Choosing a good driving instructor and basic tips for learner drivers
When you’re learning to drive it’s important that you feel really comfortable with your instructor and confident in their driving ability and their instructions to teach you. We wanted to offer you a few simple tips to help you choose the best instructor for you.
Remember, it doesn’t matter which school you go with, what is important is the individual instructor you work with.
Remember, it doesn’t matter which school you go with, what is important is the individual instructor you work with.
There are a few basic things you need to be aware of:
- Your instructor must be fully licensed
- If they have a range of vehicles for you to choose to learn on (manual and automatic, large and small)
- Your instructor should have a way to monitor your progress so they can offer feedback for improvement
You will also need to know:
- When they are available and how flexible they are with cancellations etc. For example, if you’re at school and they only operate during business hours, this may not be the best instructor for you.
- How much is a lesson and what is their policy if you cancel?
Some theoretical things your instructor may teach you include:
- Planning your trip in advance
- Doing a circle check around the car for obstacles and damage
- Anticipating the traffic ahead for between 12 to 30 seconds ahead depending if you’re driving in the city, country or on a highway
Some practical things they may teach you include:
- Keep a safe distance back – remain 3 to 5 seconds behind the car in front of you at all times
- Scan the road every two seconds
- Check your rear and side mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds
Tips for your test:
Your instructor is going to give you all the tips you need to pass the test, but here are a few from us:
- Exaggerate your head movements as you look in the mirrors (left, center and right)
- Use your indicators when pulling out of a parking spot and turning
- Drive in the slower lane as much as you can
- Be confident!
If you’re not sure who to choose, spend some time looking at the reviews on our listing pages to help you decide. Look through the CanadianDrivingLessons directory for more instructors.