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How to manage your feelings and emotions
Find out what you can do to manage your feelings and emotions on the road.
In this topic
Feelings and emotions on the road
Stress and learning to drive
Tips to stay in control when you drive
What your supervising driver is there to do
Feelings and emotions on the road
How you feel can affect how you drive including learning, memory and decision making.
Learning to drive can have some stressful moments, as it's far more complex than most people realise. But don't worry, it’s okay to feel a little nervous as you try new things.
As you practise and progress through to more challenging environments, you and your supervising driver may find yourselves in stressful situations.
It’s good to have a chat to your supervising driver or reschedule your drive to when you both feel like driving.
Learning to drive can be an enjoyable thing to do. So make sure you’re in the right state of mind for driving.
Stress and learning to drive
A bit of stress can help you stay alert and aware. But too much isn’t good and may affect how you learn.
Keep these things in mind when you learn to drive:
- See mistakes as a learning opportunity.
- Focus on what you’re doing well.
- Know you’ll never get rid of stress completely and a little bit is okay.
- Do your drive another time if either you or your supervising driver are tired or have had an argument.
- Think about going on a drive with a driving instructor and your supervising driver.
Use these tips to stay in control when you drive.
What your supervising driver is there to do
As you go through the stages of the learner period, the role of your supervising driver changes.
Supervising drivers are there to:
- Give you lots of opportunities to practice.
- Help you make safe driving decisions.
- Help you anticipate potential hazards.
- Be your second pair of eyes to watch the road.
- Offer you guidance and support.
- Give you feedback on how you’re going.
- Share their driving experience.
- Care about your safety.
- Help you succeed.