Today’s cars are pretty different from those 30, 20, or even 10 years ago. So, it makes sense that many techniques taught by driving teachers over the years are now outdated, irrelevant or simply no longer practised.

For instance, you have probably heard of holding hands at 10 and 2 – imagine your steering wheel as a big analogue clock. Taught by driving teachers for years – since the 1920s! – nowadays, with new vehicle technologies, many experts instead recommend 9 and 3, or even 7 and 4. These feel more natural, as the original 10 and 2 was introduced at a time before power steering. Plus, the position of modern airbags means that holding your hands at 10 and 2 can actually put them at risk of injury when it deploys.

Thinking of learning to drive a manual? Times have changed! Manual transmissions were once predominantly four-speed – so acceleration was achieved by starting in first gear, then going to second, third, and fourth sequentially.

However, with more powerful modern engines, skipping a gear in a manual vehicle is not only possible, it is also sometimes advantageous. For instance, at high revs, you may skip from second to fourth, or when braking, bring sixth back down to third or even second. It all depends on the situation and is one of the reasons professional driving lessons are important to learn how and when to shift gears safely.

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