Rules and Consequences Almost   anyone   who   lives   with   a   teenager   can   tell   you   of   a   time   when   they   got   so frustrated   that   they   grounded   the   teen   to   their   room   for   the   next   six   months   and   then wondered, “What have I done?”  Make   your   rules   and   consequences   before    the   crisis   arises   and   discuss   them   with   your teenager    at    a    quiet    time.        You    are    the    responsible    adult    in    determining    rules    and consequences   -   decide   in   advance   whether   the   rules   and   consequences   are   fair   and enforceable,   listen   to   your   teen’s   thoughts   and   opinions   and   think   them   over   before making   a   decision,   but   give   yourself   time   to   think   rather   than   negotiating   on   the   spot.     Take   a   look   at   the   Driving   Agreements   page   if   you   would   like   some   suggestions   about where to begin.  As   you   develop   family   rules   about   driving,   keep   the   three   most   common   factors   in crashes involving Novice Drivers in mind: inexperience   -   introduce   new   and   more   challenging   driving   locations   and situations gradually over several months; reckless driving   -   teenagers   are   impulsive:   as   the   Novice   Driver   shows   more responsibility and maturity, gradually allow more freedom and independence; distracted driving - cell phones, and particularly texting, are at least as dangerous as drunk driving, and are very difficult to control.  Surveys show that the main thing that teens agree would control cell phone use is the certain and long term removal of driving privileges.  It would be painful to take away a Novice Driver’s licence for six months, but it is a better alternative than a crash. - another huge distraction is passengers - start with one passenger and gradually (over months) allow more. Keep   your   agreement   clear,   concise   and   enforceable   -   “Say   what   you   mean,   mean   what you say, and do what you say you’re going to do.” One   final   note   on   Rules   and   Consequences    -   it   is   much   easier   to   enforce   consequences (such   as   no   use   of   the   vehicle   for   the   next   two   months)   if   the   adults   actually   own   the vehicle   and   control   the   keys.      It   is   attractive   to   have   your   Novice   Driver   in   control   of their   own   vehicle   (and   responsible   for   fuel,   maintenance,   licensing   and   insurance),   but that will make it difficult to withhold driving privileges if they don’t follow the rules.