First of all, I don't profess to have any extra degree of skill or wisdom. I don't have all the answers, but having taught many hundreds of people how to become safe drivers, I've had plenty of time to put a lot of thought into the questions.

In no way should this site become a substitute for the time and attention that you give to this new driver. This is - at best - an attempt to start the conversations that you - as an experienced driver - need to have with the new driver.

If you're teaching someone to drive, let's face it: it's a scary thought.   BUT - it can be made less scary, with just a few pointers. The worst part is that you're sitting over there in the passenger seat, driving around with absolutely no control, right?

Most new drivers, especially young people, only need a calm opportunity so they can teach THEMSELVES how to drive. The calmer YOU are, the more confident they'll become, and the more they'll learn.

First, you - and anyone else involved in the lessons - should read and become thoroughly familar with both the state drivers manual, and Chapters 1-12 on this site. If there's anything you strongly disagree with, then decide ahead of time exactly what that is, and agree on what you are going to teach the new driver. The worst thing you can do at this early stage of the game is to give conflicting advice.

• First off, from the passenger seat, you need to have your own rear-view mirror. If you don't have a vanity mirror in the sun-visor, then just pick up a cheap one somewhere. It needs to be wide enough to give you a good view of the back, and preferably, the left-hand blindspot. Then adjust the outside right-hand side-view mirror (which the driver shouldn't use anyway - see Chapter 3) so that you can see your right-hand blindspot. (Now, from a seemingly "relaxed" position, you can see all around the car.)
• The car you use should either NOT have a center console (so you can reach the foot brake) OR it needs to have the parking brake in the center console. (This is true for the road test, too.)
• Next, you and an experienced driver should go out and practice taking control of the car from the passenger seat. If you hold the button in, the parking brake is a workable substitute for a "real" brake - at least at the speeds you'll be going in the beginning. Try it a few times while you have the luxury of an experienced driver with you.
• It's not something most experienced drivers think about - you just "know" when you're in the center of your lane. But again, while you have an experienced driver with you, learn to trust that - regardless of whether you're in the driver's seat, or the passenger's seat - that if your body "feels" like it's in the center of the lane, then you are. (See Chapter 2) If you don't trust it - and perhaps even prove it to yourself - it'll always feel like the new driver is too far to the left.
• Next, practice putting your left arm under the driver's thumb and pointer finger, forcing his hand off the steering wheel. Get the new driver used to the fact that when you do that, he or she should not resist. Practice it BEFORE you get into a situation where you NEED to do it. Unless the guy is going to deliberately try to fight with you, you will be able to steer from the position you're in. At slow speeds, you can use the brake to avoid a problem, and at higher speeds, you will have plenty of steering movement. (Practice going around a corner while steering from the passenger side.)
• Practice a posture facing slightly to the driver, so you have a great view of both your surroundings and of the driver. The trick is to simply not LET the new driver get close enough to a crisis situation. You should be looking up the road 2 or 3 times farther than you normally would, so you catch the kid coming off the porch, rather than onto the road. This alone will do a lot to make the sessions less tense.