Learn from the passenger seat

If you don't yet have your L's, you might think there isn't much you can do to learn to drive. In fact, this is one of the best times to learn. Even when you do get your L’s, continuing your learning when you’re not behind the wheel can be extremely valuable.

You can learn a lot when you are not concentrating on driving – you’re free to observe and ask lots of questions in a stress-free environment. 

You can learn whenever you drive somewhere, with anyone willing to tell you about driving. If you can, start having sessions with your parent/supervisor as soon as possible.

Learn to drive from the passenger seat. Here are some passenger seat activities you can use to get started:

• Practice the road rules
• Think like a driver
• Judge distance
• Judge speed – yours and others
• Judge crash avoidance space
• Detect hazards
• Develop X-Ray vision
• Steer with your eyes
• Can I be seen?

Pay attention to how feelings affect driving

How people feel affects how they drive. Good drivers notice how they feel and how their feelings are affecting their driving.

As you practice the activities in this section, have a go at noticing drivers who look like they are affected by their emotions:

• How could they be feeling? (Angry, sad, scared, very happy, annoyed, frustrated, tired, wanting to impress and so on.)
• How is it affecting their driving?
• What real benefit do they get out of driving that way?
• Has driving that way increased their risk of crashing or breaking the law?

Look at the faces above - how do you think they're feeling and how might this affect their driving?

Only one is going to be driving well, seeing the situation all around them, and making safe decisions. Being aware of how emotions can affect driving will help you notice your own feelings and the situations that create them when you get behind the wheel.

First activity: learn the road rules from the passenger seat