One of the big challenges driving instructors face is that new pupils are never a completely blank page. People start to get an impression of what it’s like to drive from a young age, shaped by the experience of being a passenger, from being a pedestrian, and even from media such as TV and films.

As such, pupils will have a set of assumptions – mostly unconscious – about what constitutes a good driver, and how drivers ought to behave.

For the instructor, the challenge is to help the pupil to understand how these formative experiences might influence their own behaviour, including both strengths and weaknesses.

What habits might the pupil pick up?

Here are some of the habits that pupils may pick up, which you can encourage them to identify and hopefully minimise.

This is the big one. It’s illegal to handle a mobile phone or similar device while driving. But it’s also unfortunately still surprisingly common, meaning that those yet to pass their test may get the impression that it’s acceptable, albeit unconsciously.

This is also tricky to identify, as obviously a pupil won’t use their phone while taking a driving lesson. This may be best approached by asking the pupil questions, such as the possible consequences of using a mobile phone while driving – in terms of both legal and real-world consequences.

Not making proper observations at junctions is the number one reason learners fail their driving tests year-on-year. Of course, when a learner observes a friend or family member negotiating a junction, they may well be making proper observations – but years of driving has led to the action of doing so being more subtle.

You should encourage your pupil to identify that they’re doing this, and get them to lean forward and take a really good look before pulling out. It’s OK to peep and creep!

Not adhering to speed limits is another thing which a pupil may unconsciously feel is acceptable, and this one’s easy to spot. It’s best that the pupil is encouraged to identify this themselves, and you can ask questions accordingly.

Driving with your hands in a more ‘comfortable’ position (on the underside of the wheel etc) is something many of us are guilty of now and again. Of course, both hands should be on the wheel – and in the correct position – whenever possible. Not doing so is relinquishing control, and could lead to a driving test fault.

Coming down through individual gears rather than block changing was once encouraged. As such, many older drivers still do it, which learners can pick up. Of course, with modern brakes, this is unnecessary.

Not fully disengaging the clutch – and doing this regularly out of habit – can cause excessive wear. It’s also quite common among learner drivers. But if you’re using dual pedals, at least it’s easy to spot.

Friends or family members venting frustration while driving can also influence learners. This is a little trickier to deal with… Partly because the habits mentioned previously are essentially mechanical, while this is more psychological. But also because it can be harder to identify impatience in pupils if they’re on their best behaviour while taking lessons. If you’re going to spot signs of impatience, it’s likely to be further down the line in your lessons.

If your pupil does become frustrated or impatient, you could ask them to reflect on this. Perhaps they could identify some positives and negatives regarding how they handled the situation. For example, did the way they acted expose them to risk?

You could also undertake the exercise of ‘third-party perspective’, where you get your pupil to imagine themselves in the position of the road user they’ve become frustrated with. In this instance, getting the pupil to think more about why the road user acted how they acted will hopefully promote empathy, and lessons to take away for future situations.

Should pupils get extra lessons with parents or peers?

Absolutely. Getting the extra practice is invaluable while learning to drive, and will help to increase the pupil’s skill and confidence. This far outweighs any habits they may pick up while doing so.

It’s certainly a good idea for the learner’s very first lesson to be conducted with an instructor. This is because you’ll be well versed in teaching the fundamental skills, including the pedals and controls.

If you’re teaching a learner in tandem with a friend or family member, it’s a good idea to communicate with them between lessons. This way you can tell them when the pupil is ready for certain things, and what areas need improvement. You could even suggest that the friend or family member sit in on a lesson, if they and your pupil will find it helpful.

You could also direct them to our guide on what you need to know before learning to drive. This contains useful tips for teaching a learner driver.