Experience counts a great deal towards confidence in the test, and keeping safe afterwards. Parents and friends have valuable driving experience to pass on to learner drivers. I cannot stress enough the value of driving at every possible opportunity.
Research carried out by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) found that, on average newly qualified drivers had received 40 hours tuition with an instructor, backed up by over 20 hours driving with family and friends.
- Tip 1 - Set an example
- Think back to when you learned to drive. Try to remember how you reacted to the examples set by more experienced drivers. Setting a good example will mean your learner is much more likely to listen to your advice and learn valuable lessons.
- Tip 2 - Be legal
- To make sure learners benefit from the help of experienced drivers, supervising drivers (that's you) need to be at least 21 and have had a full UK license for 3 years. Most parents will qualify, but if brothers, sisters or friends are supervising, make sure they qualify. Make sure if you're in a manual car, you passed your test in a manual car.
- Tip 3 - Talk to the instructor
- It is vital that your private practice helps the learner develop the skills and experience that will benefit them most. It may be some years since you passed your test and the instructor can help make sure you are giving the best support to your learner. Ask if you can sit-in on a lesson or two, or better still, ask the instructor if they run 'supervisor sessions'.
- Tip 4 - 1 For 1
- Try to arrange one practice session for each professional driving lesson. That way you can practice what the learner has been doing most recently.
- Tip 5 - Plan the route
- Ask your learner where they have been with their instructor. Either go to the same places, or think of somewhere similar. That way your learner will more readily understand what they are doing and be able to practice their new skills. Be prepared to drive to and from practice routes yourself if getting to and from might mean roads, junctions or traffic your learner hasn't yet experienced.
- Tip 6 - Keep notes
- Keep a log of the practice sessions and encourage the learner to both plan and review 'homework' with their instructor.
- Tip 7 - Talk sense
- It is important that your advice and instructions are clear and don't confuse your learner. For example, it might be better to say “Drive at 20 mph” than to say “Drive slowly”. In the same way “What do you need to do about the bus at the bus stop?” may be more helpful than “What is going on ahead?”. Use your experience to draw the learners attention directly to the key hazards they need to take action about.
- Tip 8 - How fast
- A major issue with learner drivers is that they approach hazards too fast. Quite early on your learner will have been introduced to a systematic way of approaching hazards. Ask them to explain it to you, and talk to their instructor about it. It will probably similar to 'Mirror Signal Manoeuvre' (including 'Position Speed and Gear'). Make sure they practice this routine at slow speeds to begin with, only gradually increasing to more normal speeds.
- Tip 9 - Be patient
- Accept your learner will not react to situations as quickly as you do, and will need to drive more slowly to compensate. It's probable you will be emotionally close your learner (son, daughter, partner, or close friend's child) and you will want them to do well. This can often cause frustration when your learner struggles with something you regard as simple. Remembering some of your experiences when you were learning may help. Try to stay cool. At the end of the day, it may be better to swap places, go home and try again another day.
- Top 10 - Enjoy yourselves
- Driving should be enjoyable. Supporting a learner driver (most probably your son or daughter, or a close friend) should also be an enjoyable experience. Enjoy your time together, and enjoy passing on your valuable driving experience knowing it is helping them to be safer on the roads.
