Hello!

Any parents of teenagers have tips on the learning to drive stage? especially a manual car?


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  • I learnt in a manual but now drive an automatic. It is a great skill to have even if I don’t use it now.


  • From experience being taught in a manual car is the best because if there ever was an emergency, the person will be able to successfully drive any car they may have to. Take your time, be patient and try a shopping centre car park before venturing to the back streets


  • I’m interested in this question too. There is some great advice on here from others.


  • My recommendation is to start with a driving school for the basics, then take over for the majority of the log book hours, and finish with a couple more lessons just before the driving test.


  • Yes, my daughter is on her P plates and son on L plates so it’s current information. I took both of them to empty carparks at our local University of TAFE college on the weekends. Just got them to start the car and do a few stalls and bunny hops and then off with the circuits. They could practice taking off and going from first to second gear, U turns, parking and 3 point turns. I didn’t have the guts to take them on the roads though and hired an instructor. It cost $60 an hour and once they got a bit of experience and courage I put the instructors lessons on hold and did the remainder of their log book hours with them. Then closer to turning 17 got the instructor back for fine tuning and practice ready to take their test. Hope this helps.


  • I taught 3 of our daughters to drive in a manual car. The first one took 10 minutes to just turn the key! To start with, I drove to quiet suburbs and they drove around. We live on a 100k highway and necessary to make handbrake starts at the top of the drive. After they gained confidence, it was just short distances to our township but very regular. Then longer distances and I let them drive whenever I needed to travel. Our youngest has ASD and severe anxiety so it took over a year before I felt she was confident enough for the first test then another year before she went for her P’s . Before both tests, they all had a professional lesson. They all passed first time – very proud of them. It does take patience and tears of frustration on their part but they are now all great drivers.


  • Time and patience are the only tips I can give you. My son is doing well now after twelve months, but we have spent a lot of time practicing in car parks and on back quiet roads.


  • I don’t but I’d recommend starting with slow moves in a parking lot and a few professional lessons if possible. Just build up slowly it will be better for your heart rate


  • I think there’s real value in having at least a few lessons from a professional instructor.


  • I dont have any teenagers yet. But when I started to drive, my mum got me to say what each sign was as we went passed and explained what it meant.
    We started on quite roads with less traffic, then progress to bigger roads once I was confident enough to drive in heavier traffic.
    Also it’s best to get your teen use to the car, before driving anywhere. There is nothing like trying to find which side is the windscreen wipers or the indicators.
    Good luck. Hope what I’ve said helps.


  • Lots of patience! And a few professional lessons to get you started, they have tge training and proper cars for learner drivers


  • If you have access to a farm or paddock, start there. Otherwise quiet roats and parking areas. Take advantage of driving courses at the PCYC and the driving instructor at RMS/Services NSW(or the equivalent for where you live. Stay calm! I remember getting overwhelmed by my mum stressing out over nothing which made me hate driving


  • Not myself, but my friend does. She has learnt 3x teenager to drive in a manual car. She started off at quiet roads and quiet parking lots.


  • No but good luck!


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