This week’s coaching tip is a simple one, yet it’s something that’s too often overlooked by parents (and instructors. Praise your student, parents! Learning to drive is a daunting and intimidating endeavor for most, if not all, new drivers. Never before have they had such an awesome responsibility as piloting a several-hundred pound object, and […]

This is a very simple procedure, but very important. Going from a driving lane to a parking lane is a lane change, so the S.M.O.G. sequence (Signal, Mirror, Over the shoulder, & Go if it’s clear) applies here. Also what is very important is keeping your eyes focused at eye level (or above). A lot […]

Where should you target when you are parking – on a pull through or angle parking? The mistake that most folks make when they angle park or parking in a pull-through space is that they lower their eyes. In fact, you can see them leaning forward, trying to look over the hood of the car […]

How far ahead do you aim? As far as you can see – up the center of your intended path. What does that mean? Well, for starters look toward the horizon (at eye level or above), get a panorama view (the BIG picture). Remember, you’re looking only for relevant objects and movements (you’re not sight-seeing). […]

As you may remember, “targeting” is one of the three major habits you need to become a collision-free driver. Targeting well ahead sets the scene, gives you an opportunity to see what’s going on well in advance so you have time to assess and respond, helps you maintain your lane position, and helps reduce your […]

How you can benefit from my preparing for my second triathlon – it’s this weekend! Around the first of the year my niece’s husband, Keith, suggested that we do a triathlon at the end of April in Kemah. I reluctantly agreed to do it. Yes, doing the triathlon – the open water 500 meter swim, […]

Yes, play a little trick on your teen. After you take a break during your in-vehicle practice session and before he/she gets back into the vehicle, go ahead and reposition their inside rearview mirror so they have no view to the rear. Say nothing. Wait to see how long it takes for your teen to […]

We receive a great question from one of you all: If you have to slow suddenly, is checking the mirror a good idea since the driver probably needs to focus on the situation ahead? This is a very good question and I suggest that you click on the video I’ve created to respond to this […]

Watch today’s video and you’ll see. The real answer is that it depends on the situation. But for the most part, a light grip on the wheel is better than a firm or tight grip. Only in certain circumstances and for a limited time do you ever want to have a firm or a tight […]

Beginning drivers get behind the wheel and as soon as they look up the road their brain goes into a “mini-shock” and says “Holy Cow! How am I going to get this great big car into that little bitty lane?” Okay, those may not be the exact words but that’s the type of translation that’s […]