Driving is not just a skill to be honed. It is also a responsibility to maintain safety on the road through skill, patience, and presence of mind. To carry out this responsibility, drivers need to understand the importance of being safe and adaptable on the road. One of the essential skills for being flexible on the road was the ability to safely navigate multiple types of road environments. Driving in different terrains requires a variable set of driving skills and alertness. Along with the difference in driving mechanics, the changing road conditions also require critical thinking and quick decision-making skills. As a driving instructor, you must strive to teach your students the skills and qualities necessary to master driving in diverse terrains. Driving instructor course aim to equip instructors with the strategies needed to teach drivers the skills to navigate any road condition safely. Here are a few pointers that can help drivers and instructors in adjusting their driving to the changing terrains:
Navigating Urban Streets
Urban city streets are meticulously planned and properly made to connect people and places. With the number of city-dwellers rising daily, city roads are always full of vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Driving in such crowded conditions can be challenging. Instructors should teach drivers to remain alert and constantly look out for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles. Drivers should also learn the importance of following traffic lights and signals, avoiding blindspots and hazards on the road by checking mirrors often and planning their routes early on to avoid getting stuck in traffic jams.
Tackling Rural Roads
Rural roads on the other hand are a whole different story. It’s not just the road conditions but also the climate, area, and infrastructure that become a factor when driving in rural areas. In rural areas, the roads are not as well-built as in the cities. Instructors should instill in their students the habit of driving slowly and cautiously when in rural areas. Handling a vehicle or braking on rural roads is harder and requires more alertness and caution. They should not shy away from using headlights in low visibility conditions like nighttime. Rural roads are also prone to having wildlife roaming around, especially after dark, so drivers should also be prepared.
Driving on Highways
Driving on highways requires drivers to follow some unwritten yet agreed-upon rules. For example, it is understood that drivers should keep a longer distance between vehicles on the highways as these roads have vehicles speeding about, and smaller following distances can cause collisions. Instructors should teach the students more about the rules of driving on highways along with skills like using mirrors to check for blindspots before merging lanes or exiting the highway. They should also teach drivers about the bigger blind spots of trucks and heavy vehicles and encourage them to use cruise control to maintain their speed.
Conquering Mountainous Areas
Driving in the mountains is a challenging and risky job. Instructors should encourage drivers to be careful and alert when driving on mountain lands. Drivers should use lower gears when driving up an incline to maintain good control of their vehicle while climbing up. Similarly, when driving down a slope, they should use brakes wisely. When encountering a turn in the roads, they should slow down their speed and keep their eyes open for any wildlife. Mountainous regions also see rapid weather changes. Drivers should be prepared to drive in adverse weather and carry an emergency kit in their vehicle.
Conclusion
As a driver, embracing the diversity of different roads can help you become more flexible and alert. Whether you’re navigating busy city streets or winding paths of a village, you must have the ability to adapt to changing road conditions quickly. However, achieving mastery in anything requires regular practice and dedication. Driving instructors should help the students to stay alert and practice regularly. Driving instructor course from institutions like the Academy of Road Safety are designed specifically to educate the instructors in the art of teaching. These courses might give instructors the right strategies to develop a safety-first mindset. But when it comes to developing qualities like patience, road awareness, presence of mind, and quick decision-making, it’s mostly up to the capabilities of the instructors. Hence, it’s important that driving instructors also remain open to learning new ways and methods to help them develop better and safer drivers for the future.
Also Read: A2zEduCen: Unlocking the Future of Education