As people age, their reactions tend to slow and they can take longer to assess hazards. Don't try to rush them, but be tolerant and patient.

Motorcycles are small vehicles and can be difficult to see. If the rider wears bright clothing, it can make it easier for other road users to see them approaching, especially at junctions.

Detailed instruction should decrease as the pupil's ability increases. An instructor shouldn't be controlling the pupil all of the time. This takes the initiative away from the pupil and could be considered over-instruction.

Simply telling a pupil that they're driving too fast isn't sufficient. Explanations need to be given, highlighting what may occur if they repeat the fault. More importantly, they need to know what to do to prevent it from happening again.

You should agree a plan with your pupil at the start of a lesson. However, as the lesson progresses it may become clear that the plan needs to be adapted - for example, if there's a gap in the pupil's knowledge that needs to be filled before they can proceed. You should agree with your pupil how to deal with that gap, even if it means changing the original lesson plan.

Regardless of a driver's experience, the Mirrors - Signal - Manoeuvre (MSM) routine should be an integral part of their driving. The Manoeuvre part is broken down into P - Position - Position your vehicle correctly and in good time. S - Speed - Adjust your speed as necessary for the manoeuvre. L - Look - Look for other traffic or road users when you reach a point from which you can see. Assess the situation, then decide whether it's safe to proceed and act accordingly.

This is important because, when a learner encounters something on the road for the first time, they may not be able to decide whether it represents a risk. So they might not take the right action. With experience, they'll use the information available and get better at assessing risk.

The decisions we make when driving are shaped by our attitude, norms and motivation. But we're not always aware of these. Open questions can be used to explore these issues without making the pupil defensive. You can then work with the pupil to address any unhelpful attitudes.

Insurance companies are likely to charge a higher premium for people who have been convicted of driving while unfit through drink or drugs. This is because they've shown that they're a risk to others on the road.

If a medicine you need to take is making you feel drowsy, get advice from your doctor before driving.

All your concentration should be on your driving. Any pain you feel will distract you, and you should avoid driving when drowsy. The safest course of action is to wait until you've rested and feel better.

The fuel in your vehicle can be a dangerous fire hazard. A strong smell of petrol may indicate a fuel leak and needs investigating. Don't use a naked flame near the vehicle if you can smell fuel, and don't smoke when refuelling your vehicle.

Traffic congestion is an inevitable consequence of the increasing volume of traffic on the road. To help reduce the volume of traffic, you could try
- sharing a car
- walking or cycling
- using public transport.

If you're feeling upset or angry, your concentration and judgement will be affected; this will increase your risk of an incident while driving. You should therefore wait until you've calmed down before you start driving.

Having your car registration number etched on all your windows is a cheap and effective way to deter car thieves.

The safest rule is never to drink and drive. Alcohol seriously affects judgement and concentration. It will reduce driving ability, give a false sense of confidence and slow down reactions.

If your pupil's driving is below the required test standard, it's your responsibility as a professional instructor to advise them not to take the test. As soon as you become aware of a possible problem, you should discuss this with your pupil and positively encourage them that, in their interest, and for other road users as well, it would be far better to postpone the appointment. If you can't dissuade them, then you should withhold the use of your vehicle. Ultimately, it's the pupil's test and an instructor can't prevent them from taking it in someone else's vehicle.

A pupil needs time to react to an instructor's directions. It's recommended that an instructor uses the Alert - Direct - Identify procedure. For example, 'At the roundabout' (alert them and gain their attention); 'take the road off to the right, it's the third exit' (direct them); 'it's signposted to Bristol' (identify).

If a pupil isn't responding to a particular part of the learning programme, with a bit of help they'll normally be able to say what's going wrong. In saying what's wrong, they'll often be able to tell you what it will take to get over the problem.

It's important that driving faults and errors are dealt with promptly. Learning will also be more effective if the pupil can spot their own errors and come up with their own strategies for ensuring the errors don't happen again. If the pupil doesn't recognise the fault, you'll need to tell them. Even then, the pupil can still work on developing strategies themselves.

Drivers and riders should proceed with caution at a junction where the traffic lights have failed. They should treat the situation as if it were an unmarked junction. As no-one has priority, everyone should be prepared to stop.

Advise a pupil that they should never overtake on the approach to a junction. The driver they're following may decide to turn right at the last moment. Other vehicles may arrive quickly at the junction and turn left into your road without taking effective observation.

The safest way to communicate and give instructions to a profoundly deaf pupil is when the vehicle is stationary. You'll need to communicate slowly and distinctly, using a combination of methods, including the use of diagrams and gestures.

If a pupil is to make effective progress, they must have an accurate idea of how well they're doing. It would be dangerous if they moved on to a more complex driving task before mastering all the competencies required to perform that task successfully. Ideally, the process should start with you encouraging the pupil to identify their own weaknesses.

Never leave the vehicle documents inside the vehicle. They would help a thief to dispose of it more easily.