Accompanying a Learner Driver: DVSA Safe Driving for Life Series

By DVSA The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

Are you teaching your child, partner or friend how to drive? Do you know what skills learner drivers need to master in order to drive safely and confidently and pass today’s driving test?

Accompanying a Learner Driver, from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), has everything you need to support someone who’s learning to drive. This expert eBook covers essential topics such as journey planning, manoeuvres, junctions and roundabouts. There’s advice on insurance, buying a car and post-test practice, and also a handy section on defusing difficult situations – perfect if you’re worried about keeping your cool!

Designed to complement the work of an approved driving instructor (ADI), this mini-guide will help you to ensure the learning journey is a successful and safe experience.

Four reasons to buy it:

1. Stay legal – find out what you need to have in order to accompany a learner

2. Keep safe – learn how to keep yourself and your learner safe

3. Help them pass – help your learner grasp the essential skills they’ll need to pass their test and drive safely for life

4. Learn from the experts – insider tips and advice from DVSA, the people who set the tests

• Language: English
• Publisher: TSO
• Release date: May 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9780115533907

DVSA The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We improve road safety in Great Britain by setting standards for driving and motorcycling, and making sure drivers, vehicle operators and MOT garages understand and follow roadworthiness standards. We also provide a range of licensing, testing, education and enforcement services.

Book preview

Safe Driving for Life Series

Accompanying a Learner Driver

Introduction

Why this guide?

Getting a full driving licence is an exciting adventure that offers many benefits, including increased social mobility and greater independence. To pass the test and take full advantage of everything that driving can offer, learners need plenty of practice with an officially qualified driver. The majority of people take driving lessons with an approved driving instructor (ADI), but they also spend time practising with parents, guardians or friends. In this official DVSA guide to accompanying a learner driver, we cover the basics of supporting someone who is learning to drive and show how you can help them become a safe driver for life.

Safe Driving for Life Series

Accompanying a Learner Driver

Starting out

Beginning

Getting started

For a new driver, there’s an awful lot to learn. The list includes

a good knowledge of driving theory

learning how to operate a complicated set of controls

operating the controls while putting the theory into practice

developing good judgement

anticipation and awareness.

As well as developing these skills, the new driver needs to learn to cope with

other road users

the weather

road conditions

navigation.

Even after basic control skills have developed, being able to cope with constantly changing demands and unexpected events – often in a fraction of a second – is a skill that comes with experience.

The whole business is complicated, challenging and, for some, extremely difficult. To expect that all this can be learned in a few short lessons is a mistake.

A learner driver needs to gain enough skill and experience to enable them to drive alone safely once they’ve passed their driving test. As more miles are driven and more experience is gained, the novice driver will gradually progress towards becoming a more experienced driver.

However, driving is a subject in which there are always new lessons to be learned and it’s a foolish and dangerous driver who thinks they know it all.

So how does a learner begin the process of going from novice to competent, safe driver?

The answer lies in two key areas

Training – to learn new skills

Practice – to gain experience.

Can you do it legally?

Before you agree to accompany a learner driver, there are a few things you need to check.

Have you held a full EC/EEA driving licence for at least three years for the category of vehicle being driven?

Are you at least 21 years of age?

Is the car you intend to use insured for use by the learner?

Is the car fitted with L plates (D plates in Wales) to both the front and rear of the car?

Is the car you intend to use in a safe, roadworthy condition?

The answer must be YES to all questions before you can act as an accompanying driver to a learner.

The Driver’s Record

The Driver’s Record is a way of helping learners to keep a record of progress while they’re learning to drive. Your learner may have received one with their provisional licence.

The record is a pocket-sized leaflet that contains a list of all the key skills required to pass the test and become a safe driver. It has space for the instructor to record progress through the various levels shown on the record.

tool tips

You can find out more about the Driver’s Record by visiting www.gov.uk

Safe Driving for Life Series

Accompanying a Learner Driver

Training

Working with your learner

Training

Most people learn to drive with an ADI. Driving instructors are professionals who are trained to teach driving skills in a structured manner to suit differing abilities and learning styles.

Many pupils only have one or two hours of professional driving instruction each week and their experience is often limited to driving at the same time of day and over the same types of road.

Where you fit in

As an accompanying driver,