To be an accompanying driver for a learner driver, you must have a full driving licence for at least two years. Here's how to best prepare a learner driver for the road.
Prepare the learner:
- Make sure they have a valid learner permit
- Ensure they have mastered the basic control skills
Prepare the car:
- Make sure the car is in good and safe condition
- It's helpful if practice car is the same size as the car used for the lessons and eventually the driving test.
- Make sure the car has a second rear view mirror for the passenger side
Prepare the drive:
- Plan the route in advance
- Start with short and less demanding drives, gradually increase difficulty
- Include a range of conditions in the drives, like day and night, dry and wet, roads with different speed limits, single and dual carraigeways, and built-up and non built-up areas
During the practice:
- Be calm and positivie
- Don't shout
- Don't contradict the driving techniques taught by the instructor
- Give instructions and directions well in advance
- Ask questions about what the learner driver is seeing, to spot potential hazards
- Guide the learner driver to self analysis, so they stay safe
- Remind the learner driver to check speedometer and mirrors, regularly
- Review each drive after it's over
Download our Drive Safe.pdf