Anything you can do to increase your feeling of control will usually help you and your teen drive calmly together. As the parent of a new driver one of the most important things you can do is increase your teens feeling of safety and control. Let them know you're there for them, and want to help them, even if it sounds like you're upset. Their sanity is your sanity. If the kids feel like you're micromanaging them, they don't feel in control, which stresses them out, which makes them drive worse, which stresses you out... and then the vicious cycle repeats itself.
 Many people hold their breath when they're nervous, which depletes the oxygen in your blood and is sure to leave you feeling stressed out. Whenever you feel stressed, take a few deep breaths. 2 seconds in, 2 second pause, 2 seconds out. Do that a couple of times and you'll feel your blood pressure start to drop. It almost seems too simple, but it can be incredibly effective.
 We all know drinking water is important to our health but in times of stress it also helps calm us down. Think about it, if you were being chased by a hungry animal and feeling stressed out, you wouldn't stop to take a drink of water until you're out of harm's way. Water helps send signals to our bodies that the danger has passed.
 If you're not helping your teen, you're distracting them. Only speak when they're doing something wrong or to give them simple praise. One more thing, don't speak in turns/intersections unless it's absolutely necessary. If kids are going to have trouble anywhere it's usually in a turn so if you don't have something driving related to say, don't say anything at all.
 You've probably heard "it's not what you said, it's how you said it." In the car your voice needs to be the security blanket that lets them know you've got their backs. Often, the words you're saying aren't helpful, but how you say them is helpful. If you speak in a calm and relaxing tone, your teen feels reassured and supported, which helps them stay calm and drive better. If they sound annoyed I know they need to be reassured, calmed, and receive supportive language. If they sound mad, they're probably feeling embarrassed, insecure, or maybe they felt like I was being critical.
 Parents often find it hard to drive calm with their kids because when they try to say something their child misinterprets the words and it seems like they're not listening. The parent might say something like, "you didn't listen to me, I told you to slow down, why didn't you slow down!!?"

, When you're driving, decide well in advance what they should do when they reach upcoming situations. When they reach the situation, if their foot is over the brake then they are thinking about stopping. If their foot is over the gas, they're thinking about going. If they're looking at the lane they need to turn into but not at the car that's coming towards the intersections, don't yell at them. Just say something like "do you see that white car?" and usually that's enough to imply there's a problem (remember when you talk, they usually assume there's a problem).
 When you drive, having options is critical to your sanity. You need to be thinking about problems before they happen. All it takes is a little foresight, and you can be ready for almost anything your teen or traffic can throw at you.
The Biggest Source of Stress for Parents is: Loss of Control.
Breathe.
Drink Water.
Know When to Open Your Mouth.
Tone is Critical.
Be Specific.
Read Your Teen's Mind.
Find Your Out.
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