Sunshine Bjugan, age 17, is about to put a 3,000-pound hunk of metal into motion. She's feeling the full weight of that responsibility.
"Just the fact that so many car crashes are everywhere, and I'm afraid I'm going to be one of them," said Bjugan.
Today, she and her mother have company. Rich Hanson, an expert driving instructor, is in the back seat, observing.
Hanson said many parents go through a struggle when they first sit in the passenger seat next to their child behind wheel.
"Mom knows how to drive. But mom doesn't necessarily know how to describe driving," said Hanson.
We asked Hanson to take us for a lesson and and analyze driving video to help parents learn how to teach their kids to drive.
We start with what seems like a simple move, stopping. Hanson said just telling your child to stop is not enough. You need to explain how to press the brake for a smooth stop.
He said you also need to explain to your teen exactly where to stop.
For example, tell your child to stop at a line, like a line in a parking lot. When your teen sees the line appear under their side mirrors, they should stop. Hanson said that will put the car in the right place.
Another move that may seem simple is the turn. But Hanson said just telling your child to turn is also not enough. He recommends turns with targets.
Find a target, something that your child should turn toward. In a parking lot, that might be a car or a sign. Have your child turn their head and look at the target before they turn.
Hanson said it is similar to hitting a golf ball.
"The golf ball is going to go where you look and it's no different with a car. The car is going to go where you look," he said.
Your child should then steer the car toward that target, what Hanson calls a "precision turn."
Now it's Bjugan's turn to learn the precision turn.
"We had the buses there, a whole bunch of different things in the parking lot, and the reality is, if it's not a precise turn, she's going to swing out, clip the car, clip the bus, clip the dumpster," said Hanson.
Hanson gives her the instructions and soon Bjugan is making precision turns.
"Turn your car toward that target," Hanson told her. "Perfect."
Bjugan said she can feel the difference between just turning, and the new precision turn she has learned, to help her keep that 3,000-pound hunk of metal in the right place.
"It keeps you more focused on where you're supposed to be, rather than not really knowing, you're just turning the car and you don't exactly know where you're headed. Whereas the target just keeps you on target," said Bjugan.
Hanson said parents can get this information and more in the Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving, free from the DMV.
He also recommends practicing with your teen 20 minutes each day and starting with very simple skills, just one or two at a time.
Hanson and the Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving recommend connecting with a driving instructor or driving class to help your child learn. The guide says teens who took formal driver education courses were less likely to be involved in a car crash, get a traffic ticket, or end up with a suspended license.
Hanson said many parents make the mistake of driving to the DMV with their teen to get their learner's permit, then handing their child the keys and saying, "Drive home." He said that can be traumatic for both the parent and the teen and can help contribute to bad driving habits that may cause problems for the teen later on.
Other advice from the Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving:
Practice as much as possible, even after your teen gets their license. Practice with only you and your teen in the car, so neither of you is distracted. Stay calm and focused!
In the beginning, practice during the day, when it is light, and, if possible, during dry weather. Then gradually move into wetter conditions and night driving.
Start in an empty parking lot or on a remote road. Start with very basic skills and add new skills slowly.
Use a driving log to keep track of your teen's practice and progress. Include the date, the topic of the session, the total time spent, your teen's initials and your initials. You'll find an empty log sheet in the Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving.
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