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Practice hints
Don't carry passengers. There is no law to stop you having a passenger in the back of the car. It is not normally a good idea to carry extra passengers, because it can affect your concentration. If you do then sit them where they will not restrict your view in the mirror.
Stay alert. Some beginners may give the impression of being confident and in control but may be totally unprepared to deal with any sudden change in conditions and very reliant on you, the co-driver, for guidance and even assistance in control. Anticipate problems and always be ready to react.
Communicate clearly. Give directions well in advance and try to always use the same terms (don't say accelerator one time and gas pedal the next, for example).
Don't hit the beginner with everything at once. A simple right turn, for example, involves several steps—checking mirrors, signaling, checking blind areas, braking, positioning, checking for traffic before the turn and steering. To expect a beginner to follow all of these correctly during the early sessions is asking too much.
Don't get excited during practice sessions. This communicates itself quickly to the driver and can make performance difficult.
Don't overload. A big part of being an instructor or co-driver is reminding the driver to check traffic and to signal and to bring attention to potential hazards. But once again, remember that everything you say is also a distraction for the driver. Be sparing in your comments and, above all, try to avoid letting the beginner get into situations he or she can't handle.
Stop and discuss. When your family/friend makes a mistake, he or she may not be clear as to what went wrong. Explaining and discussing while on the move is not very effective. The beginner is too busy driving! Stop as soon as you can, while the mistake is still fresh in the memory, and sort out the problem. Don't jump on every mistake, however, and make a big thing of it. This will affect the beginner's confidence and concentration on the driving task.
Don't clash with what the professional driving instructor teaches. If your teen is doing something that you think is incorrect and maintains that the driving instructor teaches this way—talk to the driving instructor. Student drivers often wrongly interpret their instructor's directions.
Learning to drive must not be a nightmare. Whilst a 17-year-old often avoids to be seen with a parent, when it comes to driving, they are always willing to go out. Make it an enjoyable time for both of you.