Have you ever driven in rain or snow? As exciting as it may sound, driving in inclement weather is not a piece of cake. It requires expert driving skills and a good knowledge of potential hazards. Drivers need to have proactive driving skills, a good understanding of their vehicle’s capabilities and maintenance, and proper preparation to face challenges posed by unpredictable weather. This is where driving instructors come in, teaching you the necessary skills and imparting important knowledge you can use to face such adverse conditions. Driving instructor courses teach key strategies to instructors to help them give their students a comprehensive driving education, including driving safely in inclement weather. Let us explore the key strategies that driving instructors need to ensure responsible driving even in adverse weather:
Plan Before You Travel:
Many countries have unpredictable weather most of the year and Australia is no exception. Also known as the loans of extremes, Australia has fluctuating temperatures with high heat in the central desert regions and cold in the southeast. And with climate change making weather quite unpredictable, you often encounter unexpected rains and snow. Driving instructors should teach their students to prepare for the weather conditions in their areas. For example, driving instructors in Melbourne should prepare the students to drive in different weather conditions as the city is known to have unpredictable weather. Teach the students the importance of checking the weather forecast before and during driving. Also, encourage them to prepare alternate routes and stay ready for weather delays in their journey.
Check Your Vehicle Properly:
Another important thing instructors should teach novice drivers is the importance of vehicle understanding and maintenance. Before starting a journey or commute, the drivers should check their vehicles thoroughly to ensure everything is in working order. This includes tire tread checks, checking for tire pressure, working wipers, and fuel checks. Also, teach them to prepare extra fluids for handling adverse conditions.
Keep a Safe Following Distance:
Adverse weather conditions include heavy winds, rain, snow, etc. Driving through these conditions can be challenging even for experienced drivers. Driving instructors should teach students the right strategies to drive on wet roads and in cold weather. The first and foremost rule of safe driving is maintaining a safe distance and it stands for all weather. Driving instructor courses emphasize teaching novice drivers the importance of maintaining a safe distance, especially on wet or snow-filled roads. This helps the drivers prepare for any sudden hazards on the road ahead, like the driver ahead stopping unexpectedly or wildlife crossing the road.
Adjust Your Speed:
Driving instructors also need to emphasize the need to adjust speed according to the road and weather conditions. Roads have road limits specified and following these limits is indeed a safe endeavor. Driving below the speed limit ensures you can stay prepared for an unexpected hazard on the road like having the vehicle before you stop suddenly. Also, different road conditions require different driving approaches. Driving fast on a wet road is like inviting accidents. Hence, it’s important to adjust the speed to match the road as well as the weather conditions.
Try For Better Visibility:
Visibility is often the biggest challenge of adverse weather. Instructors should emphasize striving for better visibility in adverse weather conditions. This is achievable with some simple checks and vehicle maintenance before driving. Most novice drivers are unaware of all the features and functions of their vehicles and their parts. Instructors should teach students to use headlights and fog lights when the weather requires them and use defrosters correctly. Clear windows can improve visibility in adverse weather, hence using wipers is also recommended. They should also encourage students to cultivate the habit of keeping the windows and mirrors clean.
Learn to Identify Hazards:
Adverse weather brings many unexpected hazards like low visibility, black ice, etc. Losing control of the vehicle is also a possibility in adverse conditions. Instructors should endeavor to train their students to recognize and handle such unforeseen hazards. Teach the students to identify black ice, drive in low visibility, strategies to increase visibility, and maintain control of the vehicle in tough road conditions. They should also teach the students defensive driving techniques like keeping a safe distance and adjusting vehicle speed according to weather and road environment.
Inclement weather makes driving challenging even for experienced drivers. So, it’s not surprising to find novice drivers struggling in such conditions. However, with the right skills and proper preparation, it is possible to drive safely even during inclement weather. Driving instructors face a tough challenge in preparing their students for unfavorable weather. Many Australian Driving schools like the Academy of Road Safety offer driving instructor course like TLI41222 to guide instructors on using the right methods to teach their students to drive safely in inclement weather. With these tips and techniques, instructors can strive to prepare their students to face any challenge of the weather when driving!
