The Turn in the Road

The turn in the road is the original driving test manoeuvre.  It was introduced when the driving test was created.  Most driving schools teach this early on in your driver training. 

Your driving instructor will choose a nice quiet and wide road for your first go.  They will talk to you about the manoeuvre and talk to you as you try it out for the first few times. 

After a couple of driving lesson you will find that you can do the turn in the road quiet easily. Your driving instructor will take you to narrower roads, roads with cars about.  They will ask you to turn the car around on roads with a steep camber.  The camber is the way the road slopes to the kern.

The secrets to the Turn in the Road

Look where you are going.  As you reverse the car look over your left shoulder until the car starts to point the other way.  Then look over your right shoulder and look for the kern.

 Do not use the mirrors – they will not give the true picture. 

Use your clutch and brake for this exercise.  Small foot movements will give the best control.

Start the manoeuvre from a parked position and make full use of the kern

Why do I need to know this?

Imagine that you have taken the wrong turning.  You need to go back the way you came.  There are no roundabouts, and you cannot drive round the block. 

The turn in the road is usually the safest way of turning the car round.

It used to be called the three point turn.  The examiners are not worried about the number of points in the turn, as long as it right for the road.

How do I do this?

Before you start

• Is it safe to do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it legal to do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it going to affect other road users if you do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it possible to do the manoeuvre here?

Step 1

• Start with the car in the normal parking position.
• Prepare the car to move off as you normally would.
• Check all around you.  Left shoulder – each mirror – right shoulder.
• Move off very slowly.  Steer right fast.
• Stop just before you hit the kern.  Just before you stop flick the wheel to the left.
• Handbrake

Step 2

• Prepare the car into reverse.
• Look left and right
• Look over your left shoulder – out of the back window.
• Move off very slowly.  Steer left fast.
• As the car starts to point to the right look over your right shoulder and look for the kern.
• Stop before you hit the kern.  Before you stop flick the wheel to the right.
• Handbrake

 Step 3

• Prepare the car into first gear.
• Look left and right
• Drive off slowly steering rapidly to the right
• When you are in your normal road position check your mirrors and build up speed.

Points to note

1. It is not a three point turn.  Three is the minimum number of points that this manoeuvre takes.
2. If another road user appears complete the step that you are on and then wait for them to decide what to do.

What are the examiners looking for?

The examiner will tell you what they are looking for.  The list includes

Make full use of the road

Keep the car under control

Not hit the kern

Take account of other road users

Not take too long over the turn in the road

Turn in the Road The turn in the road is the original driving test manoeuvre. It was introduced when the driving test was created. Most driving schools teach this early on in your driver training. Your driving instructor will choose a nice quiet and wide road for your first go. They will talk to you about the manoeuvre and talk to you as you try it out for the first few times. After a couple of driving lesson you will find that you can do the turn in the road quiet easily. Your driving instructor will take you to narrower roads, roads with cars about. They will ask you to turn the car around on roads with a steep camber. The camber is the way the road slopes to the kern. The secrets to the Turn in the Road Look where you are going. As you reverse the car look over your left shoulder until the car starts to point the other way. Then look over your right shoulder and look for the kern. Do not use the mirrors – they will not give the true picture. Use your clutch and brake for this exercise. Small foot movements will give the best control. Start the manoeuvre from a parked position and make full use of the kern Why do I need to know this? Imagine that you have taken the wrong turning. You need to go back the way you came. There are no roundabouts, and you cannot drive round the block. The turn in the road is usually the safest way of turning the car round. It used to be called the three point turn. The examiners are not worried about the number of points in the turn, as long as it right for the road. How do I do this? Before you start • Is it safe to do the manoeuvre here? • Is it legal to do the manoeuvre here? • Is it going to affect other road users if you do the manoeuvre here? • Is it possible to do the manoeuvre here? Step 1 • Start with the car in the normal parking position. • Prepare the car to move off as you normally would. • Check all around you. Left shoulder – each mirror – right shoulder. • Move off very slowly. Steer right fast. • Stop just before you hit the kern. Just before you stop flick the wheel to the left. • Handbrake Step 2 • Prepare the car into reverse. • Look left and right • Look over your left shoulder – out of the back window. • Move off very slowly. Steer left fast. • As the car starts to point to the right look over your right shoulder and look for the kern. • Stop before you hit the kern. Before you stop flick the wheel to the right. • Handbrake Step 3 • Prepare the car into first gear. • Look left and right • Drive off slowly steering rapidly to the right • When you are in your normal road position check your mirrors and build up speed. Points to note 1. It is not a three point turn. Three is the minimum number of points that this manoeuvre takes. 2. If another road user appears complete the step that you are on and then wait for them to decide what to do. What are the examiners looking for? The examiner will tell you what they are looking for. The list includes Make full use of the road Keep the car under control Not hit the kern Take account of other road users Not take too long over the turn in the road

27774 people were seriously injured – beyond hope of full recovery.

 The number of deaths among car users was 1,432.

The number of car users seriously injured was 11,535.

This is a shocking indictment of the way the UK licences its drivers. 

We are not concerned about the overall figures.  Instead, I want to concentrate on the 17 – 25 year olds.  This is the driving test demographic.   This age group is involved in nearly a fifth of all car accidents.

We need to establish the figures for the target group.  Transport for London has done this for us.  They said that in 2008 17 – 25 year old drivers were involved in 18% of all crashes.  Simple maths and we arrive at the figures we need. 

4999 people were seriously injured – beyond hope of full recovery.

The number of deaths among car users was 258

 The number of car users seriously injured was 2076

The Driving Standards Agency is responsible for driving tests in the UK.  They say that those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training combined with 22 hours of private practice. Learners who prepare this way, with a combination of plenty of professional training and plenty of practice, do better in the test.

Yet the problem remains.  17 – 25 year old newly qualified drivers are not properly prepared for life on the roads.  There are three main reasons for this.

In the UK, the driving test is a rite of passage.  It does fit Ninian Smarts description of a religious rite.  The driving test is seen as something to prepare for – An ordeal to be survived.  Learner drives are made test ready and not road ready.

The second factor at play is money.  Learning to drive is expensive.  Parents put driving schools and driving instructors under a lot of pressure to take pupils to test as quickly as possible.  Ask any instructor if they have heard this phrase from a parent.  “It only took me 10 lessons”

The next factor at play is the test regime itself.  It is inadequate for modern driving.  The theory test is neither use nor ornament.  Learner drivers can buy CDroms with the questions and answers supplied.  There is little incentive for them to learn the subject.  The driving test is only thirty minutes.  This is not enough time to test persons driving skills.

These factors combine to release young drivers onto the roads with out the depth of skills and knowledge they need to stay safe.

Research into Drivers Ed

The main academic research into drivers Ed’ focuses on one study in America.  It demonstrates that drivers’ has an effect on road safety.

This experiment took place in DeKalb county Atlanta.  The high school students were divided into two cohorts.  One received drivers and the other did not.

This study showed that a course of drivers Ed reduced the number of accidents in the first sixth months after test by 6%.  The reference for this is a 1994 report to congress by NHTSA. 

The effect disappeared after six months.   This puzzled many of the American researchers.  The answer is simple – the longer you have been driving the more road experience you have – the more experience the less likely you are to have accidents.  The accident rates even out after two years in this country.

The only conclusion that I can draw from the American studies is Drivers Ed pre-loads driving experience.  Drivers Ed is worth six months of driving experience.

European Research.

There is no research published in Europe on this topic. 

There is one study on styles of driver testing and training.   Stefan Siegrist, Ph. D. Of  the Swiss Council for Injury Prevention bfu  published it  at the Forum on Driver Education and Training,  NTSB, Washington, 28/29 October 2003. 

The UK and Holland have the lowest accident rates in Europe.  The difference between the Dutch and the British is structure.  The Dutch system is tightly structured.

The Dutch recently piloted a tightly structured driver raining course.  It involves a series of modules similar.   The Dutch course is called Driver Training Steps. 

In the Dutch province of Gelderland in 2001, a small-scale test with the DTS took place (Nägele & Vissers, 2001). For the 109 DTS learners, the pass rate on their first driving test was 83%. In the period immediately before the DTS was introduced, the pass rate for the regular learners at the same driving schools was 46%.

 In addition, the DTS learners had not needed more lessons than the group of regular learners with the 46% pass rate. From January 2002 to April 2003, a large scale follow-up study was done in Gelderland in which 557 DTS learners participated. In this study their pass rate was 75% compared to 53% for the regular driver training given by driving schools involved in this second DTS test.

Claims for Drivers Ed.

It is reasonable to expect that a tightly structured drivers’ course will reduce post-test accidents by 6%.  It could prevent 300 KSI accidents a year.

A higher pass rate.  This is supported by the Dutch experience and the experience of instructors in the UK who structure their training.  The effect will be an 8 to 10% increase in pass rates.

A UK Drivers Ed’ Programme will save lives.

The parallel and bay parks were introduced to the driving test at the time of the last test reform.  They were introduced to tackle the rising number of car park bumps.  They also increase the number of parking spaces in which you can park.

Learner drivers practice thesemanoeuvres in their driving lessons.  The driving instructor will teach them the best techniques for them.  The techniques in this article will suit most readers.

Remember – if you struggle with any aspect of driving contact a local driving school.  They will be happy to help for the price of a driving lesson. 

Parallel Park

Why do I need to know this?

This is possibly the most useful of the set manoeuvres. 

In many towns, most of the parking spaces are on the road, alongside the kerb. 

The chances are that you will need to fit in between two cars.  If you drive into the gap, you will need at least four car lengths.  If you reverse in to the gap, you will need about two car lengths.  Reversing in increases the chance of being able to park.

How do I do this?

Before you start

1.     Check that the gap is big enough

2.     Check that you are not going to hold up traffic

3.     Check that the car behind you knows what you are doing

The manoeuvre

1. Draw alongside the car around which you are going to reverse.  Position yourself as though you were going to pass it in a narrow road.
2. Stop with your shoulders level with the other cars door mirrors.  Make sure that your car is straight and the steering wheel is straight.
3. Quickly take your seat belt off and put the car into reverse.
4. Look out of the left rear window.  When you see the corner of the other car steer to the left until your car is at an angle of about 45 degrees to the kerb.  It should be about half a right angle.
5. Look at the front of your car.  Steer gently to the right.
6. When your tax disc is pointing at the kerbside corner of the other car steer hard to the right until the car is parallel with the kerb
7. Stop the car when it is close to and parallel with the kerb,

Points to note

Make sure that you finish with the car within two car lengths of the car in front. 

You should not block any driveways to your left.  If, in your test, you are going to block a drive tell the examiner “I am going to reverse clear of the drive, but it will take me more than two car lengths from the car in front”.  Then reverse clear of the drive, unless the examiner stops you.

The Bay Park

Why do I need to know this?

It is normally safer to reverse into a parking bay. 

Imagine that you are at Tesco’s on a busy Saturday. 

You have driven straight into a parking bay.  You are reversing out after shopping.  How far do you have to reverse before you see the child that has run off from its mum?  Same situation, but you reversed into the bay.  How far forward do you have to go before you see that child?

It is safer to reverse into a parking bay.  You can see more when you pull out again.

Unless the parking bays are at an angle or other drivers have parked badly you should reverse into the parking bay.

This is the same skill as reversing around a sharp corner or onto a drive.

How do I do this?

There are two methods.  The straight bay park, and the angled bay park.  We will look at the straight bay park.  Ask your instructor to take you through both methods.

Before you start

1.     Chose your bay.  Ones to your right are normally easiest.

2.     Make sure that it is big enough.  Can you get out of the car when you are parked?  Don’t laugh – it does happen.

Doing the bay park

1.     Position your self three to four bays beyond the bay you want. 

2.     Position the car towards the centre of the lane.  Make sure that you let people know what you are doing.  Put the car into reverse as soon as you can.

3.     Look over your right shoulder, reverse back very slowly, steer the car into your target bay.

4.     As the car straightens up check your door mirrors.  Make sure that the car is in the centre of the bay.  Straighten the car and the steering wheel. 

5.     Look over your left shoulder and reverse back until you are inside the parking bay.

Points to note

It is vital that you keep checking all around you as you reverse into the parking bay.

Rule number one sates “Everybody else on the road is a complete and utter fool.  Treat them as such.  Stay well away and tell them what you are going to do”.   Staying away from foolish drivers is easy.  You need to develop the habit of good hazard awareness.  Try to see what the other driver is about to do well before they become a problem.

Even the best drivers are caught out occasionally.  They will have to react quickly to prevent an accident.  This article explains how to stop in an emergency.

Ask your driving instructor if you can practice the emergency stop.  You should practice it with in a driving school car.  Other drivers expect you to stop suddenly.  The driving instructor knows when it is safe to stop suddenly.

You should only use this technique to prevent injury to yourself or another road user. 

You are driving along a country road and a small bird flies out of a hedge six feet from you.  You would not carry out an emergency stop, it is not going to hurt you or damage the car.  If a sheep ran out six feet from you then you would need the emergency stop.  The impact will hurt you and the car. 

You are driving in town and a little Scottie dog runs into the road a few feet ahead.  You would not do the emergency stop.  It is not likely to hurt you or the car.  A German Shepherd Dog would need an emergency stop because that impact will hurt you and the car.

This does not mean that you should run over dogs or birds.  If you can stop in time then stop. 

What if a child runs out in front of you?  What if a car pulls out in front of you? 

You will need to practice the manoeuvre.  Only your driving instructor or driving examiner can insist on you doing this exercise.  We are trained to decide if it safe.  If you are practising with a relative, you both must decide if it is safe.

The Controlled Stop

The emergency stop is best described as the controlled stop.  You want to stop quickly and under control.

Do not check your mirrors.  There is no time.

Hold the steering wheel firmly.

Brake followed straight away by the clutch

Firm fast breaking to a halt

Secure the car and check no one is hurt. 

Move off as you normally would.

Skids

Skids are caused by driver error.  The driver was not driving to the road and traffic conditions.

If you are skidding, lift your feet off the pedals

If you are skidding in a straight line just keep the steering wheel straight.

If you are skidding to the right steer to the left until the car is straight.

If you are skidding to the left, steer to the right.

ABS

Most modern cars are equipped with ABS.  This is a system of sensors.  If the wheels are locking under hard braking, the sensors make the car take over braking.  The car will pump the breaks faster than any human can.

ABS allows you to steer in an emergency.  IT DOES NOT PREVENT SKIDDING.

If, when braking in an emergency, you feel a ‘thump thump’ under the pedals it is the ABS.  Just keep braking.

Posttest training does two things.  It fills in the blanks in your learner driver training. The focus of the driving lessons changes.  The focus is on the skills a qualified driver needs.   This takes you from learner driver to real driver.

One of the most important skills a real driver can develop is defensive driving.

A defensive driver is not a scared driver.  A driver seems to be in the right place at the right time at the right speed.  A defensive driver sees the problems early and reacts to avoid any difficulties.

We will be learning about the five skills of a good driver. Spend a day practicing each skill on your own before you do your in car training.

Skill 1 – Look well ahead

Think back to when you were learning to drive.  Did things seem to happen all of a sudden?  When you are learning to drive your attention is focused in the car.  As you developed as a driver, you became more aware of what was going on around you.   The hazard perception test helped develop your awareness of the road ahead.  Skill 1 takes hazard perception to the next level. 

The human eye has evolved to see into the distance and pick up movement close by.  So, by making an effort to look as far down the road as you can you are making the best use of your eyes.

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.  Look as far down the road as you can.  Say what you see out loud. 

Skill 2 – Keep your eyes moving

The human eye is never still.  It is constantly moving about.  Try staring at the end of a pencil for two minutes.  What happens to the end of the pencil?

In driving, we use the natural movements of our eyes

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.

Start by looking as far down the road as you can.  Now look from building to building – scan the pavements as well as the road.  Now check to each side of the car.  Now look in the rear mirror.  Keep repeating this cycle.  How much more did you see compared to the last exercise.

Skill 3 – Spot the problems

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.  Give a running commentary on what is happening around you.  Every time you spot a hazard or problem, say it aloud.

Skill 4 – Keep space

Now that you have practiced spotting the problems, you need to practice keeping space around you.  You know that you need to stay back from the car in front.  What about the sides?  Adjust your position in the road to keep the greatest space from the greatest danger.  A bike to the right and parked car to the left – move to the left.

Remember never hurry to slow down.  As soon as you see a problem, react to it.  React early and adjust your speed – chances are the problem will have cleared before you get there.

Skill 5 – Be seen

Make sure that you signal your intentions to other drivers as early as is safe.