Many heated moments have been had between kids and their parents when learning to drive. But it’s actually one of the most dangerous places to have an argument. Often parents feel stressed, anxious and these emotions transfer to their kids, ultimately affecting concentration and taking attention away from the roads. The worst thing about this pressure and stress is that it could be ruining your child’s ability to feel confident on the roads, and may even hinder their desire for further lessons and driving practice. 

While this might not even seem like such a bad thing for the parents who find often find giving lessons a point of tension between them and their kids, the need to stay calm and teach good habits is fundamental for parents teaching their kids to drive effectively.  The example that parents set and the way they handle stressful situations on the roads is ultimately what their kids will pick up.  There is much research which shows that teenagers often learn bad habits from their parents while on the roads. To bring awareness to these, A Grade Driving School shares a list of common list of these bad habits that parents may need to self-assess.

1.     Using mobile phones and other devices when driving.

2.     Telling kids to hold the steering wheel at 10 and 2. This does not give the best control of the vehicle despite what has been formerly taught. Some parents also set a poor example by not holding the wheel in both hands or having the elbow out the window while driving.

3.     Not signalling properly (especially on roundabouts including when exiting)

4.     Not wearing seatbelts consistently.

5.     Failing to check mirrors when merging and reverse parking.

6.     Consistently exceeding speed limits in residential areas and school zones.

7.     Swearing at other motorists, using the horn, and other displays of road rage.

Getting frustrated at your kids on the roads for the things they probably learned from you WILL NOT make them a better driver. Neither will dwelling on their mistakes. The fact is mistakes happen when learning to drive and parents need to remember to accept this truth and remain calm.  Getting anxious and stressed at each mistake will just lead to tension on the roads, will not help your teenager learn, and can even damage their confidence.

For this reason professional driving lessons with a driving instructor can identify and correct bad habits before they become entrenched – all in a calm and supportive environment. Many parents also find it much easier (and less stressful) to continue giving driving lessons once their kids have picked up some of the basics after having a few professional lessons with a certified driving instructor.

Don’t let bad habits define the way your kids drive. Give them a good foundation right from the beginning with driving lessons from A Grade Driving School. Call us today on 1300 885 585.

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As well as having driving lessons with professional driving instructors, much of the lessons young learner drivers will have will be in the ‘hot seat’ next to their parents. In the early stages of the learning to drive, the can be a particularly stressful time for learners and their parents. However, it can be made even worse by parents who quickly forget some of the basics when supervising a learner driver. Brought to you by Brisbane’s long established A-Grade Driving School, let this list be your reminder…

1.    Start with lessons on quiet streets or empty car parks where there is no other traffic. The first things to master need to be starting the car, steering and using the brakes, and clutch if applicable. Have more frequent but shorter lessons to start with.

2.    Before attempting a new task, always discuss this first with the learner before and confirm their understanding of what the steps of the manoeuvre are.

3.    Never have a lesson when feeling tired, stressed or emotional. Also be very careful not to shout or criticise as this discourages the learner and can lead them to second guess everything they do. It’s important for learners to be as confident as they can be on the road.

4.    Don’t use the radio or your mobile phone when instructing a learner driver. Not only does it make it harder to teach effectively, it’s distracting and potentially dangerous.

5.    Don’t use the “deep end” or “sink or swim” approach. Learners should gradually step up their tasks on the road to more complex conditions once they have mastered the basics.

6.    Make sure all the directions you give are clear and well in advance if it is to perform a certain turn or merge. Always be as clear as possible with these and if necessary check for understanding.

7.    Make sure that the importance of sticking to the speed limit is always emphasised. This can be a particularly challenging thing for learners to judge and their speed can quickly creep upwards, particularly in 50km/h residential streets

8.    Always give feedback that’s constructive after the lesson and rehash what was learned before the next lesson.

9.    If something is difficult for the learner to get a grasp on switch seats and demonstrate it yourself by breaking the task down. Often parents are so familiar with driving and it has become routine, they forget the different checks and steps involved.

10.     Do not have the learner perform the same or similar drives each time round – even if it is convenient. The aim should always to try driving in different conditions and areas once the learner has mastered more basic driving situations.

FINAL RULE: Keep the logbook and pen handy in the glove box and fill this out at the conclusion of every drive. This will only keeps you on top of your entry’s and make sure no important experience is missed, helping you meet your 100 hours of experience faster.

There are many instances when it might be most suitable to book driving lesson with a professional instructor, especially in the weeks after learner has first gained their learners permit. Another crucial period where the learner will benefit from professional lessons is in the lead up to sitting their practical driving test where the instructor can equip them with all the skills and advice necessary to pass with flying colours.

To book a driving test in Sunnybank, Mount Gravatt, Coopers Plains or other areas of Brisbane, contact A-Grade Driving School today on 1300 885 585.

The post Ten Rules for Parents Supervising a Learner Driver appeared first on A Grade Driving School.

It’s an unfortunate truth that not all driving teachers are created equal. Due to differing personalities some instructors are more prone to stress, while others might think they are helping a young driver when their approach can discourage and even hinder learning of a beginner driver. Here at A-Grade Driving School we’ve put together a list of strategies to equip parents and other non-professional instructors when conducting driving lessons.

These tips and strategies are based on the insights and wealth of experience our professional driving instructors possess when conducting driving lessons throughout the Brisbane area. We hope they help to make the time spent behind the wheel as productive as possible and a positive learning experience for everyone involved.

Tips and strategies to implement during the lesson:

– Stay calm. If you are stressed, anxious or uptight, it’s going to affect the learner driver and impact on the way they behave on the roads. When stressed, a drivers’ concentration is lowered and as a result they are more prone to making mistakes.

– Be positive. Aim to look at the positives of situations to encourage the driver. This assists with building confidence. If any faults need addressing they should follow the formula of: praise—constructive criticism—praise. This training method is one of the best for positive reinforcement while still communicating to the learner any areas that need work.

– Give any instructions and directions to the driver well in advance, in a clear and specific way so they have time to prepare for the manoeuvre.

– Do not contradict techniques given by a professional driving instructor. Even if you disagree with the techniques, professional instructors know what the licensing department are looking during practical driving test, and base their lessons around this.

– Ask questions to determine what the learner is ‘seeing,’ to gauge whether they have noticed something that may develop into a hazard. – What seems obvious to you may not be obvious for the learner.

– Encourage the habit of Mirror Check – Indicate – Manoeuvre when making any turns or changing lanes. Throughout the drive remind the learner to check speedometer regularly.

Tips and strategies to communicate after the lesson:

– After each drive review the major learning points and road conditions that formed the lesson. Where did you go? Did the weather play a part in the drive? What were the conditions on the road? What challenges were there? Remember to stay positive.

– If there are several faults to address, start with the issues that pose a higher risk, and leave the other issues for later or another time to avoid discouraging the learner.

– Before the next lesson review again the major issues from the previous lesson, and highlight the importance of working on these issues.

These are just a few tips to assist instructors in running a smooth driving lesson that is a positive learning experience for all. Often though, particularly at the very early stage of learning to drive, beginner drivers benefit from professional instructor who is equipped with the knowledge to lay the foundations for good driving habits. To book one of our professional driving lessons from the team here at A Grade Driving School give us a call today on 1300 885 585.

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