Category: Young Drivers

Why it’s important for your teen to attend driving school

Posted on by Matt Bailey

For many Canadian teens, learning how to drive is an important rite of passage into adulthood. Getting a 7L licence is a great moment for many young people, but for their parents, it’s also the start of a whole new set of worries. To make sure that your children become safe drivers, you should encourage them to get the practice they need with professional guidance from a driving school.

At North Shore Driving School, we’ve been helping Vancouverites learn how to become safe, responsible drivers since 1961. If your teen is ready to learn how to drive, here are just a few reasons that attending driving school is one of the best possible ways for him or her to acquire this skill.

• Prevents your teen from developing bad driving habits. If you’ve been driving for years, you can probably understand how difficult it is to break a bad driving habit once you’ve developed one. Whether its rolling through a stop sign or just going a bit too fast on the highway, you likely don’t want your child to become accustomed to dangerous behaviours. When it comes to safe driving, it’s never too early to start learning the best habits.

• Practice will help your teen advance more quickly. It’s tough sometimes for parents to balance the need for their teen to practice driving and the desire to protect them from harm. However, the only way for your child to improve their driving skills is to put in lots of time behind the wheel. Parents should let their teen practice frequently and the safest way to do so, is with the help of a professional driving instructor.

• Driving school helps your teen drive safer. For an experienced driver, all the complex, coordinated movements involved in operating a car seem natural. Likewise, the many rules of the road seem straightforward and clearcut. When you’re just starting out, however, driving is complex and there’s little that seems obvious about it. Fortunately, driving lessons from a professional driving school will provide the training your teen needs to become a safe and conscientious driver.

• Driving school looks good to insurance companies. Even with the best training, it’s a statistical fact that young, relatively inexperienced drivers get into accidents more frequently than more mature drivers. This is why insurance rates will always be higher for a new driver. When calculating premiums, however, most insurance companies will consider someone who’s gone to driving school to be a safer bet than someone who hasn’t.

If you’re interested in getting the best training to ensure that your teen will have everything he or she needs to be a safe, responsible driver, contact us at North Shore Driving School today. You can even take a refresher course yourself, so you can polish your own skills and share the experience with your teen.

Safety Tips for Parents with Teen Drivers in Vancouver and throughout BC

Posted on by Matt Bailey

For parents, thinking about your teen driving the family car may make you anxious, but the key to raising a responsible driver is being a hands-on mentor. From avoiding driving distractions to respecting others on the road, educating your young driver about safety is vital. North Shore Driving School provides comprehensive driver education and encourages parents to be a good role model and set clear boundaries and expectations for your teen’s driving habits.

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) offers a number of resources including a web page “For parents of teen drivers,” including Safety Tips for helping your teen learn to drive safely. Beyond the basics, the ICBC reminds parents that “it’s important that they’re aware of other risks they might face, like vehicle problems, peer pressure, and distractions.”


Tips for Driving with Your Teen Driver

If you plan on helping your teen learn to drive, the ICBC suggests these great tips on how to get the most out of your practice time while keeping your teen in low-risk driving environments:

  • Avoid busy streets and practice in daylight hours for as long as you feel necessary.
  • Minimize risks – if it’s their first time on a highway, take them out in daylight when traffic is at a minimum.
  • Avoid driving during busy hours until your teen feels more confident.
  • When your teen is more confident, ensure they get practice in different weather, times of day, and locations.


Know the GLP Restrictions

It is also important to ensure your teen knows the rules and restrictions in graduated licensing. Basic maintenance like getting gas, checking oil and other fluids, checking tire air pressure, changing a flat tire, and what to do in a minor crash are skills that you as a parent can help your teen learn.


Teens and Distracted Driving

In our age of digital media, it’s also important to consistently remind your teen about the dangers of distracted driving. Electronic devices aren’t allowed while they’re in the graduated licensing program, even if it is a hands-free device. According to the ICBC, “Police statistics show that about a quarter of all car crash fatalities in B.C. in the last five years (2009 to 2013) were related to distracted driving. That’s an average of 88 deaths per year, making distracted driving now the second-leading cause of motor vehicle fatalities in B.C., behind speeding (105) and narrowly ahead of impaired driving (86).”


Driving Lessons at North Shore Driving School

North Shore Driving School offers approved Graduated Licensing Programs (GLP) in Vancouver for teen drivers who are ready to learn the theory and practice of operating a vehicle. We also provide training for drivers with special needs, including paraplegics, amputees, and those who have suffered injury or stroke. Different driving classes are available in North Vancouver, and our driving school also serves Coquitlam residents and drivers throughout BC, catering to a variety of individual needs, including truck driving courses, with convenient payment plans.

5 Tips for New Drivers in British Columbia

Posted on by Matt Bailey

Learning to drive is akin to a rite of passage. Everyone brings their own level of comfort and experience when they are learning to drive. Whether you are eager to learn or are still feeling hesitant to get behind the wheel, taking a few simple precautions will help you feel more comfortable and in control of your vehicle.

Useful Tips for New Drivers

Start driving with these simple tips and you will be able to master the roads in no time. If you are a new driver in British Columbia, here are some techniques to keep in mind while you are learning:

  1. Take Lessons: Learning to drive from a family member can be tough and stressful for both the instructor and the learner. Friends and family may not be trained in driving instruction and may miss some very important lessons. Taking lessons from a trained professional with years of driving experience and many helpful tips will make the process easier. You will feel a lot more confident behind the wheel. A GLP course in Vancouver or other driving lessons in Northern Vancouver and throughout BC can provide tips to help you become a safe and defensive driver.
  2. Choose Low-Traffic Areas: Start your driving practice in a neighbourhood that is not too busy. Most experienced drivers will tell you that the hardest challenge to deal with on the road is other drivers. Learning to drive in an area with less traffic will help you feel in control, eliminate pressure from other drivers, and give you time to feel comfortable before venturing onto busier roads.
  3. Drive during Off-Peak Hours: Avoid driving during rush hour and other peak traffic times. This will also limit the number of other vehicles on the road and give you more space and time as you learn to maneuver your vehicle.
  4. Do Not Drink Any Alcohol or Take Drugs: Driving may be commonplace, but it is important to remember that it is also a big responsibility. Not only is it illegal for new drivers to have any alcohol in their system, it also sets the tone for the rest of your driving career. Do not drink before driving and abstain from any other drug or substance abuse as well.
  5. Take it Easy: It may be tempting to rev your engine and drive fast, but you are better off starting slow. Speeding increases your risk for fender benders or more serious accidents because it reduces the level of control you have on the vehicle. Follow posted speed limits and take it slow, as you learn to operate the vehicle, check your mirrors, and obey traffic signs all at once.

New Driver? Take Driving Lessons from North Shore Driving School

North Shore Driving School offers driving lessons in Whistler, West Vancouver, Burnaby, and throughout British Columbia. We can guide you to safely and efficiently operate your vehicle, with GLP driving courses that will provide the training you need to obtain your license.


Learn more about our driving schools in the Greater Vancouver area. Call us today at 604-988-1138 or contact us online to inquire about our driving lessons.