This is part 2 of my article on tips on how to teach better car control to new drivers. I hope you enjoyed part 1, and if you missed it, check it out here.
In the last post, we discussed how beginning drivers tend to focus on staying in their lane while watching one small area of the road, near the front of the car, and they seldom move their eyes to other areas. This is completely natural and almost all beginners do this.
My method for helping them get over this inclination is to ask them to focus on a target much farther up their lane of traffic and to let their peripheral vision do the rest. In this post, we look at other common areas where beginning drivers make mistakes and how you can help.
Turning a Corner
Another common problem that can be corrected by looking farther up the road is poor cornering. Beginning drivers love to swing out too wide on right turns (in attempts to avoid curbs) and they tend to cut in too much on left turns. If this sounds like someone you know, then you’ll probably be able to catch them looking down at the curb during a right turn or down at the centerline during a left turn. To help them correct this problem, get your teenager to look farther up the road and pick a target where they want the car to eventually end up. A good phrase to keep repeating to them is, “Look up the road where you want the car to go.”
Things Will Get Better
Don’t worry if they struggle a little bit at first. Learning to trust your peripheral vision takes time. Keep reminding them to look up the road to an area where they want the car to eventually be. Draw pictures if you have to. That always helps me explain things. Eventually, they’ll get it, and you’ll reduce the number of times you have to pump your imaginary brake, grab the wheel to avoid curbs, and grip your passenger side door handle like it’s a dentist’s chair armrest.
OK, so maybe the imaginary brake usage won’t ever decrease, but I do guarantee your new driver will be steering straighter, turning better and, more importantly, giving themselves a better chance at recognizing potential hazards sooner by looking farther up the road.
Teaching Driving is full of helpful information like this to learn how to successfully teach and train your teen from making some of these rookie mistakes. Check out the full program here, and don’t forget to keep up with us on social media and our newsletter.
Hope you enjoyed this series. Stay safe and stay tuned for more helpful information.
Drew