Learning to drive can be an exciting but also nerve-wracking experience for both parents and their children. As a parent, you play a critical role in helping your child navigate this important milestone. In this blog, we’ll explore some practical tips on how parents can support their child before and during the learning to drive process.
Before they start (any age):
Your influence
You may not appreciate the impact you’ve already had on your child’s attitude to driving. Research has shown that, from as young as 5, children will pick up their early driving attitudes from their parents. So if you have a tendency to speed, take risks, shout at other road users and generally drive in an aggressive manner, chances are your children will do the same, putting them at much higher risk of prosecution, collisions, injury or even fatality. Try and adjust your own driving and aim to be the best role model you can. Put your mobile phone well away, even in stationary traffic.
Active passenger
Encourage your child to be an active observer while in the passenger seat, ask them lots of questions about the road ahead, positioning of the car, road signs, road markings, traffic lights, roundabouts. Get them looking and judging if they would ‘go’ or ‘wait’, based on approaching or gaps in the traffic.
Support their learning by answering any questions they may have, and if neither of you are sure of the answer, look it up in the highway code, rules may have changed since you learned to drive! Get yourself a hard copy, read online or download the app (Apple or Google).
Buy an extra rear-view mirror so they can get used to regularly checking for vehicles behind and discuss how this can help them make judgements. This will also help you see what’s behind during your practice sessions. You will also need this if they decide to take the test in your car.
Talk through
Talk to them about what you’re doing, where you’re looking or what you are planning/thinking while you’re driving; whether it’s use of the controls, or your anticipation and judgement, it’s all useful knowledge they can call on when faced with similar situations.
Car ownership
Involve them in all aspects of your car ownership. Talk to them about your licence, Insurance, Tax, MOTs, servicing schedules, breakdown recovery. If they’re over 16 get them used to filling your car with petrol. Encourage them to help look after your car, checking the conditions of your tyres and tyre pressures, fluid levels (oil, brake fluid, engine coolant, screen wash).
Provisional licence
You can apply for a provisional licence when your child is 15 years and 9 months old. Don’t leave it until the last minute as this could delay the start to their lessons.
Theory Test
They can study and pass their theory test before they start driving lessons but it’s not essential, a theory pass certificate lasts for 2 years. Their driving instructor can assist in the learning process and also often give them access to free study apps. Your child must have passed their theory test before they can book a practical test, if it’s left too late or they struggle to pass this can delay them taking their practical test. The apps are great, but they’re not always the most comprehensive way of learning the detail and application of the theory in practice. There are some great books by the DVSA which can really help with comprehension, rather than learning a set of questions and answers.
Find a good driving instructor
By far the best way for students to learn is a combination of lessons with a qualified driving instructor and private practice between lessons. The DVSA says on average it takes 45hrs of lessons with an instructor and 22hrs of private practice to become test ready.
Hiring a driving instructor may seem expensive at first, it can actually be more cost-effective in the long run as learners are less likely to need additional lessons or fail driving tests.
Driving instructors:
- have undergone specialised training and possess the necessary expertise and knowledge required to teach driving skills effectively.
- can provide personalised attention to each learner and tailor their teaching methods to suit the individual’s learning style.
- prioritise safety above all else and ensure that learners learn safe driving practices and techniques.
- can help build a learner’s confidence through positive reinforcement and constructive feedback.
- are up-to-date with the latest traffic rules and regulations and can help learners understand and follow them correctly.
- can prepare learners for driving tests by familiarising them with the road and traffic conditions they may be faced with, and practice those skills under mock test conditions to make sure they’re ready to take the test.
Following the backlog of covid lockdowns, finding a good driving instructor that has availability that matches your child’s can be a challenge, so don’t leave it until the last minute, start looking around 4 months before their 17th birthday. Some operate waiting lists while others post availability on social media or websites. Your child’s flexibility may secure an instructor sooner, as the after school/college and weekend slots are the most hard to come by. If your child’s school/college is flexible they may be able to take lessons during free periods or early finishes. Harrogate schools actively discourage driving lessons during the school day/free periods, but in reality (in my experience) so long as parents are aware their child is having a driving lesson outside school, and with who, it doesn’t appear to have any repercussions.
Recommendations are by far the best way to source a good driving instructor, either via friends of family or social media/Google reviews. Don’t just go with an instructor ‘because they had space’ without doing some research first. The DVSA has a list of all approved driving instructors (ADIs)
Private practice
The DVSA has produced a comprehensive guide called ‘Ready to pass‘ to help you when teaching your child to drive. It contains a useful syllabus to help structure to your lessons and make sure you’ve not missed anything. The driving test is very different to 30 years ago.
Insurance (learner and new driver)
There are a multitude of insurance companies out there that specialise in learner insurance. Shop around and read reviews before making an informed decision about what is right for you. You can find policies that cover a long term right down to just for a few hours. Discounts and/or insentives are available from the links below:
BEWARE… the miniute they pass the driving test you will need to let the insurance company know to change the policy from ‘learner insurance’ to ‘new driver insurance’. Do not drive home from a successful driving test without the proper insurance!
Stay calm and patient
Learning to drive can be stressful for both parents and children. It’s important to remain calm and patient throughout the process, even if your child makes mistakes. Offer constructive feedback and encourage your child to learn from their mistakes. Avoid being too critical or negative, as this can undermine your child’s confidence, make them more anxious and/or less likely to listen to you. Pick a good time to practice, if you or they are tired it’s unlikely to go as well.
Keep it simple
Don’t try to do too much too soon. Their driving instructor may have taken them out on busier roads but they are highly trained to offer timely support, both verbal and physical when required, to keep everyone safe. Discuss with your child and their instructor how best you can support the learning process. Sitting in on one of their driving lessons can provide useful teaching techniques and can give you an idea of their current level of ability.
Practice makes perfect
Driving is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Start by taking your child on short, low-traffic drives to help them build their confidence behind the wheel. Gradually increase the length and difficulty of the drives as your child becomes more comfortable and proficient. Eventually have them drive everywhere, even if it’s just to the shops, the more practice and experience they gain the more confident they’ll feel on test day.
Take it slow
They will need to approach new situations at a much lower speed to what you’re used to, the cognitive processes involved in not only controlling the car but making judgements on the move takes time and repetition to master. Give any instructions well in advance. Most mistakes are made as a result of excessive speed for their current ability. If things aren’t going well consider going back to quieter roads or slow down even further. As their ability and confidence grows they’ll naturally get faster.
Ready for test?
Again, because of the covid backlog, test dates can be hard to come by and should not be wasted by ‘giving it a go’. At time of edit the earliest test date in Knaresborough was 4 months away. For that reason it is crucial that your child is more than ready to take the test. Knowing when your child is ready can be challenging, their driving instructor is the best person to ask, please trust their judgement, they have your child’s future safety at their heart of their advice. If you’re teaching a person yourself, consider asking a driving instructor to at least carry out a mock test, they can provide accurate feedback and advice before going for the real thing.
Your child will be ready when
- They do not need verbal or physical help from their driving instructor.
- They do not make serious or dangerous mistakes when driving.
- They can pass mock driving tests.
- They have practiced ways of managing their nerves.
- Their driving instructor agrees they are ready.
I hope you have found this guide useful, if so, please share it with your friends.
Reading this felt like walking through a gallery of ideas, each one framed with care and presented with clarity. Your words have a way of making the abstract feel tangible, of bringing thoughts into sharp focus.