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Parents of teens: It’s Time to Drive

The UNC Highway Safety Research Center’s free, one-hour online course shows you how to teach them.

By Scott Jared, University Communications and Marketing , Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
Artistic graphic of a hand holding a learner permit.
(Graphic by Gillie Sibrian/UNC-Chapel Hill)

It’s time to help your teen become a safe, experienced driver.

How? Before buckling up in the passenger seat, elevate your teaching skills to a thoughtful, prepared level with the free Time to Drive online course offered by the UNC Highway Safety Research Center.

Why it matters:

Inexperience remains the leading cause of teen car crashes. Some 226,000 licensed North Carolinian teens were on the road in 2023, according to demographic and national licensing data. Another 150,000 teens turned 15 and were eligible for a learner permit.

The details:

The self-paced course is built for North Carolina parents and includes a breakdown of the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing system. The eight short modules feature videos, examples and expert safety and coaching tips. You can complete them all in under an hour.

What you’ll learn how to do:

  • Practice in different settings
  • Communicate effectively with a new driver
  • Identify safety features that benefit teen drivers
  • Understand your teen’s perspective and fears
  • Recognize if a teen is ready for a license or needs more practice in certain situations

What they’re saying:

“Parents play a critical role in this process,” said Bevan Kirley, senior research associate at the UNC Highway Safety Research Center. “Getting lots of good practice with a supervising adult — in different weather conditions, on various types of streets and roads and in all types of traffic — makes a big difference.”

What else:

The final module includes reflection questions and bonus tools like:

  • A parent-teen practice plan
  • A progress tracker
  • A link to the latest Consumer Reports list of safe vehicles

The bottom line:

A little preparation goes a long way. Before you hand over the keys, spend an hour boosting your coaching skills. Your teen — and everyone else on the road — will thank you.

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