Parents to sit in on driving lessons

Thought your driving lesson days were over?

Or perhaps – if you haven’t yet passed your test – your worst nightmare is the thought of your parents sitting in on your lessons?

Well, you could be in for a rude awakening if the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) gets it way. The agency is keen for parents to accompany their children on motoring sessions.

Why?
The way we get tested is altering. And the DVSA wants mums and dads to keep up to speed with this.

If they don’t, they risk undoing the good work of paid driving instructors when they take kids out on private practice themselves, the agency warns.

It does believe though, that a correct mix of private parental tuition and official professional lessons is the best combination to achieve test success.

How is testing changing?
Young drivers looking to ditch their L-plates are being:

• Tested on manoeuvres that better reflect real-life motoring in the new tests
• Allowed to use sat-navs during tests
• Given more choice over what they do and don’t learn in lessons

The DVSA’s Mark Magee says the testing procedure is more than just about examining learners’ car control. He wants mums and dads to work with not against ADIs (approved driving instructors) to embrace the new changes.

Pros of having mum and dad in with you

• Parents can assess how good or bad your instructors are
• By identifying the best ADIs, parents can help get you the best teachers
• It can help parents sing from the same song sheet as ADIs when it comes to private tuition
• This will result in safer driving and more chance of you passing your test

Cons of having mum and dad in with you

• You may feel more nervous and sense your backseat parents’ watchful eyes on you
• Arguments could result after lessons as parents stage at-home ‘inquests’ into where and when you went wrong

So what stage are we at?
It’s early days. The DVSA says the proposals to get parents “better engaged” with the new system are in their infancy.

Only around five such initiatives have already been launched across Britain. But the DVSA is keen to further promote this idea, despite the fact that not all parents are keen to participate.

What do you think of the proposals?