Thursday, May 8, 2008

Teach your Teen to drive : Part 4

SPEED CONTROL

HOW TO DO IT WELL
The maximum speed limits on roads / streets are set on the basis of ideal driving conditions, i.e. good weather, good roads, and good traffic conditions. However, it’s rather difficult to get all these conditions at once.

That is the reason why a new driver has to be reminded to continually adjust their speed as the driving conditions change.

It can be a bit awkward for an unskilled driver at first to adjust their speed to traffic and road conditions, but you can assist them by stressing that they should maintain speed with the other traffic and maintain the same speed as the other vehicles in the flow of traffic, providing speed limits are observed.

Attempt to avoid large amounts or “packs” of traffic at first.

Demonstrate to your new driver how to perform this and how to adjust their speed as well. Have them slow down a bit and let the traffic pass them and then resume their speed.
Have your new driver adjust speed as necessary in new surroundings for example unknown intersections, crossings, or other areas where pedestrians may act unexpectedly.
Keep in mind that driving 70 km/h in some situations may be much too fast (even though the speed limit may be 80 km/h).

THE ROLE YOU PLAY
Ask your new driver to uphold a constant speed limit. For example, you can say:

“Try to maintain a speed limit at 60km/h for the next kilometer.”

The new driver may find the speedometer will drop below or above 60 km/h. With practice this should improve. Let them practice this while driving under various conditions, such as curves, hills, and so forth.

SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS
Frequently, new drivers are inclined to drive through intersections too fast. Have your new driver realize just how dangerous intersections can be, even if they do have the right-of-way. You have to make sure your new driver is aware of how to approach an intersection at an early stage.

New drivers are inclined to drive too fast on / around curves as well. Your new driver should be reminded that a curve is just a small part of a regular turn. It can be hard to comprehend the necessity to slow down to enter a curve and to accelerate after leaving the curve.

This will become easier with lots of practice and reminders.

Practice will assist your driver to anticipate speed changes of the vehicle under different conditions and your new driver will be able to adjust the vehicle’s speed to the road conditions.

Make sure your new driver does not make the following common driving mistakes:

  • letting the incline of a hill change their speed i.e. slowing down when going uphill, speeding up when going downhill
  • slowing down too much when turning off a high speed road that has an exit lane
  • driving too fast for the road and weather conditions
  • losing speed when changing lanes
IMPORTANT LESSON
Adjust speed to road and weather conditions and set goals for constant speed.

WHERE TO PRACTICE
It’s best to firstly drive in easy-to-handle surroundings.

In early practice sessions, get your new driver to maintain constant speed on streets in residential areas and on dual-lane roads with not much traffic and not many side streets.

As the new driver become more experienced, you can start to take on areas where the traffic is heavier and where they will have to adjust their speed more often.

You can start practicing increasing speed and merging onto another road by merging at a quiet intersection with a yield sign. When your new driver has mastered that, you can have them try it on a higher speed road that has a longer acceleration area. Work on speed control while overtaking or being overtaken and on hills and curves.