It is often said that driving instructors can be effective. The government even offers incentives for them to do so. Secondary schools are also looking to include driver education in their curriculum. These schools invite driving instructors into the classroom to discuss student needs, hold educational seminars with emergency service personnel, and even arrange lessons for senior students on the roads.
What is it about driving instructors that makes them so valuable? What can they offer you that you don't have from your family or friends?
However, it is not true that parents and friends are not good at teaching. The person learning to drive may not be learning as efficiently for a variety of reasons. Some learner drivers may feel anxious about the future, might worry about traffic, or may have a learning style that is not compatible with their parents.
Let's discuss reasons why driving instructors can be a crucial part of helping new learners drive and how they can help young learners develop the skills and behaviours that will make them safer drivers for their future.
1. Driving Instructors Are Better At Hazard Perception
Driving instructors do a better job of helping learners drivers to develop their hazard perception skills. This is done by giving what is called "higher-order instructions" during the driving lesson.
In addition to the "watch out for the road" rule, parents and friends may give you vehicle handling instructions while the event is unfolding. These technical skills will help you to maintain control over your vehicle. However, they are not always ready to act at the moment.
Driving instructors will offer instructions that will help a learner driver prepare before the event begins. They will look for any signs of potential dangers or emerging hazards. Instructions given by driving instructors are designed to draw the attention of learner drivers to particular visual cues or behaviours in traffic. By watching out for indicators and/or watching other drivers, the instructor can help the learner drive plan their response in case of an emergency.
2. Driving Instructors Can Be Impartial
Did you forget about the garbage today or missed an important social event? Your driving instructor won’t hold it against you. They’re there to teach safe driving, and they aren’t influenced by other aspects of your life the way that a parent or friend would.
Learning drivers who are subject to a conflict in their early driving lessons in Perth can develop bad habits that will make it difficult for them to be ready for real driving situations.
Driving lessons can be taken with an instructor to help you learn how to drive safely. This allows you to gain the benefit of learning from a dedicated teacher while also practising with your preferred driver under different conditions and at different times.
3. Safety Is Often A Concern When Driving Instructors' Vehicles
However, if you are driving a car and your child is sitting next to you, you have much less support.
Many driving instructors will allow you to drive in your car. But most instructors will teach you safely in your vehicle. Nowadays, it is quite common for instructors to have their cars equipped with dual control pedals. This allows them to maintain some control. It's not common for a learner to have dual control pedals (such as learning with a parent or a friend) but these pedals allow the driving instructor the ability to use the brakes and accelerator to prevent or escape danger.
4. You Are More Likely Than Not To Drive In Modern, Insurance Vehicles
You will find it much easier to learn how to drive a newer vehicle. This is not only because the interior of the vehicle is more user-friendly but also because you are less likely to have any problems. A vehicle with an instructor allows some learners to learn to drive, even though they might have to adjust to poor control in their home car.