Your Top 10 Questions:

I’m being asked questions all the time by Learners, I thought perhaps it might be useful to post up some of the more common ones:

Q.  Is there a ‘catch’ with all these deals that I can find on the internet for cheap driving lessons?

A.  I guess you have to question why someone would have the need to offer say 10 lessons for £99.  Ever thought about that?  If someone is providing a driving lesson at the rate of £9.90 per hour, then when you take out the price of fuel and other running costs for the car, that person may not even be earning minimum wage, do you think that will be an efficient learning environment?

Q.  How long does it take on average to learn to drive?

A.  The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) give these kind of stats on their website.  The problem with asking a Driving Instructor this question is that he/she may measure that stat in a different way to the next one you ask.  So you are therefore, not treating ‘like with like’.  Having said this, if you ask a Driving Instructor any questions that in any way measure their efficiency, AND the answer they give demonstrates that they clearly do not measure their performance, then that probably means they do not find that important.  Any question that YOU think is important, that a Driving Instructor cannot clearly answer for you, means that there is a potential mis-match in the importance you both place in that particular subject. 

Q.  How do you know when it is the right time to go to test?

A.  That depends on what your attitude is to learning how to drive.  Remember, you do not have to go to test in a Driving Instructors car – you do not even have to learn with a Driving Instructor.  The DSA provide a recommended ‘syllabus’ of the key skills of a driver, and as they are also conducting the tests – it would be wise to ensure your training reflects their syllabus.  The test standard in itself is not a particularly high standard, so it is important to consider from the start what you’re aiming to achieve.  Driving Instructors have differing opinions about this subject of when is the right time to go to test, speak to them about it, check that what he/she says falls in line with your expectations.

Q.  What is involved in the practical test?

A.  An eyesight test, a couple of questions on basic car maintenance, one manoeuvre, possibly an emergency stop (1 in 3 tests have one), and a 10 minute section where you drive completely independently with no verbal instruction from the Examiner.  The whole thing lasts about 38 minutes and costs around £60-£70 depending if you want the test on a Saturday or not.

Q.  Is it right to say that by passing the test, I’m perfectly safe on the roads?

A.  The insurance premiums for newly qualified drivers these days would tend to suggest not.  They are as high as they are, for good reason.  Whether you have the time, money and motivation to train to be a safe, efficient and considerate independent driver in any road conditions, in any weather, at any time of day/night is a matter for you.  It might be wise to consider if there are any differences in how you will be tested on your test day, compared to how you will then be wanting/needing to drive in the future. 

Q.  Do the Examiners have a certain quota of pass/fails that they need to meet by the end of the week?

A.  There is little evidence to suggest so.  Consider this, if that were to be true, then why are there such significant differences in pass rates between differing Test Centres up and down the UK?  The DSA provide stats on their website of pass/fail rates between Test Centres all over the UK – go check out your local ones and see what I mean.

Q.  On the Test will the Examiner use the brake if I’m going to have an accident?

A.  I would not count on it!  Their job in the car is to assess how ready you are to be given the right to drive alone on the public roads.  They are not there to prevent you from causing an accident or breaking the law with a traffic offence.

Q.  If I fail my test, will I have let down my Driving Instructor?

A.  That very much depends on your Driving Instructors attitude to pass rates.  Theoretically, failing a test means you will need more training, which will need to be paid for by you to your Driving Instructor, AND it will require another test which again the Driving Instructor will financially benefit from if you require to use his/her car.

Q.  Are these Intensive Courses a good idea?

A.  It depends on your personal circumstances.  What they do offer you is options.  Some people feel strongly that they do not provide the depth of learning that is required.  This very much depends on your attitude to exactly what is required.  If you are learning to drive to pass the test as required by the DSA then they offer a very real alternative option.

Q.  How do I know if a Driving Instructor is any good?

A.  How do you define good?  Patient, reliable, cheap, honest, fun, knowledgeable, thorough, happy, clean, highly qualified, professional, good value?   My advice would be to ask him/her to visit you and your Parents for a no-obligation meet where you can make this kind of assessment.  As a general rule, it should be less to do with price and more to do with recommendations from others.