How to Teach Somebody How to Drive
Start at home., Model good driving., Help your student driver to get his or her learner's permit or provisional license., Find a place off the street and relatively free of obstructions for your student's first experience behind the wheel., Review...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start at home.
Before you ever get in the car, review the rules of the road, the basics of automobile operation and maintenance, and the requirements for getting a driver's license.
Review both the drivers' handbook and the owner's manual for the car.
If your student driver is also your child, this is a good time to agree on what responsibilities you will have and what responsibilities are your child's.
Who will pay for fuel and insurance? Will your child drive your car or get his/her own? Must he/she be home at a certain hour or maintain certain grades in school? It is a good idea to lay out these conditions in advance. -
Step 2: Model good driving.
Encourage the one you're teaching to notice what you do.
You can start this process well before your student will get his/her license.
Drive out loud.
It may have been a long time since you were conscious of your driving, but try to narrate the process aloud with your learner as a passenger.
Say things like, "That blue car is going too fast.
It'll probably pull in front of us, so I'll leave extra space," and "I'm going to turn left up ahead, so I'll signal and start pulling over and slowing down now." Demonstrate good driving technique and adhere to the rules even more than usual.
Leave space, signal, do not speed, and avoid berating other drivers.
Encourage your passenger to make judgments about what traffic will do and how to respond to it.
Discuss road hazards and what to do about them. , In many cases, they may not practice on public roads without it.
Review what the rules are for using the learner's permit.
In most cases, an adult or teacher will need to be in the car with the student.
Keep a log of driving practice hours if one is required as part of the license process. , An empty parking lot after hours is a one choice.
Go out the first few times in daylight and in mild weather.
Let your student learn at least the basics of controlling the car and maneuvering in traffic before driving under hazardous or difficult conditions. , Turn the car on and off a few times.
Fasten your seat belts, adjust the mirrors and seats, release the brake, start the ignition, put the car in gear, etc.
Then, reverse the process.
Review the controls for windshield wipers, headlights, turn signals and other items. , Accelerate and decelerate so that it is smooth and even.
Practice changing gears if it is a manual transmission car.
Drive in patterns, especially those that will be required in real driving situations.
Make left and right turns.
Try parallel parking next to a curb or painted line.
Try parking in the marked spaces.
Get comfortable with where the sides and back of the car are.
Practice backing the car, too.
Again, start with an open space, then try backing up towards a target, preferably one that won't damage the car in case of error (such as a hedge or painted lines).
Practice multiple times in the parking lot, if that is what it takes to be confident and consistent with basic controls and positioning. , Practice staying on the correct side and centered in the lane.
Advise stopping well back of other cars at stop lights.
A good rule of thumb is being able to see the wheels of the car in front.
Especially with an inexperienced driver, stopping too soon is far Remind your student to leave plenty of space for stopping. ,,, Generally, the driver's manual will indicate the sorts of maneuvers that will be tested, so find some side streets and practice those items.
You may not be able to give your student a particular score, but you can probably give some feedback, such as "watch your speed" or "you forgot to signal that turn." -
Step 3: Help your student driver to get his or her learner's permit or provisional license.
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Step 4: Find a place off the street and relatively free of obstructions for your student's first experience behind the wheel.
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Step 5: Review the controls.
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Step 6: Practice controlling the car.
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Step 7: Choose a road with light traffic for the first on-road experience.
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Step 8: Work up gradually to more involved driving situations
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Step 9: such as freeways
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Step 10: inclement weather
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Step 11: and heavy traffic.
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Step 12: Practice maneuvers that will be needed on the driver's test as well as techniques that will be needed for driving under real conditions.
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Step 13: Rehearse for the driving test
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Step 14: even if you have to make it up yourselves.
Detailed Guide
Before you ever get in the car, review the rules of the road, the basics of automobile operation and maintenance, and the requirements for getting a driver's license.
Review both the drivers' handbook and the owner's manual for the car.
If your student driver is also your child, this is a good time to agree on what responsibilities you will have and what responsibilities are your child's.
Who will pay for fuel and insurance? Will your child drive your car or get his/her own? Must he/she be home at a certain hour or maintain certain grades in school? It is a good idea to lay out these conditions in advance.
Encourage the one you're teaching to notice what you do.
You can start this process well before your student will get his/her license.
Drive out loud.
It may have been a long time since you were conscious of your driving, but try to narrate the process aloud with your learner as a passenger.
Say things like, "That blue car is going too fast.
It'll probably pull in front of us, so I'll leave extra space," and "I'm going to turn left up ahead, so I'll signal and start pulling over and slowing down now." Demonstrate good driving technique and adhere to the rules even more than usual.
Leave space, signal, do not speed, and avoid berating other drivers.
Encourage your passenger to make judgments about what traffic will do and how to respond to it.
Discuss road hazards and what to do about them. , In many cases, they may not practice on public roads without it.
Review what the rules are for using the learner's permit.
In most cases, an adult or teacher will need to be in the car with the student.
Keep a log of driving practice hours if one is required as part of the license process. , An empty parking lot after hours is a one choice.
Go out the first few times in daylight and in mild weather.
Let your student learn at least the basics of controlling the car and maneuvering in traffic before driving under hazardous or difficult conditions. , Turn the car on and off a few times.
Fasten your seat belts, adjust the mirrors and seats, release the brake, start the ignition, put the car in gear, etc.
Then, reverse the process.
Review the controls for windshield wipers, headlights, turn signals and other items. , Accelerate and decelerate so that it is smooth and even.
Practice changing gears if it is a manual transmission car.
Drive in patterns, especially those that will be required in real driving situations.
Make left and right turns.
Try parallel parking next to a curb or painted line.
Try parking in the marked spaces.
Get comfortable with where the sides and back of the car are.
Practice backing the car, too.
Again, start with an open space, then try backing up towards a target, preferably one that won't damage the car in case of error (such as a hedge or painted lines).
Practice multiple times in the parking lot, if that is what it takes to be confident and consistent with basic controls and positioning. , Practice staying on the correct side and centered in the lane.
Advise stopping well back of other cars at stop lights.
A good rule of thumb is being able to see the wheels of the car in front.
Especially with an inexperienced driver, stopping too soon is far Remind your student to leave plenty of space for stopping. ,,, Generally, the driver's manual will indicate the sorts of maneuvers that will be tested, so find some side streets and practice those items.
You may not be able to give your student a particular score, but you can probably give some feedback, such as "watch your speed" or "you forgot to signal that turn."
About the Author
Elizabeth Morgan
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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