Take control of your learning

Once you have your licence you will be mostly on your own. Although it's a great idea to keep asking for help while on your P's, you will basically have to find your own way.

Find your own way now by taking control of your learning. Become a really active learner. Here's how: 

Be curious and make the sessions your own

Get used to asking questions. Take an interest in the learning process and make sure you are being taught well. At the start of every lesson, tune in and concentrate hard.

Some driving instructors and parent/supervisors can become defensive when you ask questions, or say you’d like to try it your way. If they do, you could ask the question in a way that shows you are curious. Or give the reason why you’d like to try it your way. That’s less threatening and a better way to get on with people.

Recognise good teaching

When choosing a driving instructor, arrange to have three or four lessons as a trial. That way you can see if the teaching style suits you.

You probably know what it looks and feels like to be taught well. You should feel justified in only choosing good teaching. Because choices you make now can hep you stay safe your whole life. 

If you feel you are not being taught well, tactfully look for another driving instructor.

Get good by getting determined

Driving is a complex skill. To learn to do it well is not easy. You should feel confident that you will get there, but it definitely takes hard work.

Think of someone you know who is really good at something - football, maths, piano, or being a good friend. They all have the same thing in common: they do a lot of practice.

You're probably not be aiming to be a virtuoso driver. But we all have to aim for a high level of skill in order to be safe on the roads. And good learning takes sustained effort.

Stop putting effort in and the skill level drops off. If you are finding learning to drive really easy, perhaps you could try the activities for people who don’t have L's yet. Got to:

Don't let yourself get swamped

But if you are having lots of trouble learning, that’s not good either. Learning to drive should be exciting and challenging, not painfully difficult. If this is the case, talk to your parent/supervisor about it and actively solve the problem.

Try some of these links: