How To Pass Your Driving Test

1. Pick The Right Driving Instructor & Driving School

Picking the right driving instructor and driving school is very important. You need to know that your driving lessons are in good hands with a reputable Driving School and that you are being taught by a high grade Driving Instructor with a good pass rate. Check out the online reviews and see what the previous pupils thought about their Driving Lessons.

2. Take Enough Driving Lessons With Your Instructor

It can always be tempting to try and save money by reducing the number of lessons you take but this is usually unwise. The more Driving experience you can get behind the wheel prior to taking your test then the more likely you are to pass. Passing first time can not only be very satisfying but it can also save you money as you won’t need to book. The average pupil takes at least 40 hours of Driving Lessons.

3. Keep Track Of Your Progress

Your Driving Instructor will be able to help you keep track of your progress and importantly this will allow you to see which areas you need to practise on.

4. Do A Mock Test

Ask your Driving Instructor to help you by arranging a mock driving test. All of our Driving Instructors are able to provide you with a mock test which will give you very useful feedback in preparation for your test.

5. Listen To Your Driving Instructor

You are paying a professional Driving Instructor to teach you how to drive and become a safe driver for life. Listen to the feedback that your Driving Instructor provides you with and enter into a two way dialogue with your Driving Instructor throughout your Driving Lessons.

6. Practise Around The Test Area

You need to get familiar with your Driving Test area and used to the busy elements on the routes. It is important that you do not focus on learning test routes as you should be able to effectively drive anywhere as you will be doing this once you have passed your test but it does make sense to know some of the trouble spots.

7. Review Your Theory Knowledge Again

Yes, by this point you have already passed your theory test but make sure you go over your theory test one more time. It may be several months since you passed your Theory test and you need to make sure your knowledge stays up to date.

8. Don’t Rush To Get Your Driving Licence

Of course you want your Driving Licence as quickly as you possibly can but the objective is actually to make you a Safe Driver For Life and not just getting you to pass your Driving Test. Take your time to learn your skills and to gain experience. You need to feel confident when you are out driving in your own car.

9. Check Your Mirrors

You should really make every effort to check your mirrors on your Driving Test. Always check your mirrors in pairs starting with the interior and then the appropriate door mirror. You should aim to check your mirrors every 10 to 15 seconds at a minimum and make sure that you turn your head so the examiner can see that you are checking them regularly.

10. Get Plenty Of Sleep

Get plenty of sleep before your Driving Test and before each Driving Lesson. Tiredness is a significant factor in many car accidents and you really need to pay attention to the road when you are taking your Driving Test. Never drive when tired and drive no more than 2 hours without a rest.

Select Your Instructors ?

Not all Driving Instructor are the same.  We are all very different and have different teaching styles and personalities.

The important thing to consider though is how do you find the right Driving Instructor for you?  Our Driving Instructors are professional and use the very latest Client Centred Learning techniques.  We are all trained to be able to adapt to your individual learning requirements and will formulate the best training options to suit you and get you through your driving test.

All of our Driving Instructors are DVSA approved and are personally interviewed to make sure that they fit in well with our teaching styles.  We regularly monitor the performance of our Driving Instructors to make sure that they maintain high standards of teaching and they are also regularly checked for their standards by the Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

How To Pass Your Theory Test

The key to passing your Theory Test is preparation.  Luckily we have this covered for you as each new pupil will be provided free access to our online Theory App which can be used on Desktop, Laptops, Tablets or mobile devices through the Play or App store.

We would also advise that you purchase a copy of the highway code for revision at home.

To stand the best chance of passing your Theory Test it is recomended that you take up a little and often approach to revision.  Each day read a few pages of the highway code and have a little practise on our theory app.  Eventually things will sink in and once your test is booked you will be able to step up your revision schedule.

Within our theory app you will be able to practise both short and full Theory Test questions.  Short tests consist of just 10 questions so they are an ideal option for the little and often approach.  Every few days though make sure you complete a full Theory Test as this will be very similar to your real Theory Test.

The Hazard perception element can also be practised on the app.  We have a series of clips similar to those that are used by the DVSA.  You will be required to click the screen or mouse anytime you see a hazard.  A hazard is anything that would potentially cause you to change speed or direction.

Your Driving Instructor is able to review your progress and will be on hand to help you should you have any questions.

Use Of P Plates

Once you have passed your Driving Test you will be keen to start driving on your own.  Please consider that you will still be very inexperienced and that you should continue to drive as your Driving Instructor trained you and as you drove on your driving test.

It was once said that a new driver starts with two buckets.  One is filled with luck and the other is empty of experience.  As a new driver you need to fill up the experience bucket before the luck bucket runs dry but the only problem is that we never now how much “luck” is in the first bucket.

Use P Plates.  These are very similar to L Plates but are Green in colour with a P instead of an L.  This will indicate to other road users that you are a new and inexperienced driver.  Hopefully most drivers will leave you more space and will expect the occasional mistake.  We would recommended keeping these on you car for a minimum of the first 3 months of your solo driving.  It will give you time and space to gain that vital driving experience.

DVSA – You can display green ‘probationary’ P plates to show that you’ve just passed your driving test. You don’t have to display them. You can leave them on your vehicle for as long as you like.

Buying Your First Car

Congratulations.. You have passed your Driving Test and now you are looking for your first car?  So what do you need to look for and what do you need to consider?

Do I buy new or used?

Most people will buy a used car for their first vehicle on a limited budget.  If you do decide to buy used then it is advisable to purchase your car from a reputable dealership or a trustworthy source.

If you are buying used the you will be looking for as low mileage as possible with a low number of previous keepers. It is worth taking someone with you that knows about cars who can check that you are buying something reliable which hasn’t previously been involved in any significant accidents.  We would also recommend downloading a car buyers checklist so you can check for any significant issues before you part with your hard earned cash.  With a dealer you will have more come back should a problem occur that you will in a private sale.  If a car looks to good to be true then it is often best to walk away.  You need to make sure that your seller is genuine.

Always make sure that you check the HPI history with a used car as there can be outstanding finance attached to the car or other problems.

If you decide you buy a new car then you will be buying a safe car which should be reliable with a manufactures warranty.  Always remember to get an insurance quote for your car before you purchase it.

Low power and small engine

Your first car will need to be very low power with a small engine.  You will simply find the insurance too expensive as a new driver if you go for anything too powerful.

Get A Safe Car

As a New Driver you will probably be on a fairly tight budget for your first car but it is worth saving for the newest and safest car you can afford.  Check the NCAP rating for the car you are looking to buy as this will be a good indicator on if you should purchase the desired car.

https://www.euroncap.com/en