We’ve been looking at the differences between being a new driver today vs when your parents were learning to drive. Now these days we may be graced with more in car tech or a better driving test format, but it doesn’t mean our parents haven’t learned a thing or two over the years they’ve been driving. We’ve pulled together some of the top tips from Mums and Dads out there to help young drivers. Thanks, guys!
"Don't over think your test, just keep talking to your examiner and that will give them confidence and, in a way, distract them from the test. Going out on your own after you past for the first time is scary but one day you will get in the car and before you realise you've driven 50 miles."
"Pay attention to your surroundings as they change daily… Use common sense and treat your licence as a gift, don’t take it for granted, it’s a wonderful tool but can also be dangerous in the wrong hands and never drive when your angry or after an argument, you should always be calm and controlled when driving."
"I didn't get off to the best start with my driving test as I did all my mirror checks, handbrake, signal, etc...all ready to pull away, when the examiner said 'you may want the turn the ignition on!'...I was certain I would fail, but the drive did go smoothly and I did pass"
"Drive as much as you can… It’s all about confidence and experience. Have a black box as it’s about driving to the speed limit and getting into good habits."
"Experience gives you confidence - you're not going to know everything or feel comfortable straight after passing your test. Just keep driving and learning from any small mistakes! One day you'll realise it's become second nature to you."
"Tips - always take your time and never rush even if you know you are going to be late for something. Just be late and say sorry rather than rush and drive dangerously."
"When driving back from a friend’s house aged about 19, with the weather predicted to turn snowy, my friend's mum gave me a blanket and a thermos of hot soup. I thought she was being a bit over the top .... But guess what .... the snow came, got stuck on the motorway for 4 hours and the blanket and the soup where unforgettably good."
"My step father taught me to drive he was an advanced police driver. I spent many weekends driving round cones in a car park learning how to manoeuvre a car before he let me drive on the roads. I'll always remember his saying "slow feet, fast hands" whilst doing manoeuvres, it's stuck with me to this day, I'm 51 and am now teaching my son to drive and have passed the saying on to him now."
"I used to fear rolling back on hills. I used to drive to visit my parents regularly and there was a hair pin bend on a very steep gradient which I was terrified of having to stop on.
One day as I was driving up the hill, I saw a bus coming down hill towards the bend. My heart sank as I knew we couldn’t both negotiate the bend at the same time. I was going to have to stop on the hill before the bend to allow the bus room to get round the bend. After the bus passed, I got the bite, pressed on the gas, slowly lifted the clutch and did a perfect hill start. I have never feared hill starts driving up steep gradients ever since and have managed to drive on very steep, mountainous roads confidently. Being on your own in a car and having to just do it helps your confidence. Things get easier the more you drive and the less you avoid tricky driving situations."
