Knowing the rules is only half of driving well. You also need to use the car's controls smoothly and without thinking, so that your eyes and attention stay on the road. This section explains the basic controls of a car in plain steps, for learners and for anyone who wants to drive more smoothly.

Start with using the clutch and changing gears in a manual car, then learn how to clear misted windows in seconds, and how to drive an automatic car safely. Then go through your first drive step by step, the hill start, parallel parking and T parking, the manoeuvres checked in the driving test. These are practical skills rather than law, so most of the advice here is India Drive Safe guidance, with the legal points marked where they apply.

When you have read them, practise on a quiet road with a licensed supervisor beside you (see Learning to drive & your licence), and test yourself with the learner licence mock test.