Your teen checks the mirror — but where's their focus really landing?
Most new drivers do one of two things with a mirror. They glance so fast the image never registers, or they stare so long the road ahead disappears. Both are worse than they look from the passenger seat, because both feel like "checking the mirror."
The fix is a split, not a stare.
Ninety percent roadway, ten percent mirror. That's mirror retention — staying aware without losing focus ahead.
The drill: hold the mirror image for one full second — long enough to actually retain what's in it, never long enough to lose the road. Then eyes forward. Scan again every five to seven seconds, so the picture behind the car stays current instead of being a surprise.
It's a habit built rep by rep with every new driver. Once it locks in, your teen stops looking at mirrors and starts knowing what's around the car.