The idea of teaching a family member to drive a car is something that some people would never consider. All too often, parents start with the best of intentions and, before long, they lose patience.

The most important thing to remember is not to teach them YOUR bad habits. We all know that there are a lot of bad drivers out on the roads and we all consider ourselves to be in the right, but rules do change.

In the past it was considered to be correct to change down through the gears, when approaching a junction for example, one at a time in sequence. Now, best practice is to approach the junction in the higher gear and change straight  into the gear you are going to use to move away. i.e. change from 4th straight into 2nd. or 1st.

The main points to remember are

• Be patient. The subjects you are teaching may be totally alien to your pupil.

• Remain calm. If you are nervous, your nervousness will be transferred to your pupil. Bear in mind that the professional driving instructor will have dual controls in their car enabling them to take full control of the vehicle if the need arises, you will probably not.

• Be sure that what you are teaching is correct and up to date. The Driving Standards Agency publication The Highway Code (the most recent addition) is a must read for both teacher and pupil. You may even consider a refresher lesson or two for yourself.

• If you are accompanying a pupil who is undergoing instruction from a professional driving instructor to give them practice between lessons, try not to change the way that the pupil has been taught. If you think the pupil is doing something wrong, ask the instructor to clarify the situation. Better still, why not sit in the back of a tuition car on a lesson.

• It is most important to ensure that the vehicle you are using is correctly insured for the pupil you are teaching.

• To accompany a learner driver on public roads you must have held a full driving license for the category of vehicle being driven for over 3 years and be at least 21 years old