How to teach someone to drive
Teaching someone to drive can be both exciting and challenging. It’s an opportunity to guide someone through a life skill they’ll use every day, but it requires patience, preparation, and a clear plan. Teaching someone to drive is a big responsibility. Here are our top tips for teaching someone to drive as safely as possible to ensure the process is smooth and effective.
Get your insurance and road rules in order
Before you hit the road, double-check your insurance policy to confirm that it covers learner drivers. Most policies do, as long as the supervising driver is nominated. It’s also wise to brush up on your knowledge of road rules. Over the years, driving habits can shift, and it’s easy to forget some finer points. Reviewing the Road User Handbook and taking a few online Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) practice tests will put you in a strong position to answer questions confidently.
Choose somewhere quiet to start
When beginning lessons, choose a quiet and open area like an empty parking lot or an industrial estate on the weekend. This environment gives the learner the space to practice basic skills like steering, braking, and accelerating without the pressure of traffic. Once they’re comfortable with the basics, gradually introduce them to suburban streets and eventually more complex situations like highways or driving at night.
Show the learner how to set their driving position correctly
To find your optimal driving position, start by sliding the driver’s seat to allow easy reach of the pedals with a slight bend in the knees. Then, set the steering wheel using the tilt and reach adjustments (if the car has reach adjustment) to allow the driver’s wrists to sit on the top of the wheel rim with a bend in the elbows. This ensures a comfortable position of control. Set the interior and side mirrors to ensure a good view that minimises the blind spots alongside the rear of the car.
Create a checklist for each lesson, and take it slowly
Put some process into your teaching. Decide in advance what you’re going to try to achieve in each lesson, or you might find yourself skipping important things… such as braking. Before your learner starts the car, take some time to explain the process of driving and talk them through the main functions on the dashboard, the gears and the pedals.
Teach them the ‘cockpit drill’ – how to check and adjust the seat and mirrors before they start the car – and make sure they do it every time. Talk to them about blind spots. Don’t be in a rush to introduce too much too quickly, no matter how confident or insistent your learner is. You have 120 hours. Take it slowly and consolidate the basics first.
Praise good driving
Reinforcing good driving practices and providing constructive criticism will reduce conflict and help your learner develop sound, safe driving habits. Talking forward is a teaching technique that’s part of the driver training approach at the NRMA. For example: “We will be turning right at the next set of lights. What do you need to do to prepare for this?”
Start in an automatic car
If possible, start with an automatic car. This removes the complexity of gear changes and clutch control, allowing the learner to focus on fundamental skills like steering, braking, and observing their surroundings. Once they’re confident in these areas, you can introduce manual transmission if they plan to drive a manual car.
Reinforce the importance of safety
From the very first lesson, emphasise safe driving practices. Teach the importance of blind spot checks, keeping a safe following distance, and staying within speed limits. Model these behaviours during lessons as learners absorb much from observing how you drive.
Book a lesson with a driver training instructor at the NRMA
Booking lessons with the driver training experts at the NRMA means those daunting initial stages of learning to drive are in the hands of a qualified professional and in the safety of a dual-control car.
A lesson with an accredited driving instructor in the initial stages of your learner’s journey will prepare both of you for a steady progression towards becoming a safe driver and passing the provisional P1 driving test. You can be present for the first lesson, which will equip you to build on the instructor’s lessons during driving practice with your learner. It will also give you a valuable insight into your learner driver’s level of skill.
Hour-long lessons with an accredited instructor count for three logbook hours, to help your learner reach the 120-hour logbook requirement (up to a maximum of 10 hours, which are recorded as 30 hours in the logbook).
Make use of Logbook hours wisely
For learners working towards a logbook requirement, aim to make each hour count by practicing diverse driving conditions. Include daytime and night-time driving, as well as driving in wet weather and on different road types. A varied experience builds confidence and prepares them for real-world scenarios.
Be patient and flexible
Finally, remember that learning to drive is a journey. Every learner progresses at their own pace, and mistakes are part of the process. Stay patient, adapt your teaching to suit their needs, and celebrate their progress along the way.
Teaching someone to drive is a rewarding experience when approached with preparation and a positive mindset. By focusing on the fundamentals and building up their skills step by step, you’ll set your learner up for a lifetime of safe and confident driving.
