Street Smarts' Driving Coach 101 Eliminates the Unnecessary Tension Parents Experience with Teens 'Behind the Wheel'

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May 11, 2010, 08:35 ET

MESA, Ariz., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, "As a parent, you have the greatest influence over your teen's behavior. In fact, leading experts believe parents play a key role in preventing teen car crashes and deaths." But teaching a teenager to drive can be a parent's worst nightmare. In fact, when moms and dads talk about taking on this responsibility, many don't want anything to do with it. It can be stressful and, sometimes, downright scary, particularly if parents lack the skills and understanding of how to coach their teen properly and peacefully, according to Tom Lee, founder of Street Smarts Interactive, LLC (http://www.streetsmarts101.com), a trio of online courses designed to supplement basic driver's education and give parents a tool to help them meet state-mandated graduated driver's license laws. Hoping to put the brakes on some of that behind-the-wheel stress, Street Smarts 101 is releasing the second course in its collection: Driving Coach 101.

"Most states mandate that parents drive alongside their teens for 20 to 50 hours, depending on the state," Lee says. "But many parents don't have a grasp on how to coach their kids, or do so in a way that doesn't add to an already tense situation. With Driving Coach 101, parents can learn instruction techniques and interpersonal skills that enhance, rather than detract, from the teen's learning experience."

A compelling, 20-minute web-based course, Driving Coach 101 is just for parents and is paired with Crash Reduction 101, a program just for teens. Emphasizing communication and family relationships, Driving Coach 101 includes drive-along activities that reinforce what teens have learned in Crash Reduction 101. So as a teen progresses through the course, parents are notified and given drive-a-long activities that complement the lessons teens have learned. Driving Coach 101 also includes a situational matrix that enables parents to understand their parenting styles and predict how their teen will react to them in certain situations. This unique focus balances the parents' effectiveness as driving coaches with ways to keep their cool.

"This matrix is a very important piece to Driving Coach 101, as it was designed with the expertise of psychologists who work in the field of teen/parent relationships," Lee says. "So this program holds some real credibility in terms of its depth, scope and methodology. It also delivers real results because it doesn't require a lot of extra time on the part of the parents, and the material is engaging and effective. At the very least, Driving Coach 101 helps eliminate unnecessary tension in the car, making the instructional experience more peaceful and purposeful."

Driving Coach 101, the second part of Street Smarts 101's three-part educational program, is now available to the general public for $49.95. Through the "Buy Smart" special package, anyone can purchase all three courses (Crash Reduction 101, Driving Coach 101 and Driving Contracts 101) for $99.95.

About Street Smarts Interactive, LLC

Founded in 2008, Street Smarts Interactive offers comprehensive and effective online driving courses designed to support the parent as well as increase the teen's road and traffic survival skills.