Feb 05 2022 9 mins
Preparing and Planning Private Driving Practice with a learner driver can save you time, money and stress. The Government Department responsible for Driving Tests estimates that around 70 hours tuition/practice is required to get a student ready for test of which around 45 hrs is taught and 22 hours it is assumed would be private practice with family or friends.
Focused and well planned practice can save you professional instruction costs and reduce the stress inherent in supervising a learner in car.
This podcast, hosted by Julia Ann Clayton (retired Assistant Chief Officer of Police, A Graded Approved Instructor and Director of Training Company Drive Hart Ltd) covers ten key issues / preparations that supervisors should consider before setting off on private practice supervision including:
1. Appropriate Car for the Learners Practice
2. Insurance and legal costs to cover the learner driving, also consider wider aspects eg does the insurance provider have any terms or conditions regarding supervising drivers, does the policy in place provide cover for any legal (civil or criminal) proceedings and costs.
3. Communication between you and your Approved Driving Instructor - Practice what has been taught by the ADI, if you don't have an ADI the onus will be on you to know the national driving syllabus and the skills that will be tested in the driving test.
4. Knowledge of the supervisors role, Road Traffic law and Highway Code, plus key driving processes is essential to prepare a learner for test.
5. Refresh your own driving skills and knowledge, and avoid passing on bad habits!
6. Adopting the "Right Approach" to practice (right subject, right place and right time), speak with your ADI on when to start practice, and what to practice, get regular updates on the learners progress on the syllabus.
7. Calmly review/debrief your practice - record your practice times and discuss any issues with your ADI.
8. Keep driving practice calm and as stress free as possible, Agree the plan with your learner and how your going to deal and debrief any events during the practice. If all else fails stop and cool things down!
9. Give Clear, concise, and well timed alerts, direction and instruction, slow practice down! it really helps the learner and you to manage the practice.
10. Learn how to identify and put right common driving faults and discuss them with your learner. Look on line, get advice and talk to your ADI, fault identification is what they do every day, and they should be able to give you advice on any speci
Dear Listener
Thank you for taking time to listen to our podcasts we hope they are of use and welcome your feedback. Series 1 was very much for students and parents - but we found trainee instructors also liked the materials. Series 2 is a response from Potential Instructors who want to know what they need to know to become effective instructors (the what and how of teaching) and to pass DVSA qualifying exams.
For further resources and advice please see our facebook group for parents - teaching a learner to drive on: https://www.facebook.com/groups/524645638669371
For instructors see our facebook group for instructors on:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/931188437661404
We update our facebook page with regular legal and DVSA updates - please follow us on our Drive Hart facebook page on: https://www.facebook.com/DriveHart
Thank you again for listening to our podcasts we hope they were of use in your teaching a learner to drive. If you have any queries please email us on [email protected]
Sarah Jane Hart & Jac Clayton
Directors at Drive Hart Ltd