UK: Only 13% of parents think they are a role model for their children

A study carried out in the UK concludes that only 13% of parents think they are a positive role model for their children as drivers!

Young Driver, the UK's largest driving school, has set itself the task of offering parents dedicated driving lessons to help mums and dads improve their driving and get to grips with the good habits that are ingrained in children's subconscious.

Only 13% of parents think they are always a good role model for their children when it comes to driving, according to a new survey of more than 2,270 parents.

The study, conducted by Young Driver, has prompted the organisation to launch a special driving lesson for parents who want to brush up on their driving skills and make sure they haven't picked up any bad habits. Parents are also invited to sit in the back of their own child's driving lesson to observe the teaching from qualified driving instructors. The programme has so far given 1.4 million lessons to young people aged between 10 and 17.

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"From an early age, children observe their parents at the wheel. Parents often realise that they need to adopt the best driving behaviour when their child reaches the age of 17, but many years before that they are quietly observing them," reminds Young Driver. "Behaviours such as using the palm of your hand to control the steering wheel, distraction by the phone, speeding, overtaking - all these behaviours can become normal, if only on the way to and from school."

"As an instructor, spending half an hour with a parent on a young driver course and observing their driving technique can help us easily identify any potential problems - and it naturally makes the parent more aware of their bad habits. But even if they're sitting in the back of a driving lesson with their child, they'll get great advice from the instructor and see more clearly how children are taught these days. You can start talking to your child about driving at an early age, explaining gears and pedals, and this can be very helpful when they first get behind the wheel. But it's also important to instil good habits in them from an early age."

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