Unit Three Subject 3 - Cockpit Drill: Step 3 - Explanation

Unit 3 - Basic Skills:
Home page

1 - Show/Tell:
1. Overview

2 - Drivers Eyesight:
1. Introduction
2. Eye checks
3. Eyesight problems
4. Project

3 - Cockpit Drill:
1. Introduction
2. The drill
3. Explanation

4 - Moving off:
1. Introduction
2. The basics
3. POM Introduction
4. Prepare
5. Observe
6. Move
7. Brake tests
8. Stopping
9. Summary
10. Project

5 - Using Gears:
1. Introduction
2. Observation
3. Selective gear changing
4. Smooth changes

6 - Hazard Routine:
1. Introduction
2. Easy starting point
3. Mirrors
4. Signals
5. Manoeuvre
6. Project

7 - Junctions:
1. Introduction
2. Emerging
3. Approaching
4. Approaching right
5. Crossroads
6. Roundabouts

8 - Hills:
1. Introduction
2. Downhill safety
3. Parking
4. Uphill starts
5. Downhill starts

9 - Emergency Stop:
1. Introduction
2. The method
3. Skids
4. The driving test
5. Project

DRIVING HOME PAGE

Cockpit-Drill explained

The information below and that given at Driveractive for this subject will give a good understnding of both what to do and what to teach.

Secure the car

It's worthwhile ensuring that the handbrake is firmly applied when you enter the vehicle, especially if you are carrying the extra weight of two or three passengers – otherwise you might just start to roll away as the last person gets in!

As soon as you have entered the car you should also check that your door and all the passenger and luggage compartment doors are firmly closed. This is especially important if you are carrying young children. Use child locks if they are fitted to your vehicle.

The rear door on a hatchback or estate obviously has to be closed correctly to prevent your shopping, dogs, garden furniture or whatever, from spilling onto the road.

What might not be so obvious is the fact that exhaust fumes will seep in through a door that is not properly closed – the aerodynamics of modern cars means that this will happen at all speeds.

Although you won't be checking them as part of your pre-start drill, this is also a good time to remember basics such as fuel, oil, water, tyres and general car safety. Giving a quick thought to these items every time you start to drive will help you to develop a 'culture of safety'

Seat position

All of this might seem fairly basic - but remember, you will need to be able to break down all driving tasks into their basic component parts in order to help your future customers to learn effectively.

When you are satisfied that all the doors are securely closed, adjust the driving seat. You should adjust the seat cushion (that's the bit you sit on!) so that all the pedals can be reached.

When the clutch is pressed down fully, your knee should be slightly bent and the seat should support your thigh - it's essential to make sure that your body is fully supported.

The law requires that you are seated in such a way that you can operate all of the controls and have a clear view from the vehicle.

A poor seating position will cause fatigue on longer journeys.

This will in turn affect your concentration and your safety. It is worth experimenting with different positions to find which suits you best. Many drivers never realise that they could be more comfortable because they have never thought to try different seat positions.

Steering position

The back of the seat should be adjusted so that you can reach the entire steering wheel rim without having to stretch to reach the top of the steering wheel.

When your hands are positioned in the ten-to-two or quarter-to-three position on the wheel, your arms should be bent slightly – a simple guide to steering reach is that you should be able to rest your wrists on the top of the wheel when sitting comfortably in the seat with your back supported by the back of the seat.

If you watch other drivers (and learner drivers) you will notice that many people sit much too close to the wheel.

If you are very close to the wheel you will not be able to control the steering effectively, especially in an emergency or in faster driving situations on open country roads because there will not be enough freedom of movement for the arms.

When teaching you will find that some learners might choose to sit too close to the wheel, however, you must stress that this leads to discomfort and tension. Sitting too close to the wheel is often a sign of anxiety.

Head restraint

Make sure that your head restraint is correctly adjusted so that the supportive central portion of the restraint is level with your ears.

Important: Some driving instructors have been known to remove head restraints in an effort to make reversing easier for their learners. This is a very dangerous and crazy thing to do and may affect the amount of any insurance claim after an accident.

Removing head restraints makes no sense from a learning point-of-view and is totally irrational - the restraints must be in place for the driving test.

In a 'Direct-Line' survey it was found that nine out of ten drivers are under considerable threat of incurring whiplash injury, with 65 percent of all drivers completely unaware of the fact that their head restraint should be exactly level with their heads.

Direct Line spokeswoman Emma Holyer commented: "One of the most common accidents reported to us is a rear end shunt and these are a major cause of whiplash injuries. We receive hundreds of calls every week from injured motorists who regret not taking those few moments to check their head restraints."

It was also found that most drivers failed to check the restraints of their passengers as well as their own.

Seatbelts

Seatbelts are provided in both the front and the rear of all modern vehicles. Belt wearing (except when exempt) for drivers and front seat passengers has been compulsory since 1983, rear seat passengers since 1991 (1989 for children). All passengers must wear their seatbelts.

Drivers are not responsible in law for non-use of seatbelts by adult passengers but should obviously advise the passengers that it is in their own interests to comply with the law. Responsibility for belt-wearing by passengers under 14 years-of-age rests with the driver, this includes ensuring that the correct type of seat and restraints are used for infants and small children.

Seatbelt law and exemptions can be found at .gov. Here
Think! 2008 video showing drivers who seek to justify why they don't wear seatbelts - with added accident statistics... Here
Graphic advert from a campaign to encourage rear set passengers to wear belts. Here
Information about carrying children in cars see: Here & Here

Mirrors

It is important that you check that all of your driving mirrors are correctly adjusted before you start to drive.

It may be necessary to adjust the outside mirrors before the seatbelt is fastened.

When checking that mirrors are adjusted correctly, you should sit in your normal driving position.

Mirrors should be adjusted so that maximum rear view can be obtained with little, or no, head movement. Do not to touch the mirror glass with your fingers when adjusting the mirrors.

Exterior mirrors

Exterior mirrors are often made from convex (curved) glass. These mirrors usually distort the image of following vehicles making them seem further away than they actually are. Because of this you should never rely on outside mirrors alone; your picture of the road and traffic situation behind should be gained by using the interior and one or both of the exterior mirrors.

Note: You might have to re-adjust your mirrors after driving for a period of time or after taking a break – especially on long journeys. If you set your mirrors correctly for your morning journey to work you might have to re-adjust them before your evening journey home, even though you are the only driver of the vehicle. Always check your mirrors before every journey.

Training tip:

If you regularly spend time in the front passenger seat of a car, fit an additional 'instructor's rear view mirror' – this will help you to get used to using it, ready for the final part of your exam.

The car you use for your ADI Part-Two will need to have a passenger mirror fitted – you can buy mirrors with suction cup fitting from car accessory shops.

Next: Moving off and Stopping