To gain the most from your training you should continue to take professional driving lessons along side your private practice. The more experience a student has on the road the better chance they have of passing the driving test first time. When should I start private practice?
Be guided by your driving instructor. Of course some people start practice very early in their training. Based on safety I would suggest a student is at the phase where they drive at the start/end of their lessons. The student is able to manage the gears and reverse the vehicle. They also need to be able to respond to instructions given by their instructor. As a guide this could be at around the 10-20 hours of training period. How many times should we practice? It will depend on how much time you both have available. There really is no upper or lower limit, 1/2 sessions between each professional driving lesson would be ideal.
What should we practice? Your instructor will be able to guide you if required. For most people it will be about driving a specific route perhap to school or college and reputation will be good for consistency. Your driving instructor can work on the more coaching aspects of the drive and challenge the student in other areas. It may mean there could be more flexibility to your private practice if you plan sessions at different times to your lessons. Driving at night
Driving at different times
Driving in all weather conditions
Driving in unfamiliar areas It's important to gain as much experience as possible and additional mileage and driving on a variety of road and traffic conditions. If you are using the same destination perhaps look at changing the routes. Planning a Sat Nav drive or options to practice reversing along the way. How do I maintain control of the vehicle?
It's important to follow the guidance from your instructor about safety of the vehicle. Set out clear guidelines, so your Son/Daughter knows what you may say and at what times. Using words like 'Stop' could be swapped for 'Wait' or 'Pause' as stop may mean pressing the brakes too hard. If you do not get a response you may need to say the word more than once if there is a problem. Example: How are you going to deal with that bus if it moves away? (no change your Son/Daughters driving)
You need to start to slow down! (still not enough change in the drive) Ease off the gas. Slow Down......Slower.......Slower.........Wait you cannot pass!!!! In one of the points above I made it clear that a student should be able to respond to their instructors commands and for many 1/2 prompts is enough to make sure a student begins to slow the car when needed. With the guidelines you set out before driving you can agree to discuss the matter later when you have a chance, rather than having a disagreement in the vehicle.
Always give instructions in good time.
How do I control other drivers? I see a number of people practicing and they do not have a spare mirror for the passenger. It's important you understand what the driver sees and this will allow you to make better judgments about routes and instructions. Consider how you will react to other drivers before starting out on your journey. Understand that it is not personal and sometimes the frustration they have on themselves. All journeys are important and understanding this may help with dealing with other drivers. As the passenger you need to become the driver in the passenger seat.
Always give instructions in good time.
What insurance should I use?
For Driving Lessons in Enfield its possible to take out separate insurance without affecting your own cover. Please visit my blog on insurance to view the details. Can I keep a record of progress?
You may wish to keep a record of your drivers progress and can use the DVSA Driver Recording Card.
How can I get additional help?
This could be a good opportunity to take a refresher driving lesson in Enfield and improve your own driving. The focus could be on Private Practice and I can manage session to include some tuition guidance.
This could be an ideal time to brush up on the HighWay Code and make sure you understand all the rules of the road. Another book you may wish to read is The Official DVSA Guide to Learning to Drive.