Here I was living alone with my 3 children, my husband having just left us to cope alone.  My eldest daughter, only just 18, was keen to learn to drive and I didn’t want to spend a fortune on driving lessons, at least not until she could learn as much as she could from me.

 

So I went to my local library and read some books from cover to cover about how to teach driving.  If you want to do the same, read my tips below as it shows what they must be able to do and what the examiner will be looking for.  She’s been driving for 3 weeks now with me taking her out for about 30 – 45 minutes per day (only 10 minutes at the beginning), and she’s coming on beautifully.   Her confidence has soared and it won’t be long until I get her booked her into a few proper lessons and hopefully her test – and it has saved me a packet!  Don’t forget, you can insure your car by the month rather than for 6 or 12 months so that if they’re going away to university or off hiking round the world, you’re not paying for the time they’re not driving. 

 

Best of luck, and keep calm at all times!

Jo Author.

Learners are NOT allowed on motorways

Get “The Driving Manual” and “The Driving Test” booklet produced by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA)

and “A Driver’s Logbook” free from any Driving Test Centre

Start	Check doors and belt up Seat and mirrors adjusted Check hand brake on and in Neutral
Traffic Lights   Pelican Crossing	Green                       – proceed if it is safe to do so Amber                      – stop (proceed only if you’ve crossed the stop line) Red                           - stop
	Red & Amber           - stop, but green is next so get ready to go Amber                      - give way to pedestrians Green                       - go if clear of pedestrians
Mirrors	Check frequently and always before changing direction – be aware of “amber gamblers”
Signs	Red rings or circles - Negatives    eg   No Entry, No Stopping, No Overtaking Blue circles              - Positives     eg   Must turn right

 

Signalling   

• Always check mirrors before signalling and again before turning
• Don’t signal too early (especially when there are other side roads)
• When overtaking stationary vehicles, cancel indicator at furthest point
• When overtaking cyclists, only signal if vehicles are behind you
• Look well ahead and notice other vehicles’ brake lights
• Don’t signal when overtaking stationary vehicles if you can move out gently in plenty of time and maintain a steady course

 

Bends

• Don’t accelerate into a bend but ease off slightly
• Accelerate once you are round and able to see in front
• The sharper the bend, the lower the gear
• Never change gear while turning the steering wheel

                     - Observe signs for bends and curves

                     - Notice position of telegraph poles in distance

                     - The longer the line markers in road centre, the more hazardous

                     - Notice the camber of the road

                     - Anticipate possible cyclists, horses, accidents, parked cars etc

 

Making Left Turns

• Be about ½ metre from curb (or rear wheels can mount the curb)
• The slower, the lower the gear
• Don’t swing out right before turning

 

Making Right Turns

• Check mirror before indicating and again before changing direction
• Get eye level with start of road on right
• Get car into right side of lane

 

Junctions

• DO NOT enter yellow crisscross lines in junction box until exit is clear
• DO NOT enter box even with green traffic light if there is a traffic jam
• Can stop in box if turning right but you can’t because of oncoming traffic

 

MANOEUVRING THE CAR

EMERGENCY STOP

• Always keep both hands on the wheel, clutch and footbrake down together.
• If too quick on footbrake, the car may lock and skid.  Then, lift foot off brake and apply again with pumping action.
• Don’t coast (put clutch down before footbrake) as control is lost.

 

HILL START

• With handbrake on, into first gear.
• Accelerate a little (listen to engine purr)
• Mirror and signal
• Clutch to biting point (listen to engine)
• Hold in position, check over shoulder and mirror
• Release handbrake
• Fraction more on accelerator, & clutch up slowly until off
• On hill, don’t change into second gear too soon
• Going down a hill, clutch mustn’t be down a fraction longer than necessary

ROUNDABOUTS

• Read signs on approach (priority to vehicles on roundabout mostly)
• For first exit, approach in left lane with left indicator on
• For straight ahead, approach in left lane and indicate when pass last exit
• For further exits, approach in right lane and indicate right - change indicator to left when pass the last exit

 

 

Test includes:                               What Examiner will be looking for:

Turning in the road	Must show all round observation Slow & smooth, using clutch & accelerator for control Show awareness & consideration of other road users
Reversing round a corner
Reverse Parking

 

TURNING IN THE ROAD – (3 or 5 point turn is OK)

• Stop in suitable place (don’t block driveways or have parked cars on right)
• Into 1^st, check all round for cyclists etc
• Brake off & lift clutch a fraction to just creep along
• Wheel to right smoothly & quickly, balance accelerator/brake (accel slightly)
• As near other curb, start to turn wheel left and footbrake smoothly
• Apply handbrake and observe all round
• Into reverse and looking behind over shoulder, into biting point then brake off
• Foot on clutch throughout this for control
• As near curb, turn wheel, footbrake and then handbrake
• Check all round, biting point then release handbrake
• Straighten up, stop
• Handbrake on and then into neutral

 

REVERSING ROUND A CORNER  

• Check all round and stop  just < ½ metre from the curb
• Reverse slowly looking backwards, using clutch and accelerator (if not right, its OK to go forward and reposition)
• STOP if a car is coming from behind, as car will swing out as it turns

 

REVERSE PARKING   (carpark bay and between parked cars with space of 2 cars)

Must stop reasonably close to curb but NOT mount it

Consider other road users at all times

• Stop alongside the vehicle not > 1 metre away
• Check mirror
• Use accelerator and clutch
• Pull wheel in direction you want to go (left for left, right for right)
• Approximately ½ metre from the curb, straighten up

 

TIPS

 

• If you STALL, handbrake & into neutral before turning engine again
• Handbrake is first thing to put on when you stop
• Releasing handbrake is last thing when moving off
• Can stop in any gear depending on circumstances, eg in 3^rd gear at lights
• Can go from 4^th to 2^nd gear, but adjust speed with footbrake
• Always keep eyes ahead, never at feet/gear stick/brake
• Both hands on wheel and don’t cross them over each other
• Don’t change gear when turning
• Continually look in all mirrors and know what’s happening all the way round the car
• Handbrake works on rear wheels, footbrake on all wheels
• Dip headlights in fog, rain or poor light

 

 

 

 

For a whole lot of signs and signals and their explanations, go to

http://www.automeet.com/trafficrules.html.