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PARENTS, FAMILY &
FRIENDS -
Supervising Drivers
Drive Smart Driving School have been
helping people become smart, safe thinking drivers since the
year 2000.
Our aim is to help you be sure
your Learner becomes the best driver they can be.
This is your page. Written by people
who know what it's like. We are parents, we've been through it too.
We hope it helps you through this challenging time.
If you are a Learner Driver, there
is lots of good information, thoughts and tips for you on the
Learner Driver's page.
What makes Drive Smart different?
Drive Smart is a safety focused Driving School. As well as
helping people get their licence, we work hard to teach them how to stay safe.
We teach much more than
road rules and parking skills. We
also make sure new drivers know what to expect and how to stay out of trouble.
Our
Instructor selection, training and development program
helps make sure your Learner will get the best training possible. Go to
about us
or call and talk to us to learn more about the Drive Smart difference.
We know what it’s like!
Learning to drive is a very personal thing.
Each person and every family, approaches it a little differently. Every new driver
starts with different basic skills and knowledge. Our job as Parents, Family,
Friends and Instructors is to take that new driver from where they begin through
to being a smart thinking, truly safe driver!
We understand, not only as
Instructors and Trainers but more importantly as Parents, Family and Friends.
All of our Instructors have at some stage taught sons, daughters or other family
and friends to drive. We know what it’s like to be worrying and waiting for our
own young drivers to come home safely!
Call and talk to Mark or Jenny - Phone
08 8285 4059
We can help you work out what is best for you and your
Learner. If you need, we’ll help you make sense of the whole process. A lot has
changed since most of us got our licenses a few years ago.
We are also happy to reply to your
emails if that works
better for you.
keys2drive
- What is it? When is it coming? Get a free session?
keys2drive, is
the single largest national Learner driver safety program in Australia's
history. It has been developed by the Australian Automobile Association
(AAA) and it's members including the RAA in South Australia. The
Australian Government has committed $17 million to implement the program
nationally! (Source: keys2drive brochure 2009)
This April, the RAA will be
involved with the SA launch of the keys2drive program for
new drivers, their supervisors and driving instructors. Aiming to make
newly licensed drivers safe, the program also seeks to improve the
relationship between Learner drivers and their supervisors under the
guidance of a keys2drive accredited driving instructor.
(Source: The RAA Magazine, samotor, Autumn 2010).
The program includes access
to a FREE session given by a keys2drive accredited instructor
plus an amazing website rich in information and supporting material.
The free session is all about helping everyone involved: Learner,
Parents, other Family and Friends and the Instructor to use the program
and work together to make sure they end up with a truly P Plate ready
driver who will be safe driving solo.
Drive Smart Driving School
Instructors are excited to be a part of the keys2drive voluntary
Instructor Accreditation Scheme. Several of our team have completed the
initial training course and are working through the accreditation
process, ready for the program's planned release in April.
We are working hard to make
sure Drive Smart Driving School Instructors are ready, so you can get
your FREE keys2drive session from a Drive Smart Instructor
in your area.
Check out the
RAA keys2drive information.
Register for keys2 drive and start using the information
and supporting material now! Help yourself or your learner to be truly P
Plate ready.
Aim for Zero Harm In The
First 6 Months on P's. In fact, let's aim for zero harm when driving
- always!
Teaching Your Learner To Drive!
One of the best investments you will ever
make
Parents and other care givers invest
heavily in their "kids" future. Making sure they have the best that can be
provided, giving them the best chance of living a good, long and happy life. All
of this could come apart in seconds as a result of a car crash.
It is important to invest as much
into making sure your kids are good, safe drivers as is to invest in every other
part of their lives.
Qualified Supervising Drivers
Qualified Supervising Drivers are the Parents, Family and
Friends that help their Learner to become the good safe driver they need to be.
This means getting in the left seat and going out on the roads with some one who
may have never driven. It’s a huge thing for most people.
If you are reading this, you are probably going to end up
(if you aren’t already) one of these Supervising Drivers. Well done. It’s one of
the greatest gifts you can give your Learner.
Many Drivers Crash – help your Learner to not be one of
them!
Average drivers crash
3 or 4 times during their driving
career – fact!
Lots of people say P Plate drivers are bad and they will
crash! It doesn’t have to be that way! Most new drivers crash due to lack of
experience, understanding and knowledge. Make sure they are taught well! Cover
everything you can. Don’t leave them having to learn the hard way!
This will take effort. If they are to be one of the “good”
drivers who don’t crash, they are going to have to be one of the best drivers
out there.
Helping your Learner be the best driver they can be – A few
tips
Teaching someone to be good at
anything takes effort. Teaching them to be a good, safe driver takes most effort
of all. There is more to learn when becoming a good driver than there is for
almost any other skill.
Most people only remember how dangerous driving can be when
someone they know is in a crash. Don’t take teaching someone to drive for granted!
It’s really important you get it right.
We’ve put together a few tips to
help you. Go for it! It really is worth the effort!
Take the time to get this right –
You only get one chance
Your Learner has thousands of things to learn. There are
hundreds of “good habits” to get happening. It’s not easy. Make the time to help
them. It’s worth the effort. One mistake, one crash and you’ll wish you’d
done more. You only get one chance to have them taught right.
Do not rush it. The best
drivers don’t learn to a time limit.
Do what ever it takes, for as long as
it takes for them to become an excellent driver.
Making the time is hard but the
greatest regret you will have once your Learner is on their P’s is
that you didn’t do enough to help them!
You will have to come alongside
your Learner and fit in with their program a bit. Make driving fun, do it at
times that works for them, get them driving with their friends in the car.
The greatest gift you can give your
Learner and yourself, is to make sure they are taught well. They’ll
be safer and you will sleep better.
Choose a good driving school
The
driving experience and advice you can give your Learner is invaluable but you
may not cover everything they need to know? To help them become the best driver
they can be, you’ll need a good Driving Instructor. Instructors have been taught
what to teach and how to teach it. They know the little tricks. Good driving
schools have Instructors who work hard to make
sure they are good at what they do.
Help your
Learner get lots of experience – it’s really important!
Make the time to go driving with
your Learner. They will be out on their own soon. They’ll need to know what they
are doing. Get them to drive everywhere.
Find ways to help them keep
interested. 50 hours is no-where near enough but once the Learner has completed the
minimum, their interest can drop off. Keep them driving, do more interesting
things. When they are driving on their own is too late to realize they don’t
know enough!
There can be challenges
Simple things can be a problem. Which parent will get to
sit in the back seat when the Learner is driving? Is the car insured for them to
drive on their L’s? They are never home when you are available to take them
driving. They are always too tired to drive. They don’t listen to what you say
anyway. You are terrified to go out driving with them. These are just a few
things that come up.
Find ways to make it work. Change the car insurance for a
few months. Get some quality Instructor lessons before you go driving. Talk to
the Driving Instructor or call the Driving School office for advice. Take it in turns to be the
one who gets "stuck in the back seat”. Believe us, it's totally worth the
sacrifice!
Be a good driving role model - it matters!
One of the best ways to help your Learner to be a good
driver is to be an excellent driver yourself.
They will often drive how you
drive. Their attitudes and thoughts about driving will mostly have come from
you, plus other family and friends. It can be a scary thought but they have been
watching you drive for years. It is all they know!
If your driving is not the best,
there are two things you should do. First, get a good Driving
Instructor. Second, think about what you could change for the better, talk to
your Learner about what you are doing and stick to the plan. Start now!
It is a total waste of time telling
your Learner not to speed if you speed yourself. By the way "Creeping over the
limit" is speeding!
Good habits to work on
There are hundreds of things we
could list, but these are some common “good habits” that make a big
difference.
-
Always follow a safe
distance behind the vehicle in front (more than 2 seconds). Refer to our page on
Driving Tips
for
information on how to calculate this. Most people follow at less than half
the safe distance!
-
Never speed and always slow down when
conditions require. Don't speed "because you are running late" it makes no real
difference to when you arrive and sets your Learner up to do the same.
-
A yellow traffic light means: Stop, if safe
to do so! Know this and always do it.
-
Regularly glance in your mirrors to keep
track of what is behind and beside you. You should check behind at least once
every 10 - 12 seconds.
-
Don’t talk on your Mobile without hands free
and never text while driving!
-
Never drink and drive! If you really want to
be a great example to your Learner, have a Zero Alcohol policy when driving.
It’s really simple and it works.
-
Take blind spot checks seriously.
-
Expect others to do the wrong
thing. Always slow down and be ready for things like slowing cars to stop
suddenly in front or children to suddenly run out into the road.
Be the type of driver you would like your Learner to
become
-
They will be a much safer driver.
-
You will be a better than average driver
yourself
-
They will have more respect for what you say
when you are teaching them.
-
The learning process and getting a licence
will be simpler and cheaper.
Learners from families with a "Safe
Driving Culture" are much more likely to become safe drivers!
Driving Instructors can see the sort
of example that has been set. It's much easier to teach safe driving skills and
strategies to Learners who have grown up with safe driving examples.
Drive Smart Driving School can help you put all this
together
Call and talk to Mark or Jenny or
email
us if that is
better.
Let us help you get started on the right track. Tell us
about your needs and any concerns you have.
We’ll organise a course of lessons to suit you, your Learner and
your budget . Phone 08 8285 4059.
Teaching your Learner to be a safe,
smart-thinking driver can be fun and is worth doing right.
Keep looking down the page. There is plenty more information to help you
get your head around all of this.
Back to Top
Who can be a Qualified Supervising Driver?
Apart from needing to be calm, patient and a little brave,
you also must fit the following requirements before you can go out on the road
“Supervising” your Learner.
A Qualified Supervising Driver must:
-
Have had a Full Australian Licence (Class ‘C’
Car) for at least 2 years.
(Some approved overseas licenses are ok too.
Check with SA Service Centre 13 10 84 to see if you qualify).
Time on P’s or Motor Bike licence does not
count. If you lost your licence and got it back less
than 2 years ago, sorry, you don't “qualify”.
-
Have less than 0.05 blood alcohol level and
no trace of THC (Cannabis) or Methyl amphetamine (Speed) in your blood or oral
fluid.
By the way, we strongly recommend you have a Zero Blood
Alcohol level before going out teaching your learner to drive. You will need to
be at your best, quick thinking and calm.
For full details, please go to our
booklets page or refer to
the “Before you drive” (Grey part) of the “Driving Companion” book your Learner
should have been given (or should get) from the Services SA office when they got
(get) their Learner’s Permit.
Are you scared to take your Learner driving?
What is it like to sit in the left seat with a driver who
has no experience or ability? Not always easy! If you are feeling
nervous and scared, that’s pretty normal. You don't have the passenger side
brake pedal that most Driving Instructors do. Without this, Instructors would be
a lot more nervous too.
Getting Started.
Take it slowly at first until you and the Learner build
confidence. Go out into a quiet street, or empty car park somewhere. Get the
Learner moving, steering and stopping the car. Then move onto
a slightly bigger road with little or no traffic. Turning left on to and off the
road, go around the block a few times. Be very careful not to throw the Learner
(or yourselves) in too deep too early!
-
Try to remember back to when you first drove.
Remember your Learner may never have done this before. Start out
simple and don’t fuss too much with the details. For example, steering enough to
miss the parked car is much more important than whether they signalled properly
for the turn. Don’t try to do too much at once. Never yell at your
Learner!
-
Do you want to let the Instructor get them started?
If all this sounds a bit hard or too scary, get the Instructor in early. They do it all the time, have an extra brake and won’t be
stressed. Once your Learner is confident they can drive without hitting things
they will be more relaxed too. Then you can go out feeling better about the
whole thing. The Instructor will also get the good habits going right from the
start.
-
Giving Directions.
Once out on the road, what you say and how you say it can make a big
difference. Remember the Learner is probably concentrating really hard just
to keep the car on the road. Don’t give them too much information
at once. Keep it simple and choose your words carefully. Instead of saying,
"slow down", try something like, "brake", then "more brake". Rather than just
saying
“steer, steer” if they are not steering enough say “steer more” or “turn the wheel more”. If they are not braking enough
saying "press twice as hard" can help.
Saying things like, "half this speed" or "walking speed - now" can give some
idea of how slow they need to go. Remember they may have no idea about safe
speeds when they first start.
Speed, Speeding
And The Big Tip. 
This is a big one. Parents, Family,
Friends and even some Driving Instructors can do huge damage here if they don’t get the message right! Be
really patient! Think carefully about what you say and do. It does matter!
-
Good speed control is something most new
drivers will take a long time to master.
-
There is no rush to get your Learner “up to
speed”. They will be driving faster (maybe too fast) soon enough.
-
Pushing them will teach them
that it is ok to drive faster than they feel safe!
-
Most new drivers start out
slowly. Next they drive too fast. Then (after lots of practice) they get it right.
-
Make the most of the L’s time. Let your
learner hold people up a little rather than rush into a move they don’t
understand or aren’t ready to do quickly.
-
Remember that every time you push them to do
something faster, you are reinforcing that it must be ok to do things they don’t
feel safe doing!
-
Don't be embarrassed that your
Learner is "driving too slowly". After all, that is why the L Plates are
there. Compliment them on driving at a speed they feel is safe for their
ability!
-
The speed limit is often too fast for
particular situations or conditions. Let them know that it is ok to slow down to
be safe! Most other drivers drive too fast for the conditions anyway.
-
New drivers speed because almost everyone
else does! Help them know it’s cool to slow down!
-
It is useful to understand that
many Learner’s have no idea they may have to
brake to get the car to slow down a little,
especially down hill. They expect that lifting their foot off the accelerator
will be enough.
THE BIG TIP: A Learner Driver
is not ready to get their licence until they are making safe speed choices in
all situations (without being prompted) and can keep within all speed limits! It's as
simple as that!
Be really careful with this. Most
young drivers "go for their licence" before speed control has become a habit. If
they pass, they may never establish good speed sense or control.
Turning someone who can "drive
around OK" into someone who is a truly safe driver takes months of training and
practice. Nothing else works! A Learner's ability to have complete speed control
is a sign that they are becoming a safe driver.
Other Tips.
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When you are teaching your
Learner to turn corners, start slowly and encourage
them to look where they want the car to go, not just at the piece of road
immediately in front of the car. Turning left at intersections is usually the
most difficult. Walking speed is a good turn left speed.
-
Remember to keep your learner at a good, safe following
distance (at least twice the distance most people follow) behind the vehicle in
front. This helps you stay out of trouble by allowing you both to see what's
happening well in advance. It allows time to stop or avoid any trouble that may
arise. It will also develop an excellent, safe driving habit. As mentioned
above, it is one of the most important road safety concepts. The how and why of
safe following distances is well explained in the
Drivers Hand Book.
-
Allow the Learner lots of time to process everything. Give
plenty of warning when giving directions etc. In the early stages a new driver
is almost totally focused on controlling the car. Initially you will have to do
almost everything else for them.
-
It is equally important to stop "doing things" for them as
soon as possible. They will very soon be on the road without you, having to make
every decision for themselves.
-
Most importantly - enjoy
the experience and make it enjoyable for them! See you on the
roads.
Check out these pages for other
information
   
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