Key Skills

“Thank you so much Anne for helping me pass with only one fault! You’ve really helped build my confidence as a driver by teaching me the skills to such a high standard. Thank you again for being such a great instructor.” Gemma

“What are the key skills of driving that I need to learn?”

The skills below are outlined in the DVSA syllabus for learning to drive. I have added local information where relevant.

  • Cockpit Drill, Main Controls and Safety Checks.
  • The ‘Prepare, Observe, Move’ routine for safe moving away from a stopped position.
  • The ‘Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre’ routine for safe stops at the side of the road.
  • How to identify a safe, legal and convenient place to park.
  • Clutch control, steering, co-ordination of the pedals.
  • How to use the gears, make progress and the safe use of speed.
  • Junctions – using the MSPSGL routine (Mirrors, Signal, Position, Speed, Gear, Look) and its application for approaching & emerging junctions both left and right.
  • Hill starts (up and down) and angled starts.
  • Emergency Stop.
  • How to deal with meeting situations and giving adequate clearance when passing parked vehicles.
  • How to deal with pedestrian crossings safely using MSM.
  • Mini-roundabouts and Main Roundabouts – straight on, left, right, including correct roundabout signalling on approach and to leave.
  • Spiral roundabouts such as the A19 & A59 and correct use of lanes.
  • Lane designated and traffic light controlled roundabouts such as Grimston Bar.
  • Crossroads and their priorities & how to deal with a STOP sign.
  • Traffic Light crossroads in all directions and crossing the path safely when turning right.
  • Urban dual carriageways (40mph) such as Hull Road or Jockey Lane and safe lane changing.
  • Show Me, Tell Me Questions. (Vehicle Safety Qs)
  • Basic reversing skills and keeping the speed slow using the clutch.
  • Manoeuvres including: Reverse and Forward Bay Parks, Turn in the Road, Reverse round a left corner, Reverse round a right corner, Parallel Park, Pull Up on the Right.
  • The above manoeuvres are assessed on three aspects: Control, Accuracy & Observation. Each manoeuvre needs to be practised until each of these areas are test standard. Depending how quickly you pick these up, it may take a whole lesson to master each separate manoeuvre.
  • Dual carriageways (70mph), overtaking and lane changing at speed on A64, with exits and returns on slip roads.
  • How to use a SatNav safely and effectively.
  • Motorway driving – skills and confidence. (I don’t teach motorway skills until after you have passed your practical test).

Throughout your lessons you will also be taught:

  • The importance of hazard awareness, anticipation and defensive driving.
  • How and when to use your mirrors and signals.
  • How to follow signs and make decisions for independent driving.
  • Safe and correct positioning and stopping distances.
  • The ‘Vehicle Safety’ questions and answers.

You will also cover eco-friendly driving tips, weather and traffic conditions, driving in the dark (if possible), legal responsibilities and security. You will have at least one mock test (usually with another instructor with myself watching from the back-seat) and we will practise some of York’s ‘hot-spots’ where York pupils regularly fail.

Remember, these skills not only need to be introduced; they all need to be practised, refined and be carried out confidently and completely independently before you are ‘test-ready’. This cannot be done in a few short lessons.

Skill Assessment

Each lesson as we work through the skills, I will assess each one on 5 levels:
1 = Introduced;
2 = Under full instruction;
3 = Prompted;
4 = Seldom prompted/Independent;
5 = Test-standard.
When you have a 5 in each skill, you are ready for your test.

Levels of Learning

There are four levels of learning that pupils pass through during the process of learning to drive. Before you start lessons you will be at…

Level 1. Unconscious incompetence (you don’t know what you don’t know). You cannot drive and so therefore you are not aware of how much there is to learn about learning to drive. You start taking driving lessons and realise there is a lot you don’t know. This is…
Level 2. Conscious incompetence (you know that you don’t know). At this stage you will make lots of mistakes but as your lessons progress you will start working within…
Level 3. Conscious competence (you do it but you have to concentrate really hard). Lots and lots of practice and staying positive will help you to achieve…
Level 4. Unconscious competence (you do it so naturally you can think about other things at the same time as though on auto-pilot). When people reach this final level, there is the danger of being over-confident!

As the learner, you will move between the different levels all the time as you tackle the different driving skills. Remember that driving is a complex activity with constantly changing demands and unexpected events. To expect that you can learn to drive in a few short lessons is a mistake. A learner driver needs to gain enough skill and experience to enable them to drive alone safely once they have passed their driving test. And even then, it doesn’t matter how many years you drive for, there are still new lessons to be learnt!

Once you have passed, I will offer you a motorway lesson should you wish to gain experience of this area of driving. From June 2018, learner drivers have been legally allowed onto motorways with a fully qualified instructor before passing the Practical Test.

Watch this quick video about the current driving test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dZRbU2MiDk

Good luck!

signature