In-Car Instruction, Risk Management, and Student Records
Pre-drive setup
Before each lesson, verify the student’s permit or license, parent/guardian consent, and any medical information. Inspect the training vehicle: tires, lights, brakes, fluids, mirrors, and dual-control brake. Adjust seat, head restraint, mirrors, and seat belts; clear the cabin of distractions. Plan a route matched to the student’s skill level and the day’s objective.
Coaching in motion
Use a brief-demonstrate-practice-feedback cycle. Give directions early and in neutral language; keep your eyes far ahead and scan for hazards the student may miss. Cover the brake in high-risk zones. Do not grab the wheel unless there is imminent danger; use the dual brake when the student fails to respond, then pull over and debrief. Progress from parking lot to residential streets, arterials, and highways; introduce night and bad-weather driving only when the student is ready.
Risk management
Choose low-traffic times and routes, avoid known construction and severe weather, and manage fatigue. Teach emergency procedures-tire blowout, brake failure, engine stall, and off-road recovery-before they are needed. Carry insurance information, first-aid supplies, and a phone. Report every collision, near-miss, and injury according to school policy, and document vehicle maintenance.
Student records
Keep the enrollment agreement, copy of the permit/license, parent consent, attendance, behind-the-wheel hour log, skills rubric, remediation notes, completion certificate, and incident reports. Retain records as DDS rules require and release them only to authorized persons; a parent or guardian of a minor generally has access. If the school is part of an educational institution, apply FERPA-style confidentiality. Never falsify hours or sign a completion certificate for a student who has not met the criteria.
Worked example. A student approaches an intersection as the light turns yellow and freezes. The instructor first gives a clear instruction: “Ease off the accelerator and prepare to stop.” If the student does not respond and a crash is imminent, the instructor uses the dual brake, stops safely, and debriefs: what the student saw, what decision was missed, and what to do next time. The incident is logged, but the instructor does not grab the wheel and yank the car sideways.
Traps that cost marks
- Grabbing the wheel instead of using instruction and the dual brake.
- Advancing to highway or night driving before basic control is consistent.
- Falsifying or rounding up BTW hours.
- Releasing student records without authorization or skipping incident reports.