In this engaging discussion, Kate Monk, a driving instructor with over a decade of experience, shares her passionate mission behind My Learner Driver, an innovative course for parents of learner drivers. She reveals the alarming statistics on youth road fatalities and the vital role parents can play in fostering safe driving habits. Kate introduces groundbreaking ideas like a 'Family Graduated Driving Licence' and emphasizes enhancing parental guidance and communication skills. Join her as she navigates challenges and shares insights to empower families in driving safety.
41:57
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Personal Loss Sparked The Project
Kate created My Learner Driver after losing four local young people and seeing repeated crashes in her area.
She built the course to give parents practical tools to reduce those tragedies and support instructors.
insights INSIGHT
Practice Must Teach Seeing, Not Just Control
Private practice often builds car control but not the hazard perception and planning that makes safe drivers.
Parents can teach scanning and anticipation years before a teen starts formal lessons.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use A Family Graduated Licence
Do create a family graduated driving licence: sit down, list risks, and agree limits like no late-night driving or passenger rules.
Use a voluntary family contract to align expectations and manage post-test risks.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this powerful episode, Phil sits down with driving instructor and course creator Kate Monk, the founder of My Learner Driver â an online course designed to help parents of learner drivers become active participants in creating safer, more prepared drivers.
Kate shares her emotional âwhyâ behind the course, following the devastating loss of four young people in her local area. She highlights the untapped potential of parents to model safer driving habits, support structured private practice, and open up life-saving conversations at home.
đ¤ About Kate Monk:
ADI based in West Devon
10+ years of experience in driver training
Mum of two, passionate about road safety
Creator of My Learner Driver, aiming to empower parents
đŻ Key Topics Discussed:
Why instructors and parents must work together to create safer drivers
The alarming reality of youth road fatalities â and why "something must change"
How My Learner Driver helps parents:
Refresh and upgrade their own driving attitudes
Learn how to guide private practice safely and effectively
Build awareness of risks and road behavior before a young person starts driving
The idea of a "Family Graduated Driving Licence" â a personalised, voluntary contract between parent and teen
Encouraging parents to develop commentary driving skills and model road scanning techniques
Long-term plans to expand into school-age resources, creating early awareness
Challenges Kate faced creating the course â from tech hurdles to battling camera nerves
The course as a collaborative tool for instructors, not a replacement
đ ď¸ Instructor Takeaways:
My Learner Driver can enhance your learnersâ private practice experiences
Support parents to become safer drivers themselves, improving outcomes for pupils
Use the course to bridge the communication gap between home and lesson
Consider involving parents in lessons early (including reverse roles!)
Inspire Instructor Training Podcast 
