If you’re a mom to a 15-year-old, you’re likely learning a few new things about driving.
It’s been a minute since you bopped around in your Geo Metro rocking a track suit and mini-butterfly clips in your hair. Now you have a teen that’s learning to drive…and you understand why your parent kept pressing an imaginary brake pedal when they were teaching you.
Like those 90s fashions, things have changed at the DMV. For starters, your teen can take their driver knowledge test at home, online with a webcam, keyboard and mouse (no touchpads or phones are allowed). You or someone age 21 or older will need to proctor the test taking. Choose a quiet area of your house with no background movement. Tip: tell your teen not to wear a hat or change their hair during the test, as the webcam needs to see their unobstructed, unchanging face. You’ll still need to go to the DMV for the paperwork processing, but taking the test at home is certainly less stressful.
Speaking of stressful tests, many of us moms remember the anxiety of taking a driver test at the DMV. If your teen has test anxiety, consider enrolling them in an ODOT-approved certified driving course that bypasses the need for it. Check your local community college for a course that allows them to get extensive training and practice with a professional. Even if your teen is fine with test-taking, consider the course for safety and perhaps savings on car insurance. Plus, you likely won’t find driver education offered through high schools anymore.
In the 90s, you were so cool if you had a multi-CD changer that could be pre-stacked for tunes galore. Now that many teens store their music on their phones — and they are not allowed to use hands-
free options until they turn 18 — how can they rock out? It’s best if they don’t: for teenagers and their developing brains, music is a known risk factor in increasing vehicle accidents.
And yet, those mobile phones can be helpful to have on board: Driving apps that monitor speed, braking, and other driving behaviors will also catch when a teen is using their phone. Consider
apps like Life360 and those offered through your car insurance. Make a consequence for your teen who might try turning off their phone location to evade being monitored.
We asked our service department for their favorite choice of vehicle for teenage drivers. The answer: Subaru, as it is known for safety excellence, ease of driving and affordability. It may not be a flashy car or cool vintage ride your teen may long for, but it keeps them safe and as parents, that’s our top priority.
Brought to you by:
Nicole Kersey
Nicole Kersey has been with Capitol Auto Group since Sept 2022 as a receptionist. She has two great kids: daughter Kiera, age 12, and son Parker, age 10. She loves working at Capitol Auto Group because it’s family-oriented. Outside of work she enjoys attending Parker’s basketball games, shopping with Kiera and playing Mario Kart with her family.
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