In-Vehicle Teaching Tips
Teens should get 50 hours driving experience at home in varied environments.
Giving a Driving Lesson:
Make sure the teen and adult have read the Nebraska Driver’s Manual recently.
Review what you plan to work on before you start.
Bring along a pen and paper to help explain driving situations visually.
Keep a positive tone of voice.
Teach how to do something… don’t just correct what was wrong.
Stay calm and take a short break on the side of the road to review if needed.
Use a smartphone to access google maps and review intersections or situations.
Don’t say too much but offer immediate feedback when appropriate.
Use the time to focus on driving.
At the end of the drive, ask the teen to self-rate their anxiety.
Ask your teen for 3 things that went well during the drive.
Ask your teen for 1 thing that could be improved on.
Move the new driver progressively through the outlined stages for best results.
Drivers progress at different rates so be aware you may need to repeat or review some stages.
Stage 1:
-Start in an open parking lot with no traffic.
-Review the controls and gauges of the vehicle.
-Adjust the seat, steering wheel, head restraint, and mirrors.
-Review Hand-to-Hand steering technique.
-At slow speeds work on acceleration, braking, and steering control.
-Practice releasing steering wheel out of the turn.
Stage 2:
-Start in residential area.
-Teach and practice right and left turning extensively.
-Watch the student’s lane position.
-Review visual scanning habits.
-Teach right-of-way at intersections.
Stage 3:
-Drive to parking lot.
-Backing in a straight line at slow speeds.
-Backing and turning.
-Perpendicular parking. (This will take time).
-Angled parking.
Stage 4
- Arterial streets.
-Turning into correct lane.
-Lane changing.
-Shared turn lanes.
-Left turns at traffic lights.
-Single and multi-lane roundabouts.
Stage 5
-Downtown.
-Speed control.
-One-Way streets.
-Restricted lanes (Bus & Bike lanes).
-Turning into correct lane.
-Multiple turn lanes.
-Planning ahead.
Stage 6
-Rural paved county roads.
-Rural unpaved county roads.
-Speed control with hills.
-Interstate driving.
-Entering and exiting interstate.
-Cruise control.
Additional skills to develop
-Night driving.
-Driving in rain.
-Driving in snow.
-Parallel parking.
-Route planning.
-Lane use planning.
-Defensive driving.
-Adequate space.
-Communicating with others.
-Passing on highways.
-Fuel fill up.
-Checking oil, coolant, and battery.
-Checking tire pressure and adding air as needed.