Driving on main, busy streets ‘a necessary evil’ for beginners, instructors say

AMMAN — Beginner drivers should eventually experience driving on busy streets, but they can be eased into this by taking time to master the required skills on less traffic-heavy roads, according to instructors and students.

Ali Obeidat, a driving instructor in Amman, said he takes his students in the beginner stages to areas with light traffic away from crowded main streets, such as Dahiyat Al Rasheed, Arjan and Um Summaq.

“At this stage, students learn control and the proper use of mirrors,” he told The Jordan Times in a recent interview, noting that usually students spend 10 lessons at this stage.

The total number of lessons depends on the students’ skills and their desire to learn, he said.

“Students generally do not face problems in driving on main roads, as they use special training cars that are known to other drivers,” Obeidat noted. 

He recounted some incidents where male drivers harass female students by getting too close to their cars.  

But Obeidat insisted that beginners do not obstruct traffic, adding that driving in traffic jams is part of the learning experience.

But Maysoun Awad, another driving instructor, said she takes her students to main streets to practise driving there on the first day of training.

“I want my students to gain the needed confidence,” she said in a recent interview, noting that her role in controlling the car and giving instructions to student-drivers decreases with time as students’ performance improves.

Amani Hajjaj, who has recently obtained a driver license, said it was very stressful for her to practise driving on main roads, especially in the early sessions.

“I learned the basics in a calm area near my house in Jubeiha, but the real learning was in the crowded streets among experienced drivers,” she said.

Hajjaj added that she was embarrassed every time she was unable to handle the situation while driving, and this is where the role of the instructor kicks in.

Amman Traffic Department Director Col. Basem Kharabsheh said on Saturday that driving students should be able to handle themselves when they drive on main roads so they do not disturb traffic flow, adding that sooner or later they need to gain this experience.

He added that students should receive initial training in less crowded streets or training places like the Royal Automobile Club before driving on main roads. 

Meanwhile, the use of designated orange cars allows other drivers to deal with beginners’ hesitancy and their lack of experience.

Motorist Mohammad Walid said he understands learners’ inability to properly handle traffic and, therefore, does not speed around them or make them feel uncomfortable.

“All drivers were learners at some point and should set an example in commitment to traffic regulations,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone.