Locations: City streets

Length of Stage: As long as it takes! Check out the Stage 3: Checklist which will guide you as to when it is time to move onto to the fourth and final stage. However, most teens are ready to move on within 3-6 weeks.

At this point in the behind-the-wheel lessons, your teen should be very comfortable with all of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 tasks. This means they’ve mastered the parking lot tasks and have ventured out into low-traffic residential and city streets.

During Stage 3, your teen will expand their searching and scanning skills by driving on high-volume city streets. Your teen will learn how to handle busy intersections as well as complete two-point, three-point, and u-turns. They’ll also practice using maps (yes, this is still important despite the near-ubiquitous GPS navigation system) and following driving directions. They’ll learn to stay alert in familiar surroundings and begin practicing driving at night.

City Driving is Extremely Nerve Wracking

Up until now, most of your driving lessons have been in fairly low-traffic, low-risk environments such as parking lots and neighborhoods. While you may have ventured out into the “real world” for the changing directions by reversing on streets and space management system lessons, you and your teen haven’t yet dealt with moderate-to-high risk environments such as multiple-lane city roads and busy intersections.

This can be extremely scary for both you and your teen.

Stay off the highway for now

Most of Stage 4 is dedicated to the expressway, so for the time being, keep your driving lessons confined to city and residential streets.

Continue on to Role Reversal