Free driving lesson tutorial
Cockpit drill & car controls
Everything you'll cover on your very first driving lesson — how to set the car up ready to drive, and what every control does.
Welcome to your first lesson with Cowley's. Before you drive anywhere, you'll learn the cockpit drill — how to set the car up so it's safe and comfortable for you — and the basic controls, ready to move on to moving off and stopping. To remember the cockpit drill we use the acronym D.S.S.S.M: Doors, Seat, Steering, Seatbelt, Mirrors.
The cockpit drill — D.S.S.S.M
Doors
- •Check that all of the doors are safely closed.
- •Looking down the side of the car in the side mirrors can help.
- •If the interior light stays on, that can be a clue that a door isn’t shut.
- •When opening a door, always check behind first.
Seat
- •Set the height adjustment first so you have a good view out of the windscreen.
- •Adjust how close you are to the pedals — you should be able to press the clutch fully without stretching.
- •Adjust the backrest angle so you feel comfortable.
- •Set the head restraint so its centre is level with the centre of your head (roughly the top of your ears).
Steering
- •A comfortable steering position is a combination of the seat back angle and any adjustment in the steering wheel itself.
- •Aim to have the wheel roughly level with your wrists when your arms are held straight out in front of you.
Seatbelt
- •You’re responsible for your own seatbelt — and for anyone in the car under the age of 14.
- •Anyone over 14 is legally responsible for their own belt, but as the driver you have the final say: you can refuse to drive until everyone is belted up.
- •Make sure there are no twists in your seatbelt.
Mirrors
- •Adjust the mirrors last — after you’ve finished moving your seat.
- •Centre mirror: you want to see the whole rear window and the edge around it.
- •Wing mirrors: set them so you can see a sliver of your own car, level with the horizon, so you can spot cars down the road.
- •Always check the centre mirror first — it’s flat glass, so it lets you judge distance. The convex wing mirrors make objects look further away than they are.
Car controls
Foot controls — A, B, C
Manual cars have three pedals. Reading right to left they spell ABC: Accelerator, Brake, Clutch.
- Accelerator (or gas pedal) — controls the speed of the engine and needs to be used very gently.
- Brake — slows the car when it's moving, or holds it still for short periods. Brake gently, build the pressure until the car is slowing enough, then ease off slightly as you come to a stop for a smooth finish.
- Clutch — connects and disconnects the engine from the wheels via the gearbox. You'll use it when moving off, coming to a stop and changing gear.
Your left foot works the clutch; your right foot pivots between the accelerator and the brake.
Gear stick
Most gear sticks have a small diagram showing where the gears are — cars may have 4, 5 or 6 gears, and reverse is often in a different place (some cars have a button or a collar to lift before it will go into reverse).
On most modern cars the lever rests in neutral between 3rd and 4th. For 1st or 2nd, palm the lever to the left first, then forward or back. The stick springs back to the middle on its own, so 3rd is simply forward and 4th is back. For 5th and 6th, palm it to the right, then forward or back. Don't grip the stick — use your palm with your thumb slightly down.
Handbrake (parking brake)
The handbrake is only designed to hold the car still — when parked, for longer waits in traffic, or while setting the foot controls on a hill start. If the car is moving, use the footbrake instead.
- To apply: make sure the car has stopped, press in the button, lift the lever high enough to hold the car, then release the button.
- To release: press the button, lift the lever slightly, keep the button fully pressed and lower the lever all the way down.
- Not pressing the button wears away the ratchet — and one day you might unexpectedly find your car at the bottom of a hill!
- Many modern cars have an electronic handbrake operated by a switch — on some models it releases automatically as you drive away.
Indicators (signals)
- On most European cars the indicator stalk is on the left of the steering column; on many Far Eastern models it's on the right.
- The indicators always follow the direction of the steering wheel.
- Keep two hands on the wheel and flick the stalk with your fingertips.
- Most signals cancel when you straighten the wheel — listen for the clicking in case they cancel too early.
Keep learning
Moving Off & Stopping
The POM and MSPSL routines for pulling away safely and stopping under control.
Junctions
Emerging, turning and the MSPSL routine — with real local examples.
Roundabouts
Lane discipline, signalling and judging gaps with confidence.
Penn Inn Roundabout
Newton Abbot's famous roundabout, exit by exit — a Cowley's speciality.
Send us an enquiry
Every Cowley's pupil gets these tutorials plus the pupil app and theory practice free — get in touch to book your lessons.
Ready to get on the road?
Book your driving lessons with Cowley's School of Motoring and you won't look back — except in those mirrors.