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From the time your children are born, you as parents become the nurturers, providers and teachers to help them learn the skills necessary to not only cope with the world but to succeed in whatever they wish to pursue. You help them when they are ready to take their first steps. You teach them how to hold forks, how to comb their hair, and how to ride a bicycle. So it may seem a natural progression to teach them how to drive when they become teens. However, should you?

Not only is teaching teens to drive a daunting task, it can also be very stressful for both the parents and the teens. For most parents it has been years since they learned to drive. They have developed driving skills, and perhaps driving mistakes, that unknowingly are passed on to novice teen drivers. There are common mistakes that new drivers most likely make of which parents may not be aware. Although parents may, and should, augment professional driving school training, they definitely should not be the only source of teen driver education.

Trained licensed driving instructors know how to teach novice drivers. Teaching a large number of teen drivers how to drive, they have seen first-hand the common mistakes that new drivers make. They make sure that teens have the basic knowledge, skills and habits which are needed to safely drive on Florida's roads.

New technology is rapidly being introduced into vehicles as either required by law or simply to create a competitive advantage. Parents may not be familiar with these technologies, such as ABS brakes, collision avoidance systems and backup cameras. A professional driving instructor is expected to understand the proper uses of these technologies. This provides another reason parents need to seriously consider not teaching their teens to drive.

"We have seen the results of teen driving accidents, many of which have changed teen lives forever. We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. encourage parents to enroll their teens in professional driving training courses whether it be through high school driver's education programs or commercial driving schools," said Fort Myers Personal Injury Attorney, Randall Spivey.

The Florida Department of Education Driver Education Manual says the following about their mission to teach teens to drive, "The purpose of Driver and Traffic Safety Education is to introduce students to the highway transportation system and to teach strategies that will develop driving skills and knowledge related to a current and future motorized society. Driver and traffic safety should provide students with the opportunity to acquire the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary for the safe and efficient operation of a motor vehicle. The goal of drivers’ education is to aid in the reduction of accidents and loss of human life and property as a result of irresponsible or inexperienced driving.

Driver and traffic safety education programs strive to provide experiences designed to develop safe and competent vehicle operators who are capable of functioning in the complex highway transportation system that exists today. Florida’s population is rapidly increasing, and with the accompanying increase of automobiles, driver and traffic safety education plays a vital role in providing an opportunity for students to acquire educational experiences which enable them to facilitate their own development as competent vehicle operators."

The Florida Department of Education has specialization requirements (61-4.0131) for the endorsement of driver education teachers. They include:

1) A bachelor's or higher degree with certification in another subject, and

2) Nine 9 semester hours in driver education to include the areas specified below:

(a) Three 3 semester hours in basic driver education,

(b) Three 3 semester hours in advanced driver education, and

(c) Three 3 semester hours in administration and supervision of driver traffic safety education.

For becoming commercials driving school instructors, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also has requirements. These requirements include:

1) Commercial driving school instructors must have no suspension, revocation, cancellation, or disqualifications on their records for the three years prior to the date of the application.

2) Applicants must provide:

(a) A Certificate of Completion for: 32-hour Driving Instructor Training Course (DITC), 8-hour DITC Refresher, or Driver Performance Analysis System (DPAS). The DPAS is a test given to potential instructors who have not taken the 32-hour DITC. If you submit the DPAS scores, you must enroll and complete the next scheduled 32-hour DITC.

            (b) One set of fingerprints for a fingerprint-based criminal background check.

            (c) A letter of employment from a school owner.

In choosing the right driver's education school for your teen, the American Automobile Association (AAA) recommends:

1) Visit each facility and watch the instructors. Look at the vehicles and training materials.

2) Ensure the school is fully licensed and meets state instructional standards.

3) Ask for a list of references so you can get a customer's point of view.

4) Check on policies for refunds, makeup sessions and contracts.

5) Avoid "quickie" courses. Look for a balance of classroom and in-car instruction. A minimum of 30 classroom hours and six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction over four to six weeks are recommended.

AAA has many driving resources for parents and teens at TeenDriving.AAA.com.

 Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.