Consequences of Poor Driving

It can be difficult to appreciate the consequences of poor driving when a Learner is learning to drive.  In this blog, owner of BIG TOM Driving School Tom Ingram explores this problem in more detail for PDI and ADI readers.

Quite understandably, all efforts initially are focussed on what is going on immediately around the pupil.  The levels of awareness of what is occurring while they drive tends to go in this sequence:

Hands & feet activity

Directly in front of car

Further ahead up the road

Behind the car

To the sides

This is all very natural and improves with effort.  Eyes will look at the gear lever for example when changing gear, and even the pedals before the foot presses a pedal down.  The brain is really heavily consumed in working out how much to steer the steering wheel, which foot should be doing what action, which way to press the lever for a right or left signal, when the gears should be changed, how hard to press on pedals etc.  It is incredibly involved, and to ease the burden on the pupil, it is wise to do this driving in wide open spaces where there is no other traffic to distract from this concentration.  At this stage it is highly debatable what “gain” is to be had even talking about mirrors, because as can be seen above, what is going on behind and to the side of the vehicle is justifiably really low down on the levels of awareness.  Talking through what that risk represents, and how it can be managed (by you doing the observations on their behalf) is an important first message of how identifying and managing risk will be done in future sessions and how the responsibility for safety is being controlled.  It is also key in that it encourages a pupil to raise their self-awareness of how weaknesses affect safety.

Equally important is to develop an awareness of the range of impact/consequences as a result of the driving.  So appreciating what is the consequence of experimenting with steering, gears, pedals, signals is time very well spent.  Appreciating what effect the driving behaviour has on the car is really the first consideration.  Logically it would be unwise to attempt anything else on public roads if the car is not being properly looked after – we would have no car!  But once there is a basic smooth operation of the vehicle that ensures control of position, smoothness of acceleration/deceleration and gear changing, and I really do mean basic here, then it is time to move on.

On roads, Learner drivers are normally pretty aware of the presence of pedestrians, other vehicles, and cyclists that are DIRECTLY in front of them.   So identification of a potential hazard right in front of the car is normally good and maintaining safety for those hazards comes at the expense of all other considerations.  It would not be uncommon for example for a pupil to veer dramatically in either direction mounting the kerb or crossing the middle white line.  Right there and then, the consequence is not the issue, all priority is being placed on the hazard that is right in front. 

With progress, comes an increased awareness of literally what is all around the car, and importantly how events COULD change.  But what I would like to emphasise is the connection between driving behaviour and the consequences to others because this is not necessarily apparent to all so it is good to raise the awareness.

Pupils experience with their own eyes the standard of driving that happens at times on the roads – whether it be when being driven by their friends and family or observing the traffic around them.  When you add the accounts and opinions given from work colleagues, on social media, friends, family members and the press, you start to realise why some Learners might have an unrealistic understanding of what is acceptable on the roads from qualified drivers.  Many a Learner of mine has looked in disbelief when I explain how some driving behaviour will result in a driving test fail.

In combination with this is the fact that the ability to be aware of how driving behaviour affects other road users is not going to be the same across all Learners.  This is where driving is fairly unique.  In most learning environments that one can think of, the effect of failure is pretty recognisable.  Even in the academic environment of schools and colleges, teachers will be pretty sharp at raising the awareness of a student about the prospect of dropping down sets, or exam grades.  But how a Learner affects other road users is not necessarily so straight forward for them to recognise.  Not to forget that the attitudes about ranges of tolerance for both failure and effecting others will vary considerably between pupils.   Put all this into the mixture and you begin to understand why attitudes about driving behaviour can seem a little out of context with the required standard.  Do not under-estimate how powerful an influence role models, peers and family can have on affecting the beliefs and attitudes of Learner drivers and the domino effect it has between drivers.

As such, appreciating what the attitudes and beliefs of our pupil about standards and consequences of poor driving is important because it may be something that needs developing.  Having the instructor to appreciate it is one thing, but encouraging a pupil to raise their awareness about how they literally feel about such things as these is arguably more important.  Making links at an early stage between the requirements set out in the Driving Standard and how the pupil intends to drive going forward is an important message as it is about the scope of their training and the opportunity for them to develop skills that can be applied long into their 'driving life'.

For example Role 1 talks about planning routes for journeys based on driving experience.  So this is encouraging a driver to reflect on what previous experience they have had, where their strengths and weaknesses are and selecting routes on that basis.  With regards to choosing modes of transport, it suggests the pupil develop the self-awareness of knowing how they physically and emotionally feel prior to making a journey.  In Role 5 it states the importance of the pupil developing the ability to learn from experience and continue to improve.  These conversations that are based around the pupil's feelings about their ability and confidence levels are vital for continued progress.  Not so much because then we as their instructor know how they feel, but the pupil starts to firm up and visualise in their mind how they feel.

And as I have reiterated on the BIG TOM PDI videos Role 6 of the Driving Standard could really not be any clearer on the subject of responsibility for maintaining safety and the effectiveness of the learning process.  Role 6 Units 3 & 4 are particularly pertinent to this blog. 

Happy reading.

Tom Ingram offers PDI training - Bookings 0775 607 1464