Question Of The Day: Should I Get A New Driving Teacher?

Driver’s ed used to involve a lot of scare tactics, like this graphic 1959 movie designed to show the perils of driving. Today we take a gentler approach. 

Question: Should I get a new driving instructor? I just had my first driving lesson (I have never gotten behind the wheel of a car before.) The driving instructor lady was uptight, impatient, and showed obvious signs of frustration right from the beginning … I drove much better when I practiced with my dad after the lesson because he was much calmer than that instructor and never grabs the wheel while I’m driving. 

Answer: Getting behind the wheel of a car can be a scary thing, especially for teen drivers. They’re likely to experience the exhilaration that comes from wielding a set of car keys for the first time, mixed with the fear of taking on a new challenge.

Most states require at least six hours of on-the-road driver’s training from an approved school as part of the requirements for obtaining a driver’s license, which translates to a lot of one-on-one time between the student and the teacher. And while instructors are primarily responsible for familiarizing the students with the rules of the road, they are also tasked with building up their confidence.

“A confident driver is a safer driver,” says Kenny “The Car Guy” Walters, owner of Kenny’s Lakes Area Auto in Walled Lake, Mich. and instructor at Safer Driving 4 Life in Auburn Hills, Mich. “They will know how to react to any situation without worry, [and] they will make the correct driving move without taking time to think about it.”

But, just like people in any other profession, driving instructors can sometimes be a little short tempered, a little condescending, and a little moody if you catch them on the wrong day. And having to deal with that kind of an instructor, even for just a few hours, can erode a student’s confidence and negatively impact a teenager’s ability to safely operate a car.

Ideally, you want an instructor who calmly builds you up, even in stressful situations. Like this guy (warning, clip has mild profanity):

“My first driving instructor was super sexist,” says Karla Ovalle, training manager at the New York Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in New York City. “I was only 16, and she yelled at me about driving too slow and told me that men are easier to teach because they’re ‘naturally faster and better at driving.’” Ovalle informed her father about the incident and he immediately called the school to complain. She was given a new instructor the next day, but the damage was done. She failed her first road test, but passed the second time after her father began giving her behind-the-wheel instruction coupled with lots of encouragement.

Ovalle and her father handled the situation wisely, according to Walters, who recommends swift action if a driving instructor is making the teen driver uncomfortable. “The driver should stop driving with that instructor and request they change the way they are teaching or ask for another instructor,” continues Walters. “Teens are nervous enough driving their first time, and having an instructor they are not comfortable with will just make the situation worse.”

In order to prevent getting stuck with a bad driving teacher in the first place, Walters recommends doing a little homework when selecting a driving school. Rather than letting price be the sole deciding factor, he suggests interviewing the instructors and taking time out to read online reviews that were provided by former students.

We’re scouring the Internet to uncover interesting questions that people have posted looking for advice from the unwashed masses. We will contact experts to give you well-researched, professional advice. You can also submit questions to autos_qotd@yahoo.com.