Why Using a Driving Instructor is the Best Way to Learn to Drive

Why using a Driving Instructor is best can be distilled down to two main reasons. The first is the preservation of your relationships with your family and friends, and the second is simply that an Approved Driving Instructor knows what they are doing.

You are allowed to learn to drive with anybody as long as they have had a full driving licence for the type for vehicle you are learning in for at least three years and are over twenty-one years old (some insurance companies stipulate 25 years old). Anybody that you pay for driving lessons must be an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). There is nothing to stop you from learning to drive with your parents in the family car, with a spouse or a friend.

Learning with a friend or family member though does come with its own hazards. Sitting in the passenger seat with an inexperienced Learner Driver can be very nerve wracking. Inconsistent driving, unpredictable or excessive braking, cautious approaches to junctions and roundabouts, extended reaction times to changing road conditions or approaching hazards and inexperience at reading the road can all make supervising or teaching a learner driver very stressful for both the Learner and the teacher. Many family relationships have been put under great strain by attempting to teach a Learner driver.

An Approved Driving Instructor has chosen to do this for a living. They are trained and experienced in a variety of key skills which are important when teaching learner drivers:

• They have an in-depth knowledge of the driver training syllabus and how to teach it.
• Because they aren’t teaching while on a journey somewhere (many parents try to double up the driving lesson with the school run) they are able to spend more time and focus on Car Control in quiet roads or car-parks, building the foundations for successful future driving.
• They are experienced in planning training routes to roads that suit the experience of the driver, not pushing them too far out of their comfort zone which can increase stresses.
• They know how to deal with stressful situations, and are experienced dealing with nervous drivers.
• Many Driving Instructors have modified “dual control” cars which means that they can take over the driving in an emergency. While this is rarely used, it gives added confidence.
• A Driving Instructor has a clear idea, based on both the syllabus and their experience, when the learner is ready to pass their test.

While it may seem like a good idea to use a friend or family member to teach you to drive, this will often actually be counter productive. Many people start out this way, but later come to a Driving Instructor, realising that there’s a lot more to the job than just sitting next to somebody in the car. The Instructor then has a harder job to do, undoing stresses or incorrect procedures that have been taught by the family member. It is possible to pass your test following lessons with a friend or family member, and using your own car, but the vast majority of passes are with experienced and skilled qualified Approved Driving Instructors.

Contact TX Driver Training now on 0141 764 1213 to learn to drive with some of the best driving instructors in Glasgow.