Teaching learners to drive in rain, fog and other weather

A learner who has only ever driven on dry, sunny afternoons isn’t ready to drive alone. Rain, glare, fog, wind and smoke change how a car behaves and how far ahead a driver can see, and the first time a learner meets those conditions should ideally be with an instructor beside them.

This guide covers how to teach weather-conscious driving safely: when to take a learner out in poor conditions, what to teach for each type of weather, and the practical scripts and checks that help the lessons stick.

Decide whether to drive at all

Weather lessons are valuable, but not every day is a teaching day. Before each lesson, check the forecast and any warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology and your state’s emergency services. Ask yourself:

• Is this within the learner’s current skill level? Light rain on a familiar route suits a learner with good basic control. A storm on a motorway doesn’t.
• Are there warnings for severe storms, flooding, damaging winds or bushfire smoke?
• Can I choose a route that avoids known flood spots, steep hills and heavy traffic?

If any answer gives you doubts, shorten the lesson, change the route or reschedule. Explaining why is a lesson in itself: “Good drivers decide not to drive sometimes. Today is one of those days.”

Prepare in the car park first

Before you head out in poor weather, spend 5 minutes parked:

• Find and test the wipers, including speeds and the rear wiper.
• Use the demister and air-conditioning to clear a fogged windscreen.
• Switch between parking lights, headlights (low beam), high beam and fog lights if fitted.
• Locate the hazard lights.
• Check tyre tread and that the windscreen and mirrors are clean.

A learner fumbling for the wiper stalk at an intersection is a hazard. Knowing the controls by feel frees their attention for the road.

Driving in rain

Rain is the most common poor-weather condition learners will face, so it deserves the most practice. Wet roads reduce grip, and the first rain after a dry spell can be especially slippery as oil and dust lift off the road surface.

What to teach

• Slow down. The speed limit is a maximum, not a target, in the wet.
• Increase the following distance. Stopping distances are longer on wet roads. Teach learners to at least double their usual gap, and more in heavy rain.
• Brake earlier and more gently. Smooth inputs keep the tyres gripping.
• Use headlights. Turn on low beam headlights in rain so other road users can see you.
• Watch for aquaplaning. If the steering suddenly feels light, ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight and avoid braking hard until grip returns.
• Avoid slippery surfaces. Painted lines and metal surfaces such as manhole covers and tram tracks can be very slippery, so avoid them when braking or turning.

In-car script

“Count the gap to the car in front. Pick a pole: when their back bumper passes it, start counting. In the dry we want at least 3 seconds. Today let’s aim for 6.”

Floodwater: never drive into it

Teach this as an absolute rule. Water over a road can hide washed-away surfaces and debris, and even shallow, fast-moving water can push a car off the road. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) message is simple: “If it’s flooded, forget it.” Turn around, find another route or wait.

Practise the decision: when you see water across a road during a lesson, ask the learner what they’ll do, then have them turn around safely.

Fog and mist

• Use low beam headlights. High beam reflects off fog and makes visibility worse.
• Use front fog lights, if fitted, only in fog or other weather that reduces visibility, and switch them off when visibility improves. Australian road rules restrict their use to these conditions.
• Slow down enough to stop within the distance you can see.
• Use the left edge line as a guide, and take extra care at intersections, where other drivers may not see you either.

Wind

• Keep both hands on the wheel and expect gusts on bridges, open roads and gaps between buildings.
• Give trucks, buses, caravans and cyclists extra room. They can be pushed sideways by gusts.
• Watch for fallen branches and debris after strong winds.

Sun glare

Glare is a very Australian hazard, especially early morning and late afternoon when the sun is low. Teach learners to:

• Keep the windscreen clean inside and out, because smears scatter light.
• Use the sun visor and wear sunglasses suitable for driving.
• Slow down and increase the gap when driving into the sun, as drivers ahead may brake suddenly.
• Remember that drivers facing the sun may not see them, particularly at intersections.

Smoke and dust

During bushfire season or dust storms, visibility can drop quickly. Teach learners to turn on headlights, slow down, increase the gap and set the air-conditioning to recirculate. If visibility becomes very poor, pull well off the road somewhere safe, turn on hazard lights and wait. Always check fire and road closure information before travelling in affected areas.

Heat

Hot days bring their own risks: driver fatigue, dehydration and tyres that are under strain. Keep water in the car, schedule lessons for cooler times where possible, and watch for a tired learner whose concentration is slipping.

Snow and ice

Most learners won’t drive in snow, but some will head to alpine areas. In NSW, all two-wheel drive vehicles entering Kosciuszko National Park must carry snow chains between the June and October long weekends, and drivers must fit them when signs or officers direct. Check the NSW Government’s driving in snow page before any trip, and the equivalent rules in other states.

Key advice to share: slow down, brake gently and early, leave extra room, watch for black ice in shaded areas, and pull over safely if you can’t see the road edge. Practising fitting chains in a driveway beforehand makes the real thing much easier.

Night and wet together

Rain at night is one of the hardest combinations for new drivers: glare from wet roads, reduced visibility and less contrast. Only introduce it once the learner is confident with both conditions separately, start on well-lit familiar roads, and keep the lesson shorter than usual.

Build a weather progression

Plan weather experience the same way you plan any skill:

1. Talk through conditions and controls while parked.
2. Drive in light rain on quiet, familiar roads.
3. Progress to heavier rain or busier roads as confidence grows.
4. Add other conditions (low sun, wind, night rain) when they come up.
5. Debrief each time: what changed, what they adjusted and what they’d do differently.

Tell supervising drivers what you’ve covered so learners can safely build experience in varied conditions during practice at home.

Frequently asked questions

Want to teach learners to handle every condition safely? Book a free consultation to talk about becoming a driving instructor, or see the TLI41225 course overview.