Preparing Your Car for Learner Drivers

Getting your first driver’s license can be exciting, but it also requires some strategic planning!

As a parent or family member about to embark on having a new learner driver in your car, you don’t want to put your loved one in any danger behind the wheel.

You need to make sure their first experiences of driving a car are positive and safe.

This is why it’s essential to prepare your car for learner drivers – so that they are safe on the road, they learn good driving habits right from the start, and they also learn about safe driving skills that stretch far beyond the physical element of driving itself.

It can be daunting for both new learner drivers and the teacher, so here are some tips on how to fully prepare your car for your new learner driver experience:

Make sure your car is in good shape.

There are so many different things that may happen to a car in just a few years: it could need new tires, or it could develop other problems that should be fixed before you hand over the keys.

Research what your car needs for maintenance and repairs and make the services and legal requirements of a roadworthy vehicle all taken care of before the learner even gets in!

Remember, these are all things you should be aware of anyway via general maintenance, etc.

So if you’re not sure what your car needs, ask a professional car mechanic to look over your car for advice about what may need to be done to make it suitable for a learner driver.

Prepare the interior of your car correctly.

A clean car is a safe car!

To keep the inside of your learner vehicle clean and clear for learner drivers, use a soft cloth to wipe down all surfaces, including leather or fabric seats. This will remove any additional dirt so the inside of your car is free of crumbs and sticky messes that may be a distraction to a learner driver.

 You can also use scented wipes for an added bonus!

 Keeping the inside of the car:

• Free from litter
• Free from window disruptions, such as smudges and smears
• Free from any loose matter that may roll around, such as shopping or loose items in the boot
• Free from any mess 

All of these elements will ensure that your learner driver can keep their concentration on learning to drive and make their first car driving experiences positive.

Purchase some easy-to-use safety features for your learner driver

There is no such thing as too much safety for learner drivers.

They are a group of the most vulnerable drivers out there on the road, so it’s really important to make sure they are as safe as possible.

One of the easiest ways to keep your learner driver safe is to purchase safety features, like automatic headlights and dash cams for your car. 

These features are designed to help your learner driver have a more holistic awareness of the car, the road, and everything surrounding them when driving and be fully aware of their immediate driving environment.

Get your learner driver used to your car.

One of the very first things you need to do is make sure your learner driver is comfortable in the car they will be driving. 

This means they need to know how everything works, from the clutch pedal to the side mirrors, and make sure they know how to position the driver’s seat correctly. 

This is an excellent time to teach them all the dos and don’ts of driving as well!

Because your learner driver may not be on public roads for a little while, you can work with them on making sure they’re ready before then. 

You want them to feel confident and competent behind the wheel before they start practicing on their own or a professional driving instructor.

Ensuring they know their road rules

The UK is governed by a set of road laws, rules, and regulations that every driver must know before they can independently drive solo.

Apart from the standardized tests, it is imperative to teach your learner driver on many elements of driving, such as:

• How to read road signs
• Braking distances
• Road markings and what they mean
• Driving etiquette
• Speed awareness and adherence

So it may be advantageous to have some prompts in the car for your learner driver to reference as they go through their learner journey, which can be visual or audio.

Conclusion

When you are preparing your car for learner drivers, you should take some time to realize what makes a safe car and how to prepare a safe car for learner drivers. 

You may want to purchase some easy-to-use safety features for your learner driver or and think about buying a car organizer to ensure that your car stays clear and free from clutter or distractions. 

Overall safety and adherence to the laws of the road are of paramount importance, so make sure that your learner driver has some audio or visual prompts in the care for road safety when they venture out on the road.

And finally, setting up your car for a learner driver in regards to their position is super important, and this should not only be demonstrated by you but also taught to your learner driver so they can learn how to position things like drivers seats, mirrors, and steering wheel for optimum driving positioning.

Overall, your learner drivers’ first experiences of driving should be positive and safe once, so ensure your learner driver vehicle is in the very best condition it can be to facilitate and teach a safe and confident driver.