Driving is a skill that evolves with experience and practice. For those who have mastered the basics, advancing your driving skills can make driving more enjoyable and significantly safer. Sometimes your job or sport requires you to develop high-level driving skills. Here, we delve into advanced driving techniques, focusing on courses offering high-speed driving, handling various weather conditions, and executing advanced car maneuvers.
Learning advanced driving skills typically attracts a diverse group of individuals, each with their unique motivations and backgrounds. Here are some of the common types of people who tend to seek out advanced driving training:
Car Enthusiasts and Hobbyists
These individuals have a passion for cars and driving. They often seek to enhance their skills for personal enjoyment and to better understand the capabilities of their vehicles.
Motorsport Participants
Amateur and professional racers alike constantly work on improving their driving techniques. This includes learning advanced maneuvers, understanding vehicle dynamics, and enhancing their reaction times.
Law Enforcement and Security Personnel
Police officers, security drivers, and those involved in protective services often undergo advanced driving training. This training is crucial for high-speed pursuits, evasive driving, and protective maneuvers.
Emergency Responders
Ambulance drivers, fire truck operators, and other emergency response drivers need advanced skills to navigate quickly and safely through traffic in emergencies.
Professional Drivers
This includes chauffeurs, limousine drivers, and anyone who drives for a living. They often seek advanced training to provide a smoother, safer ride for their passengers.
Defensive Driving Instructors
Instructors themselves need to be highly skilled in advanced driving techniques to teach others, especially in defensive driving courses effectively.
Corporate Fleet Drivers
Employees who regularly drive as part of their job, especially in corporate fleets, might receive advanced driving training to reduce accidents and improve safety records.
Adventure Seekers
Some individuals are drawn to advanced driving courses for the thrill and challenge they offer, such as learning stunt driving or off-road driving techniques. Even Grey Nomads are taking advanced driving lessons with a particular focus on the challenge of driving with a caravan.
Safety-Conscious Drivers
Drivers who have experienced a scare on the road or are concerned about safety may seek advanced training to feel more confident and secure behind the wheel.
Parents of Teen Drivers
Some parents learn advanced driving skills themselves to better teach and guide their teenage children, who are new to driving.
Stunt Drivers
Individuals aspiring to or working in the film and entertainment industry as stunt drivers require advanced driving skills to perform complex and often dangerous maneuvers safely and effectively.
Each of these groups needs to take their driving skills beyond road safety levels of car handling. Whether for professional requirements, personal interest, or safety reasons. Advanced driving courses not only improve an individual’s driving abilities but also contribute to safer roads for everyone. It will be interesting when Virtual Reality Lessons cater for these groups
What you will learn in an advanced driving course..
You cover physical skills, seating, steering, vision, braking, accelerating, and transmission use during the course. In addition, you’ll learn practical advanced vehicle dynamics, highway speed emergency braking, emergency corner braking in wet and dry conditions, evasive lane changes, vehicle stability control exercises on a split surface, under-steer and over-steering, emergency multiple direction changes and more.
High-Speed Driving
Understanding Vehicle Dynamics
At high speeds, your vehicle’s dynamics change. It’s crucial to understand weight transfer, braking distances, and how speed affects your vehicle’s handling.
Anticipating Road Conditions
High-speed driving requires heightened awareness. Anticipate changes in road conditions, traffic patterns, and potential hazards.
Precision in Steering
Use smooth and precise steering movements. Oversteering or understeering at high speeds can lead to loss of control.
Braking Techniques
Learn advanced braking techniques like threshold braking, which involves applying brake pressure up to the point just before the wheels lock.
Using Technology Wisely
Modern cars come equipped with advanced safety features. Understand how features like anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) assist in high-speed scenarios.
Handling Different Weather Conditions
Driving in Rain
Increase following distances, as stopping distances are longer on wet roads. Use your headlights and be mindful of hydroplaning.
Snow and Ice Handling
In snowy conditions, use gentle maneuvers. Avoid sudden acceleration, braking, or sharp turns. Equip your vehicle with appropriate snow tires.
Foggy Conditions
Reduce speed and use low-beam headlights. Fog can create a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding.
Wind Handling
Strong winds can unexpectedly move your vehicle, especially on open stretches of road or bridges. Grip the steering wheel firmly and be prepared for gusts. This is often a good skill to learn if you are a Grey Nomad towing a Caravan around Australia.
Advanced Car Maneuvers
Heel-Toe Shifting
This technique involves using your right foot to operate both the brake and accelerator pedals, allowing for smoother downshifts and better control.
Skid Control
Learn how to control skids. Steering into the skid can help regain control, but this requires practice and a good understanding of your vehicle’s behavior.
Trail Braking
This is a technique used to maintain speed in corners and involves gradually releasing the brake pressure as you enter a turn, transferring weight to the front wheels for better grip.
Evasive Maneuvers
Practice quick lane changes or sudden directional changes to avoid obstacles while maintaining control of the vehicle.
Reverse 180s (J-Turns)
This stunt maneuver involves reversing at speed, then spinning the car 180 degrees and continuing in the forward direction.
Buckle Up and Get the Car Dancing
Whether it be for a job or recreational pursuit there is plenty to learn about what you and your car are capable of. It’s highly recommended to practice these skills in a safe, controlled environment, so book a driving lesson at a registered advanced driving training centre and get the tuition of an instructor who has mastered the skills.
Advanced driving techniques require practice, patience, and a deep understanding of your vehicle’s capabilities and limitations. Besides all that, it can be an adrenaline rush to put your car “on edge” whilst still being in full control.