How Parents Can Help Their Teen Study For Their Driver’s Permit Test

For parents, watching their child grow up can be scary. One of the biggest rights of passage into adulthood is when they receive their driver’s license.

Before applying for their driver’s license, every teen must first apply for their driving permit. In addition to taking a “behind the wheel” class, they must also pass a driver’s permit test.

The test assures that they know the basics – understanding how to identify road signs, pavement markings, the rules of the road, and the driver’s handbook.

 It can be difficult for parents to know how best to support their teens during this pivotal time in their lives. 

Knowing the best practices for successfully helping them study and eventually pass their permit test is a huge advantage. Here are a few of the most proven study strategies that parents can start using today!

Start With The Driver’s Manual

The best place to start with any permit test study session is the driver’s manual. It has often been a long time since parents have read one, so they should always start by reading through it themselves. 

The formatting is generally the way that permit test questions read and can help know the way to quiz an aspiring teen driver. It will also give the perfect overview of everything that will be in a driver’s education course. 

It will also introduce teens to the “rules of the road.” This is a catch-all term for every traffic law, safe driving practice, and regulation in the handbook. 

This may seem like an enormous category to help any teen remember, but it can easily be broken down. It is essential for teens to know their rules of the road, as it keeps everyone on the road safe.

Parents Should Drive With Their Teens

Parents will want to make sure to get out and drive with their teen as much as possible. This helps make sure they are understanding how to identify road signs and pavement markings as they are actually seen. 

It will also help them develop the self-confidence they’ll need to pass their driving exam. Plus, being on the road with them will help you gauge where future studies should focus.

Encourage Practice Permit Tests

Taking practice permit tests regularly is one of the best ways to see where a teen is and where they need to be. 

Make marks on what they need to work on so they can focus specifically on what to study. The best practice permit tests are those that have different styles of questions – multiple-choice, essay, true/false, etc. 

That guarantees that they truly are understanding how to identify road signs, the rules of the road, and safe driving practices instead of just memorizing them. However, parents should always make sure the permit test is up to date, as rules and laws can change. 

Parents also should follow Harvard’s best study practices… quizzing their teen frequently, over different subjects, in different situations.

Help Teens Help Themselves

While the idea of getting their driver’s license might make them feel like a grown-up, it’s important for parents to remember that they’re still children. Parents don’t need to take charge but it can be helpful to make a note of all the needed paperwork. 

Then, sit back and let the teen take the lead. This allows them to feel empowered so that they can take the lead, while also giving them a safety net. Ask them what they need, and listen. 

Final Thoughts Before The Test

The night before the test, parents should encourage their child to get a full night’s sleep and eat a healthy meal. Being well-rested and feeling good is a huge boost to doing well on any test, and the driver’s permit test is no different. Encouraging them to eat a protein-filled snack an hour or so before their test is also helpful.

Once the big day arrives and it’s time to actually take their permit test, don’t let them go it alone. In addition to needing a legal adult there to sign the paperwork, this can be a huge and scary moment for them. For most teens, having a parent there as a backup can give them the confidence boost they’ll need to nail the exam.

By helping them study, encouraging them, and providing a positive example for their teen, parents can increase the odds of driving success. This also keeps both their teen and everyone on the road safe, especially as distracted driving is the cause of thousands of deaths a year.