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Developing your learner’s skills for complex drives
How to work with your learner to develop safe driving behaviours in stage three.
In this topic
Ways to help your learner in stage three
Your changing role as a supervising driver throughout the stages
Thinking about hazards before you drive
Safe driving behaviours
Stage three post-drive questions
Ways to create a good learning experience in stage three
Empowering your learner
Video: Complex driving situations in stage three
Ways to help your learner in stage three
Help your learner by:
- Planning drives with them, so they start to develop the ability to do this on their own.
- Practising the same route in the day, at night and in wet weather, so they get familiar with different conditions in a familiar driving environment.
- Choosing busier roads near the end of this stage when they feel ready to drive in heavier traffic.
- Choosing different road surfaces so they get a chance to practise on a range of surfaces.
- Talking about how to change lanes safely by using their mirrors and doing head checks.
- Talking with them to use their hazard perception of see, think and do.
Lots of support
In stage one, you will need to provide your learner with lots of support.
Thinking about hazards before you drive
As an experienced driver, the way you see, anticipate and respond to hazards is highly developed and at times may seem automatic.
That’s why in stages one and two, you played a very active role in helping your learner see hazards.
As your learner gains more experience in stage three, they’ll see more hazards and be able to respond to them with less support from you.
Safe driving behaviours
Talk with your learner about safe driving behaviours and how they can apply them.
Some examples of safe driving behaviours are to:
- Drive at a speed safe for the conditions.
- Use mirrors correctly.
- Look well ahead for hazards and respond early.
- Keep a safe distance from other road users.
- Obey the road signs.
- Manage distractions.
- Avoid driving under stress.
- Be in the right frame of mind when you drive.
In stage three, it’s a good idea for your learner to reflect more on their driving behaviours.
Stage three post drive questions
Here are some examples of questions you can use to help talk with your learner after a drive:
- How do your driving decisions impact on others?
- What do you find challenging when you drive near trucks or other heavy vehicles?
- What do you think you need to practise more?
- Do you have to do anything differently when you drive at night?
- Can you talk me through your process when you approach busy intersections and roundabouts?
- How do you feel driving on multi-lane roads?
- What hazards did we come across and how did you respond?
- Can you explain your process for changing lanes?
- Are there any road or lane markings or signs you’re not sure about?
What
You want to give them feedback about how they’re going.
What to do
You can:
Give them a mix of constructive and positive feedback.
Make them feel empowered.
Focus on the situation and not them.
Use our list of questions to talk with them after drives.
Your role during this stage is to help your learner to make their own choices about safe driving.
Empowering your learner
At the start of this stage, you should still give your learner a lot of guidance and support.
Start to ask your learner about their driving decisions to empower them.
Ask them to:
- Choose where they want to practise driving.
- Choose the time of day they want to practise driving.
- Direct themselves on the road when they’re driving.
- Use see, think and do to manage potential hazards.
Stage 3 - Complex driving situations
See what's involved in stage three for supervising learner drivers in complex driving situations.