Parental Driving Guide for SAFER DRIVERS

 

Make the Most of Practice Sessions

 

Only through repetition will new drivers efficiently manage visibility, time and space from behind the wheel and protect themselves and others from collisions. With consistency and patience, practice sessions can give a new driver the equivalent of a few years’ experience and move him or her safely past the risks associated with first-year driving. Knowing firsthand that your teenager is a skilled and safety-conscious driver will also contribute to your peace of mind in the years to come.

 

Without additional supervised practice with you, your new driver will continue to be at high risk for being injured or killed in a traffic crash.

 

Insist on a ground rule of mutual respect and understanding as you undertake the following:

 

  1. Choose appropriate routes for each lesson, and drive them yourself before the lesson.
  2. At the beginning of each lesson, make sure the new driver understands the objectives and reviews necessary skills from previous lessons.
  3. Be calm. Be patient. Stay alert. Do not eat, read or listen to music when you are coaching a new driver.
  4. Sit in a position that allows you to place your left hand on the steering wheel to guide the new driver, if necessary.
  5. Monitor traffic ahead, to the sides and behind your vehicle while observing the new driver’s behavior.
  6. Always check mirrors before giving directions. Give directions to turn at least one block in advance.
  7. Give directions by telling where the action will take place then describing the action needed. For example: “At the second intersection, turn left.”
  8. Use the word “right” to mean a direction only. In confirming a question, say,” That is correct.” This will prevent confusion.
  9. A good demonstration of what to do and how to do it saves time.
  10. When you introduce a maneuver, guide the new driver through two to three practice trials. Then allow the drive to perform the maneuver without assistance or direction.
  11. If the driver makes a mistake, repeat the maneuver and guide him through it, step by step. (This is what we refer to in each lesson as “coaching.”)
  12. Permit new drivers to learn from mistakes if the mistake does not represent undue risk. However, never allow a student to drive into a dangerous situation. Take control or give specific direction.
  13. Pull over and park before beginning long discussions or explanations.
  14. Ask the new driver to evaluate her personal performance.
  15. Even when you are not in a practice session, encourage “commentary driving.” Ask the new driver what he observes and how he would respond to traffic signals, road conditions and other driving situations.

 

We recommend that initial instruction take place in a vehicle with automatic transmission. The new driver can then focus on controlling the vehicle and mastering new maneuvers. Once the basic skills are accomplished, learning to coordinate the clutch, shifting lever and accelerator of a manual transmission vehicle can be addressed.