If a pupil is to make effective progress, they must have an accurate idea of how well they're doing. It would be dangerous if they moved on to a more complex driving task before mastering all the competencies required to perform that task successfully. Ideally, the process should start with you encouraging the pupil to identify their own weaknesses.

When booking a driving-test appointment, it's important to declare if the candidate is deaf. This will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the test.

When teaching your pupil the turn-in-the-road exercise, you should explain that having the car under control is only part of the procedure. They also need to be aware of other road users and know how to deal with them safely.

If a pupil isn't responding to a particular part of the learning programme, with a bit of help they'll normally be able to say what's going wrong. In saying what's wrong, they'll often be able to tell you what it will take to get over the problem.

At junctions where the view is restricted, you need to make sure your pupil has time to assess the situation. Teach them to approach slowly and get a good look at the traffic situation before making a decision.

Learning targets should be realistic and attainable; reaching a learning target will reinforce a pupil's progress. Setting objectives that are too ambitious or too complex is more likely to demotivate pupils.

You may need to check your pupil's understanding by asking questions. If they offer a partially correct answer, you should confirm the correct parts and, to complete their understanding, give them feedback on where they went wrong.

If you're driving at night or in poor visibility, tinted lenses will make everything appear darker. This will make it more difficult for you to see in what are already difficult conditions.

Insurance companies are likely to charge a higher premium for people who have been convicted of driving while unfit through drink or drugs. This is because they've shown that they're a risk to others on the road.

If you're involved in a collision, a correctly adjusted head restraint will reduce the risk of neck and back injury. It may not be effective if it's not properly adjusted.

Some people find learning to drive easy, while others struggle with the challenge. It's important that lessons are matched to the pupil's ability. Mismatching lessons and ability can lead to loss of confidence, disinterest and dissatisfaction.

When stopping a car, a gear change is often not needed. Modern cars have powerful brakes and tyres with good grip. This makes it generally unnecessary to select a lower gear before stopping.

Learning isn't always a continuous upward process. Sometimes pupils simply need time to consolidate learning before moving on. On other occasions there may be something blocking progress. You should work with the learner to understand what's happening and decide how to proceed.

Detailed instruction should decrease as the pupil's ability increases. An instructor shouldn't be controlling the pupil all of the time. This takes the initiative away from the pupil and could be considered over-instruction.

As people age, their reactions tend to slow and they can take longer to assess hazards. Don't try to rush them, but be tolerant and patient.