21 Best Gifts for New Drivers: Your Ultimate List

Every new driver should be prepared for a roadside emergency. This emergency kit is packed with 108 items to help any driver tackle almost any emergency situation. There’s a set of jumper cables, tire repair kit, tow strap, a multi-tool, cable ties, reflective road warning triangle, a tool for breaking glass, and first aid kit.

Sharing your car with a new driver? Help keep things tidy with a car-sized trash can. This is a nice gift for any messy new driver in your life. Designed to fit into a car cup holder, this tiny trash can provides a neat and tidy way to dispose of receipts, parking passes, food wrappers, or other detritus. This is an especially nice gift for any new driver who just got a new car and wants to keep it mint.

A dedicated GPS device might seem like an unnecessary contraption in 2019, but actually, 38 states ban all cell phone use by teen or new drivers, so it’s very possible that your teenage driver won’t be able to take advantage of Waze or Google Maps without the risk of getting a ticket. This Garmin Drive unit comes with lifetime maps and can show alerts for upcoming sharp curves, speed changes, school zones, and nearby red light and speed cameras.

Despite the fact that when I started driving, I was carrying a cellphone that could go two weeks on a charge (RIP Nokia 3310), I somehow managed to have enough other gadgets to require one of these splitters. New drivers today are likely to need one for a smartphone, a tablet, and maybe even a laptop, plus whatever their friends need to charge.

If you don’t want to go the full splitter route elsewhere on this list, this handy little gadget will make it easy to charge two USB-based devices. Almost everyone could use one of these, and given that new drivers may be driving slightly older cars without in-built USB, it’s an easy way to add charging ports.

While most cars from the last ten years have tire pressure monitoring systems, they’re still a bit tempramental and don’t help you much when you’re actually refilling a tire. Besides, part of being a driver is car maintenence, so it’s a good idea to get your new driver familiar with the tire pressure their car requires and get into the habit of monitoring it.

A dash cam can help prove that a new driver was not at fault during an accident. This HD dash cam from YI has a wide angle lens to capture as much of the horizon as possible. Quality night vision footage is also possible. In the event of a crash, the camera automatically saves footage of the moments before and after the accident. For less than $50, this dash cam is a great gift for any new driver who wants to protect themselves, and their driving record.

The emergency car kit we put on this list includes jumper cables, but they can be a little confusing for new drivers to use. Mixing up the terminals can blow up a battery or at least cause a shock. These compact car jump starters make life easy in the sense that they don’t go to work if the polarity is reversed, and of course they don’t require another car to be nearby. This one doubles as a safety light and a charging block for USB devices, as well.

If your new driver’s car lacks Bluetooth, or if they’re just picky about sound quality like I am, the humble aux cable makes a great gift. Good for passing around so passengers can play DJ, too. Choose from four or eight foot lengths. These are usually abused in a car, so it’s only a matter of time before they’ll need a new one. Newer iPhone owners will want to opt for the Lightening cable version.

The handbook the state issues students enrolled in driver’s ed is about the driest textbook going. It’s sharp on the technicalities but vague on putting them into practice and the vagaries of everyday driving. This book fills in those gaps with real stories from new drivers and law enforcement to help round out a new driver’s knowledge of being behind the wheel.

Listen, teenagers are not the absolute best at keeping spaces clean. This goes double for cars, where food wrappers and other things are likely to pile up. Or, as in my case, if their car has a moonroof, it will definitely get left open at least once during a rain storm. Keep odors at bay with this ionic air purifier that plugs into a 12v socket.

Now that your new driver has both a house key and a car key, they’ll need a decent keyring. This is a perfect opportunity to go the cheesy, gag-gift route and get them one of these. It’ll remind them that racing their friends on the highway only leads to expensive tickets. (Guilty! I had to get a new job to pay for it and everything.) If you don’t want to embarass them (for some reason), you could opt for something like this Jeep grill keychain or a lanyard.

Most newly-minted drivers, particularly those getting their first car, will cover it in stickers they’ll probably later regret. In addition to urging them to put them on the windows instead of the paint, you can get them this set of sticker removers. Perfect for when they grow out of all the things they thought they liked when they first got their car. Add in a bottle of Goo Gone to seal the deal.

Depending on the new driver in question, this could either be a good gag gift or an actually-valuable tool. Some new drivers are super nervous and feel constantly judged by other drivers. This could help other motorists recognize when a new driver is struggling and pressure them less, which could lead to fewer errors. Otherwise, it’s just funny to antagonize them by slapping on their car now and again.

Even if your new driver doesn’t have a beater car with tattered seats, most folks driving their first car will want to personalize it a bit. These seat covers look very nice, with several color combinations to choose from and a snug fit that makes them look almost factory-installed. These can really help an old car out.

Possibly one of the most overlooked driving accessories is a good pair of sunglasses. Regardless of the season, sunglasses can make a huge difference in how you percieve distances and what’s going on around you. Glare can really make it difficult to drive, and a pair like these will save you from having to squint. This model from Julbo features their Spectron 3 lenses, which block 88 percent of visible light. I have a similar pair in an older style and absolutely love them for driving.

If you happen to live in a state that allows teen drivers to use their cell phones, or if the new driver in question isn’t bound by those restrictions, a phone mount is an important piece of safety gear. A lot of cars now allow the use of the car stereo via Bluetooth to make and receive calls, while having the display front and center is key for GPS navigation. Hands-free cellphone use is the law in most states, so everyone should have one of these.

Impress upon the new driver in your life that maintenence is paramount and get them in the habit early. Oil changes and tire rotations are key to keeping a decent car running smoothly, so get them started with the first few paid for. The sooner they learn to pay attention to the cadence of maintenence, the longer their first ride will last.

Your new driver is probably going to need a travel mug. I used one almost every day when I was commuting, so they’ll of course work well for going to school, for example. Choose from 14 different colors for this 20 ounce, super durable, and dishwasher safe tumbler. These make for great gift ideas for family and friends too.

If you’re going to drive it, you have to take care of it. That includes keeping the paint clean so it will last. Start your new driver off with this simple car cleaning kit from Griot’s Garage, which will do the job for a basic wash. If you want more choices, consider our best car cleaning kits here. After that, you can get them started on learning how to wax with our picks for the best car wax here.

This little device plugs into their car’s OBDII port and connects with a free smartphone app. This car gadget is packed with smart reporting features that make driving safer and more fun. One of the best features decoding check engine lights and other warning lights on the dashboard. Just open the Automatic app and they’ll know whether light is warning about a minor issue or something that needs to be addressed immediately. Parents of new drivers will love it because of features like real-time vehicle location tracking and crash detection, and adult new drivers will love it for tracking things like the gas levels in the car or remembering where you parked.