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Preparing The Drivers Of Tomorrow

When I was new to parenthood, the biggest worry I had was when the next diaper change would be.

As my children got older, the worries changed, and each stage brought new challenges and experiences. Now my boys are six and eight years old and in many ways things have gotten easier, but there is still always something to worry about.

I'll often catch myself thinking about the day I hand them the keys to the car and let them go... all on their own. This causes me a lot of anxiety, and I want to make sure that I've done everything in my power to make sure they're as safe as can be on the road. It is our job as parents to guide our children in the right direction, and to help them make the right decisions even when we're not around to help. There are a lot of things we can do to make sure our children are protected and aware, especially when they're driving.

I remember the first time I took my driving test—I failed. As upset as I was, I remember studying and practicing again until I passed.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, as many as 26% of people who took their G1 exam in 2012 did not pass. (I don't feel so alone now!) Proper preparation can help lower this number. Teens learning to drive should prepare ahead of time, so they're ready. The truth is, the more you study—the more you are aware and well educated on the rules of the road—the higher chance you'll have of not only passing your test, but of being a safe driver when you're behind the wheel.

A new website that I'm a huge fan of is G1.ca. This website lets users practice their G1 test for free as many times as they like. The new free G1 practice test website allows anyone needing to take the G1 exam to practice in a way that's very similar to the official exam. This would have been so helpful to me when I was 16!

The site currently provides access to six practice tests (with 300 unique questions) that are similar to what you'd see on the actual G1 exam. Every practice exam is based on this year's official Ontario Driver's Handbook, meaning that users can be sure they're receiving the most up-to-date test information.

G1.ca also wants to encourage parents to participate in their teens' learning of what it means to be a safe driver. I don't know about you, but I could certainly use a reminder or two. The Parent Driver Contract is a tool that can be used to facilitate a discussion between parents and teens about the elements of remaining safe behind the wheel. This contract is available on the G1.ca site, and you can even Sign the Pledge.

After all, there's nothing more important that being aware and staying safe behind the wheel.




Disclaimer: I received compensation for this post. All views and opinions are my own. 

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