Start in a parking lot and follow each step of the Driver Ed in a Box® course.  For each area of in-vehicle instruction, you have an extensive check list coupled with the Commentary vocabulary to be introduced and used in that area.

Be patient enough with yourself and your instructor to master one area before moving into the next area.  In the parking lot you will learn the basic fundamentals of how to move the vehicle, how to control where you want to go by targeting ahead and how to begin to use Commentary to your advantage.  You will master all the fundamental movements of starting, stopping, steering, slowing, lane changes, turning, backing and parking.

That adds up to a lot more than you might think.  At first, you will be conscious of each little step.  After a while, through correct practice and repetition, you will gain confidence in your ability to move the vehicle.

Practice, practice, practice and more practice.  Reading the material, going through the various quizzes, watching the videos and discussing issues or questions with your instructor/mentor/parent are all helpful.

Yet, the most important thing you can do is to practice, practice and practice.  And practice correctly.  If you make an error, simply adjust and repeat the maneuver until you can do so correctly under various conditions.

Practice over time, in different seasons of the year, different times of the day and evening, various days of the week, in light traffic and heavy traffic.

Commentary

One of the tools used in this process is Commentary.  Commentary is the use of a word or a phrase to describe what is happening in the traffic scene or to describe an action that is being taken or needs to be taken by the driver.

Commentary is a great aid to the beginner and to the instructor.  It provides for a means of clear communication and keeps everyone involved and informed.  It helps eliminate surprises and it forces the driver to focus attention on relevant activity in the traffic scene.  More than that, it also begins to imbed into the other than conscious part of the mind patterns which help you learn to stay out of collisions.

The farther you get in the program, the more Commentary terms you are able to use.  At some point, you may even find it distracting to have to use such a wide variety of terms. 

Two things to remember:

1. Always do what is necessary to stay collision-free.  It is more important to avoid a fixed stare and perform whatever move is needed to keep your space than it is to remember the name of a potential hazard like “Dirty Wheels”.

2. It’s okay if the Commentary becomes a distraction sometimes.  As a driver, you will need to handle a variety of distractions and still maintain control of your vehicle and respond appropriately to the traffic.  Learning to handle the distraction of commentary can help you prepare for handling future distractions.

You learn by doing.  With Driver Ed in a Box®, you will repeat many of the patterns you need to become a collision-free driver thousands of times.  With good coaching from your instructor/parent, this process will be even more effective.

It takes time to do this, but it’s worth it.