Learning to drive a car is a difficult and stressful task for many people. Dedicated vehicles for this purpose must meet the relevant requirements. What should a car for learning to drive be like?
Getting a driver’s license is one of the most important decisions most people make as soon as they reach the age of majority. Being able to drive and having your own personal car is undoubtedly a huge convenience in everyday life. The first step to obtaining a license of any category is to enroll in a course to prepare for the driving test.
Like the final exam itself, the course consists of two parts. The first of them – theoretical – is similar to learning at school and for most people is not a big problem. For the practical part, however, many students may feel a little insecure or even scared. For this reason, driving school cars have been specially tailored to the needs of aspiring drivers, in order to make it easier for them to take their first steps, provide comfort and increase safety during their first hours behind the wheel. When we sit behind the wheel, we need to feel confident so that the initial stress or difficulties do not discourage us from further participation in traffic.
Practical part of the driving course includes at least 30 hours of learning how to drive on the road. This is the minimum value set by Polish regulations – in the case of some schools we will also meet with an offer that includes a longer preparation for independent driving. If you feel insecure before the test, you can also sign up for additional driving hours.
During the course there is always an instructor in the passenger seat. He or she will help you, pass on knowledge, give you additional tips and ensure the safety of both the novice driver and other road users. What is more, during the course the students drive specially prepared cars that must meet the legal requirements. At first glance, the cars are distinguished from others by a characteristic “L” that must be placed on the roof of the vehicle. The regulations also indicate that it should be illuminated, so that its visibility does not diminish in adverse conditions.
However, the “L” is not the only thing that distinguishes learning cars from other cars. What other conditions must a vehicle for a driving course meet?
This is the first major difference, which is intended to help with safety and with learning to drive itself. You will usually find an additional clutch and brake, and in some cases there may also be a second gas pedal. They are located under the legs sitting next to the instructor, who, having constant access to them, controls the driving of the student. In case of an emergency he is able to react in a short time and in an appropriate way, so that the learner can be sure that in case of a mistake his error will be quickly corrected. An additional set of pedals is directly connected to the “proper” ones, located under the driver’s feet. This way, if the instructor uses either of them, the pedals on the left side will work proportionally
Mirrors in a car and other motor vehicles allow for constant control of the environment on the road. They allow the driver to see both the space on the sides of the car and the space behind. Cars adapted for driving lessons are equipped with additional mirrors that allow the instructor to monitor the surroundings. First of all, there is a second rear-view mirror, as well as special overlays on the side mirrors. The position of the mirrors is adjusted to the instructor’s position, which allows him to observe the situation on the street, help the student and give him the necessary instructions
Additional cameras are an element that is not usually found in cars designed just for learning. It is, however, mandatory in the cars in which we have to pass the final exam. Thanks to the monitoring, the entire exam is recorded – from the start of the engine until the end of driving.
Learning to drive cars are usually very similar models of cars, which have been previously adjusted to the equipment described above. Models of cars for learning differ depending on the region and city on whose streets we learn to drive. The most common models are B-segment cars, such as Hyundai i20, Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, Fiat Punto, Renault Clio or Suzuki Swift.
These are vehicles with a similar design – they are usually small in size, making it much easier to move them around town. Buying such a car as your own vehicle for a novice driver can be a great choice due to the habits of the course and the exam, as well as adequate comfort and safety of driving.
