Parent Sessions Can Save Money

Take instructor labor costs out of the equation, and one of the largest business expenses to a driving school is repairing damaged vehicles. But many driving schools may be missing out on parents helping to prevent damage to their school’s training vehicles, by preparing them to conduct affective supervised practice driving.  To help reduce the costs associated with damage, and increase the safety of instructors and students, driving schools can host parent sessions for new teen drivers and their parents, mentors, and/or guardians.

Here is a list of recommendations for parents to help prevent vehicle damage before taking their student driving:

• Always use the phrase, “Look where you want to go.” This is better than saying, “Move a little left or right.”


• Give a destination first, then a direction. Some examples include:
  
  
  
  • At the light (destination), take a right (direction).
  
  
  • When you get to Route 441 East (destination), take a left (direction).
  
  
  
  


• Start in an empty parking lot:
  
  
  
  • Practice moving forward in a straight line to a predetermined stop point, and reversing in a straight line to a predetermined stop point.
  
  
  • Set two cones on either end of the parking lot. Practice turns by having the student conduct figure-eight drills around the cones. This will help with steering control and visual targeting.
  
  
  
  


• When beginning actual on-the-road training, start in a low traffic, familiar area.


• Be prepared to take control of the vehicle by:
  
  
  
  • shifting the vehicle to neutral.
  
  
  • controlling the steering wheel.
  
  
  
  

Helping parents to better prepare their students prior to driving lessons can, increase safety, reduce vehicle damage and reduce school operating costs.