If you’ve got a teenager that’s old enough to learn to drive, you might be wondering how you can help them, and you probably have a lot of questions. It might have been some time since you passed your driving test, and a lot has probably changed.
Of course, you want to make sure you’re as clued up on the subject as possible so that you can help your child on their journey of learning to drive. We’re answering some common questions we get from parents and giving some tips too!
What does my child need before they start learning to drive?
To start learning to drive, your child will need to be 17 years old and have a provisional driving licence. You can apply for a provisional licence at GOV.UK (hint: they make a great 17th birthday present). Your son or daughter will also need to work out their budget, which you can help them do! They will also need to plan when they will take their lessons and schedule some time to dedicate to learning to drive.
How do I find a driving instructor for my child?
The first step in helping your child get on the road (once they’ve got their provisional licence) is finding the right driving instructor. As parents, you’ll, of course, want to make sure your child is in safe and capable hands and is learning with an instructor you can trust. At driveJohnson’s, our instructors are fully qualified, DBS checked, and DVSA approved.
You can use our postcode search to check to see if we have an instructor near you:
Once you’ve established that we have an instructor near you, either book online or give us a call, whether you’re booking on behalf of your child or making the booking themselves, we will listen to the pupil’s requirements and match them with an instructor we think would most suit them.
Instructor reviews
Many of our instructors get pupils through word of mouth of previous pupils who have had a great experience learning to drive and have recommended their instructor to friends and family. If you haven’t had any recommendations, you can look on our driving instructors profiles and see the reviews previous pupils have left them.
Waiting times
Because our driving instructors are so good, some may have waiting times of up to a month. Don’t be put off by this; it’s a hint to how good they are, and they’re worth waiting a bit for. Our bookings team will always try and fit you in for a lesson ASAP with instructors in your area.
Budget
Learning to drive can be pretty expensive; you’ve got the cost of lessons, theory test and driving test fees, as well as paying for insurance for any private practice. When learning with a qualified instructor, lessons start from a minimum of £20 an hour, but prices vary based on the location.
If you’re looking to help your child out with the cost of learning to drive, some ideas are paying for the provisional licence, paying for a block booking of lessons or buying them a driving lesson voucher!
Can I teach my child to drive?
A big way you can help your child and save them money is by giving them driving lessons yourself. We recommend doing private practice on top of professional driving lessons as learning with a qualified driving instructor is an invaluable experience. You can supervise your child while learning to drive as long as you meet the following requirements:
- You are 21 years or over (we would assume you are if you’ve got a child old enough to learn to drive)
- Have held a full driving licence for three years (from countries in the EU or EEA)
- Be qualified to drive the type of vehicle they are supervising in (for example, if supervising in a manual vehicle, you must be qualified to drive a manual vehicle)
Here you can find out more about supervising a learner driver.
What insurance do I need to teach my child to drive?
If you want to provide some lessons to your child outside of their lessons with an instructor, you’ll need to make sure they have the relevant insurance to learn in your car. Insurance options for private practice:
- Learner driver insurance – this cover is specifically for learner drivers practising in a parents or friends car. This option will not affect the owner’s insurance policy if they need to make a claim.
- Named driver insurance – you can also add your child as a named driver on your own insurance. However, if they make a claim, your policy and no claims bonus could be affected.
You can compare learner driver insurance quotes at Compare The Market to find the best deal.
How should I prepare to teach my child to drive?
If you’re planning on taking your child for some driving lessons, there are a few things you can do to prepare and ensure you’re helping them as much as possible.
Do you have good communication skills, and can you keep your cool in stressful situations?
You may need to guide your child through a potentially dangerous road situation, so these skills are essential. You must stay calm while supervising a learner driver; the last thing they need is you panicking or shouting at them.
Refresher lesson for parents
If you want to go that extra mile, you can have a refresher driving lesson with an instructor before teaching your child. Driving test standards have likely changed since you passed your test; a qualified instructor will make sure you’re up to date with everything.
You’ve probably picked up a few bad driving habits over the years, too, and you don’t want to pass these on to your child; an instructor will point out any bad habits and help you change them.
Talk to your child’s instructor
Most pupils learn with a mix of lessons from an instructor and some private practice with a family member or friend. It may be useful to talk to your child’s driving instructor before taking them out on the road yourself. They’ll be able to tell you where your son or daughter needs some additional practice and if they’re ready for private practice. Their lessons with you should be used as an opportunity to practice what they’ve already learnt with their instructor.
Before taking them out for any lessons, your responsibility is to ensure your car is in a roadworthy condition. You can use this as a chance to teach your child how to carry out essential vehicle checks, such as fluid levels and tyre tread.
