To accompany a learner driver, you need to be at least 21 and have held a full driving licence for at least three years and clearly display ' L' plates on the back and front of your car.
The car that you are using must be in a safe and legal condition and it must be properly Taxed, have a valid MOT and both you and the learner must be Insured to drive it. Remember learners cannot legally drive on the motorway.
Make sure that there are no distractions that will prevent your learner from concentrating such as a young child or loud music.
Start with short and less demanding drives learners tire easily and can lose their concentration.
Remember to discuss with your learners instructor the best sort of routes and driving conditions to include in the private practice.
Before you set off discuss with your learner what you want to achieve during the drive. It may be that you want to consolidate existing skills or work on new skills.
Always give your learner clear and specific instructions well in advance.
If you take a wrong turn suggest ways back to the route which you had planned but do not suggest sudden changes of direction or contradict yourself.
Encourage positive attitudes to speed limits, they exist to protect everyone especially more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and children.
Remind your learner to check their speedometer regularly so they get into the habit of checking their speed.
Encourage your learner to use their mirrors regularly.
Always stay calm and positive, mistakes will be made, one of the worst things you can do is to shout, as this will only cause stress and reduce your learners confidence.
If your learner does something dangerous during the drive find somewhere safe to stop and discuss what happened calmly and above all be patient.
The learning does not stop when you get out of the car discuss with your learner what happened during the practice afterwards.
