Yesterday you were putting them on the school bus. Today you are handing them the car keys. Before you do, AAA can recommend some stress-reducing practices that will help safeguard your teen and give you more peace of mind.

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws already place some protective restrictions on new young drivers. As a parent, you also need to create guidelines that will help your young driver gain experience with minimal risk. The information in this section will help you set expectations with your teen.

Though your teen may not have spent much time behind the wheel yet, they have already gained a lot of vicarious experience ... good and bad. They have observed your driving habits. They've seen fast and furious car chases on the big and small screen. They may play computer-based racing games that reward quick hand-to-eye coordination and aggression at the expense of good judgment.

As a parent, it's up to you to help your teen arrive at a realistic understanding of his or her obligations and the need to build skills. judgment and experience.

It's easy to overlook, but teens also need your guidance in living up to the responsibilities and obligations that go along with operating a vehicle – such as choosing a safe vehicle, insuring and maintaining it, and obeying all laws related to licensing and inspection.

Shaping your teen's driving habits also is a great opportunity to reinforce traits that will serve them throughout life, including accountability, personal responsibility, respect for people and property, consideration of others, the ability to budget, and an appreciation for actions and consequences.

This section is a good starting point in your discussion as your teen enters the driving years.

Next: Welcoming Your New Driver