After completing your driving instruction, you’ll rely primarily on your own skill as a driver to travel safely. This makes it a good idea to take full advantage of each lesson and learn everything you can from 911 Driving School. Getting the most out of your driving lessons requires more than just showing up and completing the required hours. You’ll want to be engaged, motivated, and committed to learning. Here are seven tips to help you get the most out of your driving lessons:
1. Choose a Qualified Instructor
The right instructor can have a positive impact on your learning experience. A good instructor is experienced, patient, and able to simplify concepts so that they’re easier to grasp. Many learners turn to 911 Driving School because we draw our instructors from current and former police officers and first responders. Their professions provide them with extensive experience in both everyday driving and emergency situations. Along with enforcing traffic laws themselves, they also receive their own driver safety training.
2. Maintain a Positive Attitude
Focusing on the benefits you can gain through success may help you maintain a positive attitude while learning to drive. Once you’ve completed your lessons and passed your driving exam, you’ll be freer to travel, more able to help friends and family with errands, and potentially have more options for employment. Keeping this in mind can help strengthen your motivation to work hard. Treat setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve, and remember that everyone started as a beginner, including your instructor.
3. Be Prepared for Driving Lessons
Before each driving lesson, make sure to be well-rested, hydrated, and nourished, as hunger and fatigue can be distracting. If you know the lesson’s focus, try to read up on the topic beforehand. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear that won’t cause irritation or hinder your movements. Arrive at your lesson early to allow yourself time to relax and mentally prepare. If possible, disable notifications on mobile devices to help minimize those kinds of distractions too. Bring any required documentation, such as your provisional license or driving hours logbook. Be ready to listen to instructions and ask questions if you need clarification.
4. Learn From Your Mistakes
Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process; use them as a learning opportunity. A simple way to learn from mistakes is to ask your instructor for feedback on how to improve. Try to apply this feedback to your practice. Your instructor will often have prompt feedback, but other times they may ask you to reflect on what went wrong and how you can prevent it from happening again. Consider every driving lesson as an opportunity to grow as a driver before hitting the road solo.
5. Set Realistic Goals
Setting goals can be an effective way to stay motivated and track your progress. Set goals that challenge your abilities but that are also realistic and achievable. Avoid aiming too high too quickly; you don’t need to memorize all the laws or master every technique overnight. Add new principles as you reach a higher level of competency with your current technique, such as finding your confidence in perpendicular parking before beginning parallel parking.
6. Stay Alert and Focused
Driving requires your full attention and concentration. Part of every driving lesson is learning to remain focused and alert to your surroundings when behind the wheel. Your instructor will be able to offer insight about when and how often to check mirrors or look out windows. Building these habits early can help improve your driving techniques and increase safety on the road.
7. Practice Regularly
While learning often begins with enrolling in driving lessons, mastery can take time. To become a competent driver, you’ll need to practice regularly. Practice can help solidify the skills you learn in your lessons and build confidence behind the wheel. Try to set aside time between lessons to review notes and practice driving, ideally with an experienced driver to help. As your comfort level increases, practice driving in different weather conditions and at varying times of day to provide a more comprehensive experience. This could include driving in the rain, snow, or at night when it’s dark outside. Be sure to follow the rules of your driving permit when practicing behind the wheel.
Driving Lessons at 911 Driving School
Driving is a valuable skill that takes persistence and hard work to master. Your driving lessons aim to make you a safer, more confident, and more knowledgeable driver. Apply these seven tips and follow your instructor’s directions to help you learn and prepare for your driver’s license. The team at 911 Driving School is ready and willing to help, with schools available across the country and practice tests available nationwide. Contact us today to learn more about driving instruction near you.