Back when I was 18 years old (a very long time ago!) I made the mistake of being taught how to drive by my parents. Although my parents taught me about the rules of the road and had a thorough understanding of how to drive, hazard perception and so on, they weren’t very patient with me!
In order to maintain family diplomacy (and our sanity), it was mutually decided that I was to get some driving lessons from a “proper” driving instructor. A lot of people would naturally jump at the chance of being taught how to drive by their parents, especially if they get on well with them, and there is also the added benefit of the lessons being free.
But in today’s blog post, I am going to give you five reasons why being taught how to drive by your parents is probably the worst idea you could ever come up with in your entire lifetime!
1. You learn their bad habits
I don’t think there are any parents out there that can confidently claim that they have no bad driving habits.
Whether they are as trivial as listening to loud music whilst driving or as serious as weaving between traffic with little regard for other road users, you are bound to pick up their bad habits if they teach you how to drive.
2. You will test their patience
It doesn’t matter if you listen to and understood everything that you learn about driving on the road, I can guarantee you that the first time you try any new manoeuvre out on the road, you will get it wrong!
But if you keep getting those manoeuvres wrong, their patience might start to reach a breaking point!
3. It’s unproductive
People lead busy lives in Britain these days, and there is nothing worse than your parents making a promise to you only for them to go back on their word because they simply don’t have the time to make good on their promise to you!
Rather than being left disappointed with promises they know deep down they cannot keep, it would be better for them to arrange some driving lessons for you with an approved driving instructor, as they will obviously be able to dedicate their time to teach you how to drive.
4. It will give your parents some peace and quiet
If your parents work from home, for example, and you are also at home most of the day and night, it is unhealthy for you all not to have some time apart from each other!
By learning to drive with an instructor, you will be able to give them your parents some space – and you will also be one step closer to total independence (from a transport perspective, at least).
5. They might have a dodgy car
Learning to drive can be stressful at times for all learner drivers, but that stress can soon compound if your mum or dad’s car breaks down during a driving lesson because they are driving around in a car that is just scrap on wheels!
