Lessons in independence
Driving instructor Lesley Philbey shares her experiences preparing learners for the new independent driving section of the test.


I have always tried to teach my pupils to drive independently. Each one is asked to drive themselves home at the end of their lesson once they are near home and know the route, and this has been very successful.


The independent drive has shown me more is required, however. I have found that pupils - although able to safely check mirrors, signal and conduct the manoeuvres to good standard - still lack something that experienced drivers need.


When driving home, they are in a very familiar environment and one that they have seen parents, friends (and me!) drive before, and are thus able to copy.


But when asked to perform three or four instructions in a row on less well known roads, I found they did each well in turn, but didn’t think about the next instruction till they’d completed the first, thus often finding themselves in the wrong lane, or badly positioned when the next junction was almost upon them. Simply, they memorised the instructions, but then in effect instructed themselves as I would have done, in order.


For example, on a recent test, my pupil was asked to turn left at the end of the road, then right at the traffic lights, then third road on the right. He successfully turned left onto the dual carriageway, but stayed in the left lane. When he started looking ahead for the next instruction, the traffic lights, he was only about 50 yards away, with other cars already pulling round him into the right hand lane. Simply by observing better before his first junction, he would have seen the lights and realised that he should turn onto the dual carriageway and move straight to the right hand lane.


He is a very capable driver, but needed to think several moves ahead for the independent drive, something which I’m now more aware of and have been able to pass on to my other pupils. They are now far better prepared for driving after they pass than they were before the independent drive was introduced.


‘How to be an eco-safe driver’ video on YouTube
DSA has published a new video on its YouTube channel about eco-safe driving. Watch the video for tips on how to be an eco-safe driver and contribute to road safety as well as reducing your fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. If you run your own website you can embed the video, or share it on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. More information about eco-safe driving can be found at direct.gov.uk/ecosafedriving.


Something to share?
Do you have an experience or story you want to share with Despatch readers? If so, email us at: pressoffice@dsa.gsi.gov.uk

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