The instruction given to learner drivers by professional instructors has been studied as part of a research programme concerned with improving the performance of drivers. The subjects covered included the routes chosen by instructors, the instruction given on safety precautions that should be taken before moving off and instruction about reversing round a corner. The last item is included in the official driving test and is often associated with test failures. In spite of practical planning difficulties instructors usually planned routes so that the early lessons took place on roads subject to a 30 mile/h speed limit and progressed gradually to higher speed roads and to heavier traffic conditions. Most emphasis was placed on urban driving where the majority of accidents occur. The quality of instruction given was high on checking the security of car doors and adjusting the driving seat and mirrors before moving off; advice about using seat belts was poor. With instruction on reversing round a corner, 11 key elements were studied in detail. In general instructors' performances received high ratings for adequacy, but rather less satisfactory levels were observed for the items which had to do with observation and giving way to other traffic; these are of course particularly important to safety. (Author/publisher)
Abstract