News, Articles & Updates

TREVOR’S TOP TIPS FOR LEARNER DRIVERS DRIVING IN THE MOMENT!
on Nov 16 2011
News & Articles >> Learner/Refresher Resources

INTRODUCTION

When we first learn to drive, driving in the moment is so difficult to do.

What is driving in the moment? It’s when as a driver we are looking in the right place at the right time whilst coordinating the controls of the car to suit the driving situation we are in.

Why is it so difficult? When we learn a new skill we need to focus on it and block out other distractions. When you learn to drive, your focus is not just in one place it is shifting from inside the car to outside the car frequently.

For example, if you were asked to count how many matches were in a match box, your focus would be on counting the matches. If a person asked you how many matches were in the match box as you were counting them your focus would change to telling the person how many matches were there. Our focus has shifted from one place to another.

So now let’s look at the first question, why is driving in the moment so difficult for most new drivers? If we take, for example, approaching junctions to turn left and we look at where our focus is on each part of this procedure:

• INSTRUCTOR- “We are taking the next road on the left”.
• DRIVER- Identifies the junction (focus outside the car)


• INSTRUCTOR- “Check your main and left door mirrors, indicate down for left”.
• DRIVER- Now checking mirrors then indicating down for left (focus inside the car)


• INSTRUCTOR-“Foot off the gas and start to brake”.
• DRIVER- As we start to brake (focus is inside the car) but then we need to look outside the car to judge the braking to the junction (focus outside the car). But with out consciously knowing it we do this several times to judge the amount of pressure we need on the brake to bring the speed down to suit the conditions of the road.


• INSRTUCTOR- “Clutch down, into 2nd gear, clutch up”.
• DRIVER- ( focus inside the car)


• INSTRUCTOR- “Look left steer left, steer right, check your main mirror carry on up the road”.
• DRIVER- ( focus is in and outside the car calculating the steering to the turn)

CONCLUSION

As a new driver there is a lot to do and learn. Driving in the moment is not a skill that many drivers have automatically. Look how many times just in a simple left turn our focus changes from inside the car to outside the car. This needs to be learnt by practice and more practice. How quickly a driver can pick this skill up will certainly have an impact on how many lessons they will need to reach the required standard for the DSA.

TREVOR’S TOP TIP

Take your time and driving in the moment will drop into place; don’t get frustrated. You will look back in several lessons and wonder how you could not coordinate controls and process information outside the car.

If you would like to send your questions about this article in to info@aim4success.tv, please do so.

Next month, THE DOMINO effect and TIME.