over the river and through the woods or to an entirely different state, always give yourself some extra time to travel. Since everyone is out on the roads heading to their holiday parties, there will be heavier traffic than normal.

Depending on where you are, the weather might also slow you down. If you give yourself plenty of extra time for traveling, you will feel less stressed and hurried while you’re driving. This helps keep frustrated feelings at bay, limiting risky driving maneuvers and yelling at other drivers. One tip for planning ahead is to try and plan to be in the biggest cities or the areas of construction during a time that isn’t quite so busy.

Keep Calm

One way to deal with holiday traffic is to bring things along in the car for entertaining. For kids, bring movies, games, snacks, and anything else to keep them busy and distracted during a long car drive.

The driver should always stay focused on the road and avoid using cell phones or looking away from the road. Just plan to have something to help you pass the time if you hit traffic that you know can help keep you calm and happy in the car.

Be Intentional

Heavy traffic is stressful and causes some drivers to throw common courtesy out the window. During a time when things are supposed to be merry and bright, it’s important to still be considerate and follow the driving laws. Use your signals when you are switching lanes or turning, give the driver in front of you space, and drive slowly. Don’t forget the basics of driving just because you are in a hurry or there are more cars on the road.

Drive Proactively

To boil down this point to a catchphrase, “expect the unexpected” is a good thing to remember. While you can’t control what other drivers are doing on the road around you, it is possible to attempt to anticipate their movements.

If you see a driver up ahead constantly looking over their left shoulder, you know that they probably want to switch lanes. If you are watching and trying to anticipate other driver’s movements, especially in heavy traffic, you can keep yourself safe if they make a mistake.

Take Breaks

Sitting in traffic for long stretches of time is exhausting to you physically and mentally. Make sure you take breaks from sitting too long. Taking occasional stops are great for stretching out your legs, refreshing the mind, and searching for alternate routes. Be sure that you are not letting yourself get too tired behind the wheel. Tired driving is another form of impaired driving, so switch up drivers or pull off the road for a nap if you need it.

While the holidays are a time for love, family, and celebrating, make sure that you get to all your destinations safely. With so many people on the road, it’s better to keep your guard up and your driving skills sharp, while still avoiding conflict and car crashes.

Roads are full of large semi-trucks. Large trucks like these are used to transport merchandise and large deliveries for companies in almost every industry. Driving around them can be uncomfortable and for good reason.

In the most recent report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 2016 was a rough year for truck drivers with 55,633 semis involved in crashes that involved injuries and 99,911 semi-trucks were involved in tow-away crashes. To make sure you are educated on how to pass semi-trucks on the road, here are some things you can remember.

Stay Out of the Blind Spots

Semis have large blind spots because of the trailers they are pulling. They have large mirrors to help, but the size of their blind spots compared to a normal vehicle are much larger. They are on both sides of the truck, plus the front and back.

When you are trying to pass a semi, make sure you stay out of these spots or pass through them quickly. If you linger too long, the driver probably doesn’t know you are there and might merge right into your car. A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t see the driver in their side mirrors, they can’t see you.

Always Pass on the Left

Every multiple lane road is supposed to have slower traffic in the far-right lane with the lanes on the left all being passing lanes, with each increase in speed to pass the slower traffic on the right. This is the safest way to pass all traffic, but especially trucks.

Semi-trucks have their largest blind spot to the right of their trucks, spanning multiple lanes. Since truck drivers are trained to pass on the left only, it makes the most sense that they aren’t expecting to be passed on the right.

Another reason to not pass on the right is that semis must make wide right turns to clear their trailer around corners. When vehicles sit on their right side, they block a portion of the road and make it very difficult for the truck driver to maneuver. Don’t ever try to pass a truck at an intersection on the right side if they are signaling their intention to turn that direction.

Merging rules

Once you have passed the semi, merge back into traffic carefully. Since there is a blind spot on the front of the truck, the driver is too high to see if you merge too closely. In fact, the second most common unsafe act that drivers do around a semi is merging improperly into traffic.

This causes the truck driver to do a quick maneuver to avoid crashing or brake quickly, which is difficult in a truck weighing more than 10,000 pounds. Give them a lot more room between you than you would a regular vehicle on the road.

Driving with semi-trucks on the road doesn’t have to be dangerous. Following these passing rules helps keep traffic flowing smoothly. Most truck drivers are doing the best they can to get their load where it needs to go. If you can give them enough space and be respectful, everyone can stay safe on the road.

The evenings are getting darker, leaves changing colors, and temperatures are dropping. That can only mean one thing; fall is here. As October gets into full swing, preparations for Halloween are going strong. One thing to include in your Halloween prep is taking a refresher course in driving safety for the big night. While it might be all fun and games, it’s important that you know how to navigate the night safely.

Drive Extra Cautiously

Halloween is a fun night for people of all ages, including children. Whenever you drive in an area when there will be extra pedestrians around, it is important to increase your cautiousness. Drive a little slower than necessary and try to anticipate people walking out in front of your car. Watch the people on the sidewalks with more vigilance. Kids are more likely to run into the street or step off the sidewalk when they are out walking with a group and excited.

Not only will people be dressed in darker clothing and costumes, but children are also harder to spot since they are shorter. Driving slower means you will be able to stop your vehicle faster, avoiding pedestrians of any size.

If possible, avoid areas that you know will have a high number of trick-or-treaters, including neighborhoods, businesses doing trunk-or-treat events, or even popular Halloween attractions like haunted houses. Also, be sure to keep your headlights on, even if it is barely dusk. It’s important that pedestrians can see you too.

Another important way to drive with extra caution is to make sure you have a full range of vision and hearing. Don’t wear a mask or anything over your head while driving. If your costume prevents you from moving your arms or legs freely, just don’t wear it. You will need to have full use of your body to steer or brake quickly. It’s more important to drive safely, so change into your costume when you get to your destination if it is going to interfere with your driving abilities.

Stay Focused

Limit all distractions when you are driving. Don’t play music too loudly, do anything on your cell phone, apply makeup, eat, or get too involved in conversations with your passengers. It is important to focus on driving safely and anticipating any accidents. If traffic slows down or a pedestrian walks in front of your car, staying focused can make all the difference in avoiding a crash.

Another key to staying focused is to not drive impaired. If you are attending a party where there is alcohol and intend to drive home, stay away from the drinks. If you do plan to drink, have a designated driver for your group or arrange to find another way home. Alcohol slows your reaction time, limits your concentration, and decreases your coordination. These all interfere with your ability to stay focused on the road and driving safely.

Halloween is an evening of parties and fun that go well into the night. Being responsible by driving cautiously and staying focused, you can keep all the scary stuff in the parties and activities, away from the road.

Four-way stops, or intersections that require all four directions of traffic to come to a stop, are some of the first traffic rules discussed in driving school. They are often a frustrating experience for many drivers though because they don’t remember who should go first. Having a good, solid understanding of the four rules of four-way stops is one of the best ways to prevent collisions, road rage, and frustrations when you approach one of these intersections.

First to arrive, first to go

The first car to pull up to the stop sign is the first car that gets to proceed. If cars are all stopping at the intersection at different times, each should proceed through in the order they arrived. It doesn’t matter which direction a car is going either. Just like in kindergarten, you wait for your turn and don’t cut in line.

Tie goes to the right

Sometimes two cars stop at the intersection at the exact same time, or at least close to the same time. If it isn’t clear which car was there first, the law says the car on the right has the right-of-way. If another car has pulled up to the intersection, the cars that arrived at the same time both go through the intersection first.

Straight before turns

If two cars are across the intersection from each other at the same time, and no car is on the right of the other, it depends on the traveling direction of the two cars. If they are both going straight, they can go at the same time without any problems. If one vehicle is turning and one is going straight, the right-of-way goes to the car going straight.

Right then left

If two cars are directly across from each other and pull up to the four-way stop at the same time and one is turning right and one is turning left, the right-of-way goes to the vehicle turning right. Since they are both trying to turn into the same lane of traffic, it makes sense that the vehicle turning right would go first because they are the closest to the lane.

The best way to stay safe at a four-way stop is to communicate. The laws that dictate right-of-way based on turning direction show that communicating through signals is vital. If there is any doubt on whose turn it is, wave people through or motion that it is their turn to let them know that you intend to wait for them to go before pulling into the intersection.

Try not to get too uptight if people go out of turn. If an aggressive driver thinks it is their turn and pulls out into the intersection, yield to them, even if you know that you had the right-of-way. The rules were made to help keep the flow of traffic going while keeping everyone safe. Knowing when it’s your turn to drive through the intersection is very important, but don’t get so caught up in the way it should happen that you compromise safety.