All our lessons are customized for each driver, but some things are universal.
For new drivers, the prospect of getting behind the wheel for the first time can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. At Burgess Driving School, our goal is to ensure that every student feels confident and prepared as they embark on their driving journey. Here’s a detailed look at what new drivers can expect during our behind-the-wheel sessions.
1. Introductions and Lesson Prep
Soon after a lesson gets booked at Burgess Driving School, one of our instructors will reach out to the person who paid for the lesson. Often, that's the parent of a new teen driver, but sometimes it's an adult driver looking for refresher training or even court-ordered "3 in 3" training.
Regardless, our instructor will contact the you, the customer, to learn more about the student.
Our friendly, knowledgable instructors will answer all your questions, and we'll have a few questions of our own, focused on the student's current skill and experience level, confidence level, specific areas of concern, and any special needs or considerations we may need to take into account.
Based on that initial conversation, we begin to formulate a lesson plan that factors in the previous answers, the number of lessons we have to work with, and the typical route and type of driving that the student will encounter on a regular basis.
2. Familiarization with the Vehicle
No matter how much prior experience a student has, every first lesson begins with a few minutes getting familiar with our training vehicle. Right now, we use a 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid, which is a 4-door sedan that is slightly larger than most cars. We cover all the basic controls, ranging from mirror, seat, and steering wheel positioning, to vehicle controls and gauges that are unique to our hybrid vehicle.
We also discuss the instructor's own controls - most importantly our dual-braking system that allows us to stop the car in an emergency or at appropriate times in a lesson to review certain procedures.
3. Basic Maneuvers and Controls
Depending on a student's experience level, we might focus on mastering basic driving maneuvers. This includes starting and stopping the car, steering techniques, and understanding the gas and brake pedals. Students practice these skills in a controlled, low-traffic environment to build confidence.
4. Navigating Residential Areas
If a student demonstrates competence with the basics, we move on to driving in residential areas and low-density streets. There are many options for custom driving lessons in Tallahassee, so regardless of experience level we can find some place that suits the needs of every student.
We practice making smooth turns, stopping at stop signs, and understanding right-of-way rules. The quieter streets are perfect for driving lessons in Leon County and the greater Tallahassee area.
5. Parking and Reversing
Learning to park is an essential skill for any driver. Our Burgess Driving School training car carries special cones in the trunk that are 4 feet tall, allowing an instructor to set up a realistic parking scenario in almost any location. Unlike normal traffic cones, our taller cones simulate a driver's ability to see other parked vehicles and gauge the distance between cars, creating a realistic parking experience without the danger of doing real damage.
6. Introduction to Traffic
As our student's skills improve, we begin driving on busier roads. This includes understanding traffic signals, lane changes, and merging into traffic. Our instructors guide students through each experience, providing tips and feedback to help you navigate more complex driving situations.
7. Highway Driving
Once a student has demonstrated mastery of lane keeping, lane changes, holding consistent speed, and sound decision making, we practice merging onto the highway, maintaining proper speed, understanding lane discipline, and safely exiting. Highway driving is essential for building confidence in high-speed environments, but we always make sure our students have the skills and confidence necessary before heading to I-10 for merge training.
8. Defensive Driving Techniques
Throughout all of our behind-the-wheel lessons, we emphasize defensive driving techniques to help you anticipate and react to potential hazards - which includes threats from other drivers who make mistakes. This includes maintaining a safe following distance, understanding blind spots, and being aware of other drivers’ behaviors, to name a few.
9. Simulated Driving Test
As our students progress through each lesson, we help prepare them for each of the skills that must be demonstrated to pass the Florida Driver Skills Road Test. The skills we teach include backing up, three point turns, quick stops, and much more.
The ultimate goal of our behind-the-wheel lessons is to build our students (and sometimes, their parents) confidence and independence as a driver. By the end of training, our students feel prepared to handle a wide range of driving situations with poise and skill - and best of all, parents feel more relaxed as they ride with their new teen drivers after they've mastered the skills we teach.
At Burgess Driving School, we are committed to providing a supportive and thorough driving education experience for all of our Greater Tallahassee and Leon County driving students. Our behind-the-wheel lessons are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to become a safe, responsible, and confident driver.