In-Car Driving Lessons

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What Lake-Mendo Driving School Teaches During In-car Training

When selecting a driving school, you should always ask for the details of what will be taught during lessons. Many driving schools use a cookie-cutter approach when giving lessons. They do basically the same thing for all students regardless of what the student actually needs. The standard lesson given by the majority of driving instructors is to take long, straight drives that do not cover the vital important details that new drivers need to learn. At Lake-Mendo, every student receives lessons customized to their individual needs and experience. With Lake-Mendo, you will receive one-on-one instruction and you will be the only student in the car.

Below are many of the concepts provided in our lessons for teenagers under eighteen needing the required six hours of training with a school, or adults who have never driven before and are starting at the beginning. For adults with experience, a lesson or lessons will be tailored to your needs.

We try to cover the majority of the following concepts for all students, however, this can depend on the progress of the individual person. Lessons will include what we believe will help the student the most.

What you should expect from a professional driving school (over six hours of lessons):

  • A review of the basic controls and instruments of the car
  • Proper way to apply and release the emergency/parking brake and using the brake in an emergency
  • Recommendations for holding the steering wheel and types of steering methods
  • How to adjust mirrors for best control of blind spot
  • Residential concepts:
    • Review of different types of intersections
    • Explanation of regulations for stopping at stop signs
    • Practice making left and right turns (right turns can be difficult for new students)
    • Use of rear-view mirror when making turns and while driving
    • The idea of turning-with-the-curb
    • Proper lane selection when turning
    • U-turn or three-point turn on two lane road (legal only in residential areas)
    • Applying right of way rules
    • Precautions needed when using a cul-de-sac
  • Practical experience driving from home to school or job location so the student will be ready to do this when practicing with someone
  • Street/In-Town driving
    • Lane control and proper lane selection
    • Procedure of using bike lanes (where available)
    • How to turn from and into center turn lanes (where available)
    • What to do when approaching a green light (where available)
    • Practicing traffic lights both protected and unprotected (where available)
    • Review of the procedure for turning right on red light
    • Awareness of the pedestrian crosswalk “blind spot”
    • How to handle jay-walkers
    • How to respond to vehicles exiting parking lots and driveways
    • How to work with bikers and pedestrians
    • Proper signally before entering dedicated turn lanes
    • How to handle driving a street with parallel parking along the right side
  • Practicing a round-about (where available)
  • Practicing multi-lane changing
  • Additional maneuvers:
    • Backing up along a curb as required for DMV road test
    • Angle/perpendicular parking
    • Practicing pulling over safely onto the side of road to let other cars pass
    • U-turns at traffic light, stop sign, or from center turn lane (where available)
    • How to turn around on a two lane curving road safely
  • Emphasis throughout lessons is placed on:
    • Use of mirrors
    • Proper braking and acceleration
    • Evaluating proper speed
    • Consistent speed control
    • Proper space cushion and following distance
    • Concept of leaving “an out”
    • Practice of the “check again/look again” rule
    • Blind spot checking whenever moving the car into a different lane
    • The distance rule for turning out in front of approaching cars
    • Proper placement of car when yielding to on-coming cars when making a left turn
    • Aiming high, keeping eyes moving, looking ahead for road hazards
  • Thorough review for the DMV road test. We cannot show you the actual test routes because this is against DMV regulations and an instructor and school can lose their license for doing this.
  • While the above list is extensive, there are additional concepts that may be included in lessons

Please give me a call at 707-295-1994 for any questions or to schedule a lesson. I enjoy teaching and look forward to helping you learn how to drive.

Sharon Michaels
Owner/Instructor

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California DMV Licensed Driving School #E2037
14264 Lakeshore Drive #D, Clearlake, Lake County CA 95422
543 E Perkins, Ukiah, Mendocino County CA 95482