6 steps for teaching someone to drive: A parent’s guide

Teaching someone to drive is more than just showing them how to use the pedals and steering wheel. It’s about building awareness, judgment, and safe habits that last a lifetime. For parents and guardians, the responsibility can feel overwhelming, but with a clear plan, you can make the process manageable and less stressful when it’s time for your teen to learn to drive. Here are some tips to get started. 

Step 1: Lay the groundwork

Before your learner even starts the car, spend time on preparation. Review the driver handbook together, go over local laws, and quiz them on signs and signals while you drive. Share stories from your own experience, like tricky intersections or merging on highways, to give real examples that can help bring the rules to life. This preparation not only helps to ease nerves on the first lesson, but it can also help them understand why each rule matters.

Practical tip: Have your learner keep a notebook where they can jot down questions, reminders, or skills they want to practice. This can help instill the most important lessons and reduce any feelings of being overwhelmed. 

#1 family finance and safety app

#1 family finance and safety app

Teach your kids and teens to earn, save, and invest with Greenlight.

Use code GLBLOG for one month, on us.*

Try Greenlight today

Step 2: Practice control in safe spaces

An empty parking lot can be the perfect first driving classroom. Focus on the fundamentals: adjusting mirrors and seats, smooth acceleration and braking, turning without oversteering, and practicing signals every time. Encourage them to drive in simple figure-eights or around cones to sharpen their steering control. The goal here is to get them comfortable, not worrying about speed yet.

Practical tip: Introduce the idea of scanning, which is keeping eyes moving between mirrors, road ahead, and surroundings. Exposing them early to this habit can pay off later when they’re driving in busier traffic.

Step 3: Try neighborhood streets

Once the basics feel steady, move to quiet residential roads. Here, they can practice:

• Making full stops and rolling starts.

• Checking for pedestrians at crosswalks.

• Navigating parked cars without drifting too close.

• Keeping a consistent speed.

At this stage, talk through what they see: “What’s the speed limit here?” or “Who has the right-of-way at this intersection?” Having an open dialogue ensures that each drive can be an interactive lesson and conversation rather than letting it turn into a silent ride.

Step 4: Build safe driving habits

Safety is about consistency. Stress good safety habits from the very beginning:

• Always check mirrors and blind spots.

• Signal early, not as they’re turning the wheel.

• Keep a safe following distance by using the three-second rule.

• Stay aware of speed in school zones and neighborhoods.

Practical tip: Model the behavior yourself. If you pick up your phone at a red light, so will they. If you always wear your seatbelt, they will too.

Step 5: Give feedback that builds confidence

Feedback often makes or breaks the learning process. While they’re driving, keep instructions short and remain calm — “Ease onto the brake,” or “Check your mirror.” Save longer discussions for after the drive. Be sure to highlight what they did well, not just what went wrong. Positive reinforcement helps build trust and keeps their nerves in check.

Practical tip: Agree on a signal for when you need them to stop immediately, like putting a hand on the dashboard. This gives you both a clear safety net that doesn’t lead to yelling or panicking.

Step 6: Get ready for the driving test

As the test approaches, focus on exam-ready skills:

• Parallel parking and three-point turns.

• Navigating four-way stops.

• Lane changes with mirror and blind spot checks.

• Safe highway merging and exiting.

Do full practice runs of the test route if possible. If not, simulate one, but no coaching during the drive, just observing. This helps simulate the test experience for your learner, so they feel comfortable and know what to expect when the real one comes. 

Practical tip: Remind them that examiners expect minor mistakes. What matters most is staying calm, correcting errors safely, and showing that they’re in control no matter what happens.

Use safety tools to support learning

Technology can reinforce what you’re teaching on the road. Greenlight’s family safety features, including location sharing, crash detection, SOS alerts, and driving reports,* can help you keep tabs on your new driver and review teachable moments together. 

Help kids explore safely. Keep kids safe on the road to independence. Get crash detection, location sharing, and driving reports* with Greenlight. Try Greenlight, one month, risk-free.† 

This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.

*Requires mobile data or a WiFi connection, and access to sensory and motion data from cell phone to utilize safety features including family location sharing and driving alerts and reports. Messaging and data rates and other terms may apply.