Have you got a child who recently turned 17? Have they started to show an interest in learning how to drive? You may have begun weighing up whether or not you should attempt to teach them yourself or whether hiring a driving instructor would be better.
Pre-driving
Before your child gets behind the wheel, they must follow all the necessary processes. This includes obtaining a provisional licence, deciding on whether to learn in an automatic or manual car and getting learner driver insurance if they are going to be driving your car while they learn.
Learning with parents
Pros
Price – It is no secret that learning how to drive can be very costly, and that is before you even consider the cost of buying a car once a license is secured. Teaching your child to drive yourself can be far more cost-effective.
Familiarity – Driving, especially for the first time, can be a very nerve-wracking experience. For some people, being taught by someone they already know helps to relieve some of this anxiety and makes it easier for them to learn.
Flexibility – Many driving instructors have limited availability and may not have a time slot that fits in with your child’s schedule. By learning with you, there is far more flexibility on when you can practice. Not only that but there is also far more opportunity to go out multiple times within the week, meaning they will become familiar with different driving conditions far quicker than if they were to learn with an instructor.
Cons
Dual controls – Chances are you do not own a car with dual controls. This means that should your child get themselves into any dangerous situations while driving, it is far more difficult for you to intervene.
Bad habits – Many of us pick up bad habits when driving, this is common for people who passed their test a long time ago. While these habits may not necessarily pose serious threats for you as an experienced driver, if your child is to pick them up, this could put them in some sticky situations and mean they will not pass their test.
Education – Driving is more than just knowing which pedals to push and when to check your mirrors. In order to pass both their theory and practical tests, your child will need to have knowledge of both the highway code and the basics of a car. Unless you have a good understanding of these things yourself, it is going to be difficult for you to teach them to the required level to pass.
Every teenager is different and so will respond differently to driving. This will have an impact on what is best for them, and it may be the case that a combination of both parent-taught and instructor-taught driving is what is going to work best.
