According to a new study by the AA Driving School Britons would rather practise their driving skills with their mum and dad, i wonder how they fit in learning to drive around the screaming at each other and the grabbing of the wheel etc!

The study by the AA driving school questioned over 1,300 adults and polled AA Driving School instructors to reveal some interesting stats.

39% agreed that dad is quicker to loose his temper than mum but both mum and dad we found guilty of the following knee jerk reactions:

1. telling the learner to slow down – 28%
2. stamping their foot to the floor on an imaginary brake pedal – 19%
3. telling the learner to pull over so they can drive – 15%
4. swearing – 14%
5. grabbing the arm rest for safety – 14%

The stats from the survey also suggested that dads were the better practical teachers where as mums were voted best at theory based tuition.

Top ten parent panics

1. Tell them to slow down – 28%
2. Stamp foot to the floor trying to brake – 19%
3. Tell them to pull over so they can drive – 15%
4. Swear – 14%
5. Grab the arm rest for safety – 14%
6. Tell them to speed up – 14%
7. Grab the steering wheel – 13%
8. Operate the lights / windscreen wipers / indicators for the learner – 12%
9. Shut their eyes – 11 per cent
10. Tell their child to give up learning to drive – 3%

Bad habits passed on by parent instructors

1. Not using mirrors properly – 25%
2. Not feeding the wheel when turning – 14%
3. Not checking blind spots – 14%
4. Speeding – 14%
5. Breaking too hard or late – 11%
6. Driving too close to the vehicle in front – 8%
7. Letting the wheel slip through the hands – 6%
8. Having only one hand on the wheel – 6%
9. Coasting in neutral – 3%

You can read the full article on the AA web site.

Its believed that fewer people are taking lessons at the moment when compared with the last 20 years according to the Halifax Driving Instructors Association.

Three driving instructors based in Calderdale have quit in the last few months,  while other instructors have had to take on part time work.

Keith Donkersley, secretary of the  Halifax Driving Instructors Association, said:  “People are struggling with the credit crunch and the first things to go are the non-essentials and, unfortunately, driving lessons are considered non-essential.”

“Many instructors have gone from being jam-packed in the summer, doing 50 hour weeks, to struggling to get even 20.

So if you thinking of taking lessons then now might be a good time to try and negotiate a good deal, just remember not to take advantage of struggling instructors (everyone has to make a living).  That being said there are deals to be had on most services and goods (not just driving lessons).