What would you do?
At present (Nov. 2001) I am teaching a client and I am worried about her. Kathy (not her real name) drives a red Hyundai Sports Coupe, her mother a white Nissan ZX Sports car. We are taking Kathy’s car for lessons, since this is what she will be driving and taking her test in.
I am concerned at the speed Kathy drives: far too fast for her experience. She has two lessons with me every week, but not much more. My guess is, Kathy has adopted her mother’s style of driving, simply fast. To make matters worse, she does not "see the big picture". Many times I ask her, what sign did we just pass? She seldom notices and is easily distracted by her surroundings.
The dilemma I am facing is this: Kathy can drive from A to B without a problem. Her manouevres are also coming on very well. She is ready for the driving test. She and her parents are getting anxious for her to pass the test. Yet, deep down, I sense that here is a candidate that needs more than instruction to pass a driving test. Kathy needs a change in attitude, a different approach. She is a mature girl, but unaware of the dangers of driving a car, especially a sports car, she can’t afford to insure.
How important the parental influence is ! Can I as her driving instructor change Kathy’s attitude?
Am I interfering in her private life, if I talk to the parents? Shall I try aversion therapy, telling her horror stories of young people killing themselves speeding?
Every driving instructor’s worst nightmare is to read about a client being killed shortly after obtaining a licence. Here in South Australia, it would even be worse, if you were the person that has taught and issued the driver’s licence to his own student. This happens in 70 - 80 % of driver’s licences issued. (One instructor I know has taught and issued a driver’s licence to his own daughter).
I strongly advocate us driving instructors taking on the role of road safety educators. If the public perceives us be experts, teaching skills, knowledge and techniques to reduce road trauma, we will once again be in demand. As mentioned in the last edition, governments are pushing teenagers to learn with parents. Do they not trust us to fulfil this role? If we raise the standards of driver education and show that we are interested in the safety of teenagers, indeed all new drivers, people will turn back to driving schools.
What are your thoughts and experiences?