Beginner Driving Lessons Help & Advice...

Beginner Driving Lesson Help

Beginner Driving Lessons - Starting out...

The first time a beginner sits in the driving seat of a car, they look in bewilderment at the dials, pedals, switches, gear stick and steering wheel. Some beginners are scared, others are confused and a few think driving will be easy - until they move off for the first time!

After the first lesson, the most common phrase we here from Beginners is: "I'm never going to remember all of this!"

Learning to drive can seem daunting at first, after all, it's a very steep learning curve, but everyone gets there in the end. Of course, some learn quicker than others, but with repeated practice, the learner gradually starts to carry out the procedures without thinking about it.

As a Driving Instructor, you want the pupil to feel positive. Often, it's only when you point out the subconscious improvements to your pupil that they start to see the light at the end of the driving tunnel.

Get from Beginner to Learner Driver FASTER...

For a Beginner, the first driving lesson will consist of a long period where they don't drive. The Driving Instructor will drive them to a quiet location. Here they will swap seats with the Beginner.

The lesson will then focus on teaching the function of all the vehicle's controls, and then the moving off and stopping procedure. This is all done with the car parked at the edge of the road. It's only after that there's time to squeeze in some actual driving.

Beginners can shorten the time sitting at the edge of the road by doing some simple things before the first driving lesson:

1) Sit in the driver's seat of a car:

The simple act of sitting in the driver's seat for the first time can often be surprisingly daunting to a Beginner.

The good thing is, everyone knows someone that owns a car, so there can be no excuses. The car owner can be happy in the fact that the Beginner is simply sitting in the driver's seat and NOT actually driving! Often, they're happy to sit with the Beginner and offer advice (everyone thinks they're a great driver!).

2) Practice using the controls:

There's a noticable difference between a Beginner that has practiced using the clutch and gears compared to a Beginner that hasn't. The act of pretending to drive whilst using the clutch and gears will bring down the amount of teaching required in the first lesson.

This is because the clutch and gears are part of learning to drive where many Beginners struggle. Again, most car owners will enjoy showing a Beginner how it's done and then watching them practice.

Don't worry, a good Driving Instructor can quickly eliminate any bad habits taught by the car owner!!

3) When travelling somewhere by car - watch what the driver is doing:

It's amazing how many Beginners say they've never paid attention to the what a driver is actually doing!

Here is a great opportunity to shorten the early period of learning to drive by watching how the basics of driving are done.

Watch the key elements ONLY - that is; changing gear, using the clutch, the timing of the feet on the pedals. Where possible, ask the driver to use the controls more slowly (it can be difficult to work out what's going on at normal driving speeds).

A great tip, when in the front passenger seat (and if you know the driver well!!), is to copy what the driver is doing with the main controls. It may seem silly, but the repeated movements help with muscle memory. Ultimately, this will shorten the learning process of a Beginner in the early stages of learning to drive.

More Info: Book Driving Lessons