Driving school is an excellent way to assist a new driver in your life. For example, when you’re a parent, the day your teenager gets his or her driver’s licence can be both exciting and terrifying. While it’s great to have another driver in the house to pitch in for carpool or pick up groceries, a brand new driver also presents some new insurance challenges. That’s why one of the best gifts you can give your teen driver is to teach them how to be a safe driver. This means both leading by example and providing them with the opportunity to go to driving school.
We’ve answered some of your common questions below:
What is the minimum age for driving in Ontario?
According to the Ontario.ca website, residents of Ontario must be at least 16 years old and have a valid Ontario driver’s licence to drive in this province. Visitors to Ontario who want to drive while here must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s licence from your own province, state or country. To apply for a G1 licence, you must be at least 16 years old and pass an eye and written test about the rules of the road and traffic signs.
Is driving school mandatory?
While driving school is usually not mandatory in other provinces, it does teach the fundamentals of safe driving. Often, you can get a discount on your auto insurance if you provide proof you’ve taken driving lessons from an approved school.
How can I teach my teen to be a safe driver?
Besides recommending they attend driving school, the best way to teach your teen how to drive safely is to lead by example. Kick your own poor driving habits and ensure your teen is aware of the eight leading causes of teenage driving accidents:
- Speeding and reckless driving
- Inexperience
- Driving with teen passengers
- Driving at night
- Not using seatbelts
- Distracted driving (i.e. texting or talking on the phone)
- Drowsy driving
- Impaired driving
How can we save on insurance with a teen driver?
Sadly, teen drivers often have the highest insurance premiums because they are inexperienced. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try to reduce your insurance costs. Beyond recommending driving school, the best ways to save include:
- Listing all drivers in your family under one policy, and list your teenager as an occasional driver.
- Bundling auto insurance with existing home, condo, or other insurance.
- Avoiding purchasing flashy, high-powered vehicles (which usually come with higher insurance premiums).
- Engage in telematics insurance. This innovative program rewards safe driving with reduced premiums based on real-time monitoring of your vehicle.
- Ask your isure broker about additional discounts.
At the end of the day, a safe driving foundation pays off down the road, for both your insurance and your safety. If you have more questions about setting up a new driver on your policy or driving school discounts, contact us at 1-877-514-7873 or email us at [email protected].
