How to teach cockpit checks
Doors, seat, steering, seatbelt and mirrors. The routine that makes every later skill easier.
What to teach
- Teach a fixed order such as doors, seat, steering, seatbelt, mirrors, and say it out loud.
- Adjust the seat so the clutch can be fully pressed with a slight bend in the knee.
- Set mirrors so the learner sees as much of the road behind as possible with minimal head movement.
- Check the handbrake is on and the gear is in neutral before starting the engine.
Faults to watch for
- Seat too far back, so the clutch is never fully down.
- Mirrors set to show the car's own sides.
- Rushing the routine once the learner is "past it".
Practice between lessons
Ask the learner to do the cockpit routine every time they sit in any driver's seat, even a parked car.
Common questions
Do examiners check the cockpit routine?
Not as a separate item, but a poor seat or mirror position shows up quickly in control and observation faults.
What is the best order for cockpit checks?
Any consistent order works. Doors, seat, steering, seatbelt, mirrors is popular because each step depends on the one before.
