Smoking in automobiles with children to be banned

Drivers who smoke although carrying passengers below the age of 18 will face a £50 on-the-spot fine from October as a result of legislation passed this week.

Smoking in vehicles which are carrying children will be banned in England and Wales from the autumn.

This week MPs in London and Welsh ministers have decided that smoking at the wheel although under-18s are present is to be outlawed.

Children face greater risk

The ban will come into effect on 1 October 2015.

Drivers who flout the new law will face an on-the-spot fine of £50.

The legislation is the outcome of stress from campaigners who say that second-hand smoke is far more unsafe to youngsters than to adults due to their smaller sized lungs and quicker breathing.

And passive smoking in a confined space such as a auto is believed to increase the wellness risks additional.

‘Significant victory’;

Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, stated: “Having campaigned on this situation for numerous years, we’re completely delighted that MPs have overwhelmingly backed the ban on smoking in automobiles carrying kids.

“MPs from across the parties have come collectively to support this ground-breaking measure.”

The British Lung Foundation says that roughly 185,000 kids among the ages of 11 and 15 are exposed to smoke in their families’ cars on most days of a typical week.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, mentioned: “The passing of regulations to make smoking in automobiles carrying beneath-18s illegal is a significant victory for defending children’s well being from second-hand smoke.

Carcinogenic threat

“Smoking just a single cigarette in a vehicle exposes kids to high levels of air pollutants and cancer-causing chemical substances like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar.

“Youngsters are least equipped to speak out to protest against secondhand smoke, so I welcome this legislation to end smoking in cars when they are present.”

In England, the law was originally added by Labour to the Youngsters and Families Bill at the commence of 2014.

Politicians in Cardiff, meanwhile, had been running an educational campaign to warn drivers of the possible dangers of second-hand smoke for youngsters.

‘A step also far’;

But it was felt that this had not been sufficiently effective in lowering the quantity of motorists who smoked even though transporting their children and that stronger measures have been essential.

Smokers’ rights group Forest, nonetheless, mentioned the ban was a step too far.

Director Simon Clark said: “The overwhelming majority of smokers know it really is inconsiderate to smoke in a vehicle with youngsters and they don’;t do it. They never require the state micro-managing their lives.”

Clark added that a additional problem was that the police would be unable to enforce the law efficiently.

“The government will want a tiny army of snoopers to report people,” he said.

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Smoking in automobiles with children to be banned

Teaching children to drive

Teaching your kids to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do a lot of preparation first.

Research by the AA found that 1 in 20 men and women feel obtaining into the passenger seat with their learner youngster behind the wheel is more stressful than providing birth, acquiring by means of exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it might be to hand your youngster over to a expert instructor, numerous men and women just can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which signifies home tuition could be the only alternative.

According to the RAC, the typical learner needs 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which expense up to £25 an hour.

Bear in mind that to supervise a learner driver, you have to have held, and nonetheless hold, a full UK licence for the car you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You need to also be over the age of 21, so if your child learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make positive they meet these legal needs.

Be prepared…

Very first and foremost, make confident you and your youngster are effectively insured. Contact your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you threat having your cover invalidated in the event that one thing goes incorrect although they are behind the wheel.

Once you have got your cover sorted, the 1st thing you ought to do if re-familiarise oneself with the Highway Code.

Chances are if you passed your test a lot of years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test prior to their practical driving test, so the much better you know your Highway Code, the much more you will be capable to help them with this.

Back to basics

Often speak via the basics with your child ahead of letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the value of staying safe.

You will require to let them know that you might need to act decisively to avert an accident, but this doesn’t mean you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a large and close to-empty vehicle park where they can 1st experience becoming in control of the automobile?

And if you are venturing onto the road, think about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a great starting point.

Killing machine

I would, nonetheless, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was “A car is the most strong weapon you will ever have in your hands. If you are ever going to kill anyone, it will be with this.”

Whilst this might be true, twenty years on I’m nevertheless a nervous driver.

Maintain calm and carry on

Even although it may possibly be very frustrating when your teenager doesn’t seem to be listening to your guidelines, do your greatest to hold your cool.

1 of the biggest troubles parents face is that they do not have dual controls, which implies a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when factors don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct may be to grab the wheel from your child, but losing your temper whilst they are behind the wheel could be really hazardous. If they are producing errors, get them to pull over so you can go over exactly where they were going incorrect.

The calmer you are, the more productive your lessons are most likely to be. When you start off to really feel your tension levels rising, it is as a result a great idea to attempt and believe about how you would really feel in your child’s footwear – a little bit of empathy can go a lengthy way.

Practice makes best

Try to commit to typical lessons that are not spaced also far apart. This signifies there won’t be the chance for your kid to forget what they’ve learnt.

You ought to also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as a lot of different roads and routes as feasible so that they have as broad an encounter as attainable.

Keep in mind that learning to drive is a slow approach, so you will require to give lessons more than a period of many months ahead of your kid is most likely to be ready to take their sensible test.

Have you any knowledge of teaching your offspring to drive? Or certainly, had been you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d really like to hear your encounter and recommendations in the box below…

Teaching children to drive

Teaching children to drive

Teaching your children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do plenty of preparation first.

Research by the AA found that one in 20 people think getting into the passenger seat with their learner child behind the wheel is more stressful than giving birth, getting through exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it may be to hand your child over to a professional instructor, many people simply can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which means home tuition may be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner needs 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which cost up to £25 an hour.

Remember that to supervise a learner driver, you must have held, and still hold, a full UK licence for the vehicle you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You must also be over the age of 21, so if your child learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make sure they meet these legal requirements.

Be prepared…

First and foremost, make sure you and your child are properly insured. Contact your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you risk having your cover invalidated in the event that something goes wrong while they are behind the wheel.

Once you’ve got your cover sorted, the first thing you should do if re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

Chances are if you passed your test many years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test before their practical driving test, so the better you know your Highway Code, the more you will be able to help them with this.

Back to basics

Always talk through the basics with your child before letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the importance of staying safe.

You will need to let them know that you might need to act decisively to prevent an accident, but this doesn’t mean you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a large and near-empty car park where they can first experience being in control of the vehicle?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, think about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a good starting point.

Killing machine

I would, however, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was; “A car is the most powerful weapon you’ll ever have in your hands. If you’re ever going to kill anyone, it will be with this.”

While this might be true, twenty years on I’m still a nervous driver.

Keep calm and carry on

Even though it might be extremely frustrating when your teenager doesn’t seem to be listening to your instructions, do your best to keep your cool.

One of the biggest difficulties parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which means a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when things don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct might be to grab the wheel from your child, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be extremely dangerous. If they are making mistakes, get them to pull over so you can discuss where they were going wrong.

The calmer you are, the more successful your lessons are likely to be. When you start to feel your stress levels rising, it’s therefore a good idea to try and think about how you would feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

Practice makes perfect

Try to commit to regular lessons that aren’t spaced too far apart. This means there won’t be the opportunity for your child to forget what they’ve learnt.

You should also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many different roads and routes as possible so that they have as broad an experience as possible.

Remember that learning to drive is a slow process, so you’ll need to give lessons over a period of many months before your child is likely to be ready to take their practical test.

Have you any experience of teaching your offspring to drive? Or indeed, were you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d love to hear your experience and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching children to drive

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching your children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do plenty of preparation first.

Research by the AA found that one in 20 people think getting into the passenger seat with their learner child behind the wheel is more stressful than giving birth, getting through exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it may be to hand your child over to a professional instructor, many people simply can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which means home tuition may be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner needs 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which cost up to £25 an hour.

Remember that to supervise a learner driver, you must have held, and still hold, a full UK licence for the vehicle you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You must also be over the age of 21, so if your child learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make sure they meet these legal requirements.

Be prepared…

First and foremost, make sure you and your child are properly insured. Contact your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you risk having your cover invalidated in the event that something goes wrong while they are behind the wheel.

Once you’ve got your cover sorted, the first thing you should do if re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

Chances are if you passed your test many years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test before their practical driving test, so the better you know your Highway Code, the more you will be able to help them with this.

Back to basics

Always talk through the basics with your child before letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the importance of staying safe.

You will need to let them know that you might need to act decisively to prevent an accident, but this doesn’t mean you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a large and near-empty car park where they can first experience being in control of the vehicle?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, think about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a good starting point.

Killing machine

I would, however, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was; “A car is the most powerful weapon you’ll ever have in your hands. If you’re ever going to kill anyone, it will be with this.”

While this might be true, twenty years on I’m still a nervous driver.

Keep calm and carry on

Even though it might be extremely frustrating when your teenager doesn’t seem to be listening to your instructions, do your best to keep your cool.

One of the biggest difficulties parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which means a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when things don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct might be to grab the wheel from your child, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be extremely dangerous. If they are making mistakes, get them to pull over so you can discuss where they were going wrong.

The calmer you are, the more successful your lessons are likely to be. When you start to feel your stress levels rising, it’s therefore a good idea to try and think about how you would feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

Practice makes perfect

Try to commit to regular lessons that aren’t spaced too far apart. This means there won’t be the opportunity for your child to forget what they’ve learnt.

You should also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many different roads and routes as possible so that they have as broad an experience as possible.

Remember that learning to drive is a slow process, so you’ll need to give lessons over a period of many months before your child is likely to be ready to take their practical test.

Have you any experience of teaching your offspring to drive? Or indeed, were you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d love to hear your experience and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching your children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do lots of preparation very first.

Study by the AA discovered that one in 20 individuals consider getting into the passenger seat with their learner youngster behind the wheel is a lot more stressful than providing birth, receiving through exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it could be to hand your youngster over to a professional instructor, numerous people basically can not afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which signifies house tuition could be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner demands 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which cost up to £25 an hour.

Remember that to supervise a learner driver, you should have held, and nevertheless hold, a full UK licence for the car you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You need to also be more than the age of 21, so if your youngster learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make confident they meet these legal needs.

Be prepared…

1st and foremost, make certain you and your youngster are effectively insured. Get in touch with your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you danger having your cover invalidated in the occasion that anything goes wrong whilst they are behind the wheel.

After you’ve got your cover sorted, the very first factor you ought to do if re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

Probabilities are if you passed your test many years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test before their practical driving test, so the far better you know your Highway Code, the a lot more you will be able to assist them with this.

Back to fundamentals

Always speak by way of the basics with your child just before letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the importance of staying safe.

You will require to let them know that you might require to act decisively to avert an accident, but this does not imply you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can locate a large and close to-empty auto park where they can initial expertise getting in manage of the automobile?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, feel about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a excellent beginning point.

Killing machine

I would, nonetheless, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was “A automobile is the most potent weapon you will ever have in your hands. If you are ever going to kill any person, it will be with this.”

Although this may well be accurate, twenty years on I’m still a nervous driver.

Preserve calm and carry on

Even although it may be extremely frustrating when your teenager doesn’t look to be listening to your guidelines, do your very best to hold your cool.

1 of the biggest issues parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which means a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when items don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct might be to grab the wheel from your kid, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be very dangerous. If they are making errors, get them to pull more than so you can discuss where they had been going wrong.

The calmer you are, the a lot more profitable your lessons are most likely to be. When you start off to feel your stress levels rising, it is consequently a very good notion to attempt and think about how you would really feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a extended way.

Practice makes perfect

Attempt to commit to typical lessons that aren’t spaced too far apart. This means there will not be the opportunity for your child to forget what they’ve learnt.

You need to also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many diverse roads and routes as achievable so that they have as broad an encounter as possible.

Remember that finding out to drive is a slow method, so you will want to give lessons over a period of several months ahead of your youngster is likely to be prepared to take their sensible test.

Have you any knowledge of teaching your offspring to drive? Or certainly, have been you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d love to hear your encounter and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching your children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do plenty of preparation first.

Research by the AA found that one in 20 people think getting into the passenger seat with their learner child behind the wheel is more stressful than giving birth, getting through exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it may be to hand your child over to a professional instructor, many people simply can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which means home tuition may be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner needs 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which cost up to £25 an hour.

Remember that to supervise a learner driver, you must have held, and still hold, a full UK licence for the vehicle you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You must also be over the age of 21, so if your child learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make sure they meet these legal requirements.

Be prepared…

First and foremost, make sure you and your child are properly insured. Contact your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you risk having your cover invalidated in the event that something goes wrong while they are behind the wheel.

Once you’ve got your cover sorted, the first thing you should do if re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

Chances are if you passed your test many years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test before their practical driving test, so the better you know your Highway Code, the more you will be able to help them with this.

Back to basics

Always talk through the basics with your child before letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the importance of staying safe.

You will need to let them know that you might need to act decisively to prevent an accident, but this doesn’t mean you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a large and near-empty car park where they can first experience being in control of the vehicle?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, think about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a good starting point.

Killing machine

I would, however, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was; “A car is the most powerful weapon you’ll ever have in your hands. If you’re ever going to kill anyone, it will be with this.”

While this might be true, twenty years on I’m still a nervous driver.

Keep calm and carry on

Even though it might be extremely frustrating when your teenager doesn’t seem to be listening to your instructions, do your best to keep your cool.

One of the biggest difficulties parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which means a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when things don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct might be to grab the wheel from your child, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be extremely dangerous. If they are making mistakes, get them to pull over so you can discuss where they were going wrong.

The calmer you are, the more successful your lessons are likely to be. When you start to feel your stress levels rising, it’s therefore a good idea to try and think about how you would feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

Practice makes perfect

Try to commit to regular lessons that aren’t spaced too far apart. This means there won’t be the opportunity for your child to forget what they’ve learnt.

You should also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many different roads and routes as possible so that they have as broad an experience as possible.

Remember that learning to drive is a slow process, so you’ll need to give lessons over a period of many months before your child is likely to be ready to take their practical test.

Have you any experience of teaching your offspring to drive? Or indeed, were you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d love to hear your experience and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching your young children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do a lot of preparation very first.

Research by the AA located that one particular in 20 individuals consider obtaining into the passenger seat with their learner child behind the wheel is much more stressful than giving birth, acquiring via exams or dealing with illness.

Residence service

Tempting as it may be to hand your kid more than to a specialist instructor, a lot of men and women just can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which signifies home tuition might be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner demands 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which price up to £25 an hour.

Bear in mind that to supervise a learner driver, you should have held, and nevertheless hold, a complete UK licence for the car you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You need to also be over the age of 21, so if your kid learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make confident they meet these legal needs.

Be prepared…

1st and foremost, make certain you and your child are correctly insured. Speak to your insurer and let them know you will be taking your kid out for lessons. If you do not, you threat obtaining your cover invalidated in the occasion that one thing goes incorrect although they are behind the wheel.

After you have got your cover sorted, the very first issue you must do if re-familiarise oneself with the Highway Code.

Probabilities are if you passed your test numerous years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your youngster will have to sit a theory test just before their practical driving test, so the greater you know your Highway Code, the more you will be in a position to support them with this.

Back to fundamentals

Always talk via the basics with your kid ahead of letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the significance of staying safe.

You will require to let them know that you may require to act decisively to avert an accident, but this doesn’t imply you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a massive and close to-empty vehicle park exactly where they can initial encounter being in manage of the car?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, believe about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outdoors rush hour appears a excellent beginning point.

Killing machine

I would, nevertheless, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was “A automobile is the most powerful weapon you’ll ever have in your hands. If you’re ever going to kill anybody, it will be with this.”

While this might be true, twenty years on I’m nonetheless a nervous driver.

Maintain calm and carry on

Even though it might be really frustrating when your teenager does not seem to be listening to your directions, do your ideal to maintain your cool.

A single of the biggest difficulties parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which indicates a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when factors don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your organic instinct may possibly be to grab the wheel from your youngster, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be incredibly harmful. If they are generating errors, get them to pull over so you can discuss where they had been going incorrect.

The calmer you are, the much more successful your lessons are probably to be. When you start off to really feel your stress levels rising, it’s consequently a great notion to attempt and feel about how you would really feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a extended way.

Practice tends to make best

Try to commit to regular lessons that are not spaced as well far apart. This implies there won’t be the chance for your kid to neglect what they’ve learnt.

You ought to also try, as soon as they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many distinct roads and routes as possible so that they have as broad an expertise as possible.

Don’;t forget that learning to drive is a slow process, so you’ll need to have to give lessons over a period of many months ahead of your youngster is likely to be prepared to take their practical test.

Have you any encounter of teaching your offspring to drive? Or certainly, had been you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d adore to hear your knowledge and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching young children to drive

Teaching children to drive

Teaching your children to drive can be stressful for even the most patient of parents, so it pays to do plenty of preparation first.

Research by the AA found that one in 20 people think getting into the passenger seat with their learner child behind the wheel is more stressful than giving birth, getting through exams or dealing with illness.

Home service

Tempting as it may be to hand your child over to a professional instructor, many people simply can’t afford to fork out for lots of lessons, which means home tuition may be the only option.

According to the RAC, the average learner needs 20 hours of practice to pass the driving test, in addition to 45 hours of driving lessons, which cost up to £25 an hour.

Remember that to supervise a learner driver, you must have held, and still hold, a full UK licence for the vehicle you are teaching in, for a minimum of 3 years.

You must also be over the age of 21, so if your child learner’s brother or sister volunteers to take them out for lessons, make sure they meet these legal requirements.

Be prepared…

First and foremost, make sure you and your child are properly insured. Contact your insurer and let them know you will be taking your child out for lessons. If you don’t, you risk having your cover invalidated in the event that something goes wrong while they are behind the wheel.

Once you’ve got your cover sorted, the first thing you should do if re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

Chances are if you passed your test many years ago, you’ll have forgotten some of your driving theory, so it pays to do a bit of swotting up.

Your child will have to sit a theory test before their practical driving test, so the better you know your Highway Code, the more you will be able to help them with this.

Back to basics

Always talk through the basics with your child before letting them take the wheel, and emphasise the importance of staying safe.

You will need to let them know that you might need to act decisively to prevent an accident, but this doesn’t mean you are angry with them.

Why not see if you can find a large and near-empty car park where they can first experience being in control of the vehicle?

And if you’re venturing onto the road, think about your route and the time of day – quiet roads outside rush hour seems a good starting point.

Killing machine

I would, however, advise against my father’s opening gambit when he was teaching me, which was; “A car is the most powerful weapon you’ll ever have in your hands. If you’re ever going to kill anyone, it will be with this.”

While this might be true, twenty years on I’m still a nervous driver.

Keep calm and carry on

Even though it might be extremely frustrating when your teenager doesn’t seem to be listening to your instructions, do your best to keep your cool.

One of the biggest difficulties parents face is that they don’t have dual controls, which means a lot of foot-pumping on imaginary pedals when things don’t go as you’d like them to.

Temper, temper

Your natural instinct might be to grab the wheel from your child, but losing your temper while they are behind the wheel could be extremely dangerous. If they are making mistakes, get them to pull over so you can discuss where they were going wrong.

The calmer you are, the more successful your lessons are likely to be. When you start to feel your stress levels rising, it’s therefore a good idea to try and think about how you would feel in your child’s shoes – a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

Practice makes perfect

Try to commit to regular lessons that aren’t spaced too far apart. This means there won’t be the opportunity for your child to forget what they’ve learnt.

You should also try, once they’re competent and confident, to take them on as many different roads and routes as possible so that they have as broad an experience as possible.

Remember that learning to drive is a slow process, so you’ll need to give lessons over a period of many months before your child is likely to be ready to take their practical test.

Have you any experience of teaching your offspring to drive? Or indeed, were you taught by your mother or father, or an older sibling?

We’d love to hear your experience and suggestions in the box below…

Teaching children to drive

Tax traps for parents in promoting to their children

Tax accounting firm, H&R Block, has warned parents to be cautious when assisting their kids into their 1st home, especially if it entails the sale of an investment. According to the firm, the combination of increasing residence prices and Boomers starting to reach retirement and possibly wanting to free up some cash has resulted in a lot more parents promoting their own residences or investment properties to their kids.

“Many parents are resorting to promoting their investment properties as a indicates to assisting get their children into their first property,” says Regional Director of H&R Block, Mr. Frank Brass. “But there are hidden traps that they need to have to be aware of.”

The major trap, according to H&R Block, is when an investment home is sold at a below-market place worth. This can outcome in a reduce capital gains tax (CGT) payment which, if discovered by the Australian Taxation Workplace (which calculates CGT on the market place value of the property – not the sale price) could outcome in an additional tax bill as properly as a penalty of up to an further 100% of the tax payable.

If the home sold is the parents’ principal location of residence this is not a issue, of course, as the principal spot of residence is exempt from Capital Gains Tax.

It is worth noting that stamp duty is also charged on the market place value of the investment property, not the sale price.

In other words, an try by parents to saver their kids a bit of cash could backfire substantially if an investment house is involved.

Tax traps for parents in promoting to their children