Tips For Driving Students Who Are Returning To Lessons

Not everybody who comes to the Driving Force looking for lessons is a first-time driver. In many cases, we work with people who have taken lessons before and then stopped them, for whatever reason. Perhaps money was tight, or they didn’t get along with their driving instructor.

Whatever the case may be, returning to lessons after a long layoff can actually be quite intimidating and a lot of returning drivers build the whole issue up in their heads until it starts to affect their performance. To avoid this, we recommend that you follow these useful tips.

Brush Up On Your Theory

It is likely that you have a lot of half-remembered information from your previous lessons floating around in your head, which can actually make you feel less certain about getting out on the road again. One of the best ways to deal with this is to start reading up on your theory information again. A little bit of time spent reading the books will likely offer you a few timely reminders about what you should be doing when you get back on the road.

Reflect On Previous Driving Lessons

Before taking your second first lesson, you should look back on your previous lessons and consider what your strengths and weaknesses are. It is likely that your first driving lesson with a new instructor will be something of an assessment, so it helps to have an idea of what you’re good and bad at to give your instructor a framework. For example, you may have struggled with roundabouts, or there could be a manoeuvre that gave you issues. This reflection will allow you to put any existing skills you have into perspective, allowing you to approach the lessons with a more realistic point of view.

Talk To Your Instructor

If you decided to stop your previous driving lessons because you had a falling out with your instructor, you may be wary of starting up with another. However, this prior experience will also give you a better idea of the teaching techniques that work best for you. Consider taking a moment to chat with your instructor to talk about what happened during your previous lessons. Tell them what worked for you and what didn’t, as this can be used by your new instructor to inform the way they teach you. It also helps to have a chat early on to get to know your instructor and make sure that person is somebody you will get along with.

Face Your Fears

The nerves that come with picking up your lessons again, especially after a long time away from the road, can be overwhelming. The key here is to remember that you are still a student, regardless of how much experience you may have developed already. A good driving instructor won’t expect you to be perfect just because you have driven before, so accept the fact that mistakes will likely still happen. The key is to be able to accept them for what they are and then move on.