HOW MANY DRIVING LESSONS WILL I NEED & WHEN WILL I BE READY FOR MY TEST ?

A survey recently carried out by the DSA, suggests that to give potential candidates the best possible chance of passing the Driving test, they will need to have completed a minimum of 40 hours driving with a professional instructor plus as much "additional" fully supervised driving practice with a member of their family or friend.

Please note that the supervising driver needs to be over 21 and have held a full UK licence for over three years. Many people fail their first driving test... Are you really ready?

The current pass rate is only 45% (June 2004). For first time candidates, its even lower.

• Poor observation at junctions - ineffective proper observation and poor judgment of speed or space
• Reverse parking - ineffective all around observation or a lack of accuracy (ie simply not looking around enough)
• Use of mirrors - simply not checking all mirrors (including door mirrors) or not acting on the information
• Reversing around a corner - ineffective all around observation or a lack of accuracy (ie simply not looking around enough)
• Incorrect use of signals - not cancelling after turns or giving misleading or confusing signals
• Moving away safely - ineffective observation such as not checking mirrors or blind spots (ie over your right shoulder check)
• Incorrect positioning on the road - at roundabouts or on bends or straddling road markings
• Lack of steering control - steering too early or leaving it too late, resulting in poor or dangerous road positioning
• Incorrect positioning to turn right - at junctions and in especially along or right turns on one way streets
• Inappropriate speed - simply driving too slowly for road conditions or being hesitant at junctions

The actual DRIVING TEST takes between 40 to 45 minutes depending on the time off day and traffic.. From October 4th 2010 the Driving Test will have undertaken some minor changes in the way its assessed.. During the course of the test you will be expected to show the examiner you can drive for a 10 minute period without receiving any verbal instruction at all.. You will be given a set of instructions that require you to follow a specific set of road signs or markings, or you'll be given a simple set of diagrams to follow. Dont worry about going the wrong way, or missing a turn.. The examiner will simply ask you to keep going, and he'll get you back on route as soon as is practical... If the road signs are not visible or hard to see, he will still prompt you..Or if you want anything clarifying, again you can ask for confirmation... If you're reading the road (as you should be) there's no problem... Its designed to to encourage you to become totally independant, so when you pass your test, thats exactly what you'll carry on doing when you're out driving by yourself.. I've been teaching this aspect of driving for several years....

CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE INFORMATION ON INDEPENDANT DRIVING

During the course of the test you will be asked to show the examiner your ability to do JUST ONE pre-set manoeuvre from the following four options :

Turning in the road (Commonly referred to as a THREE POINT TURN)

Reversing around a left hand corner

Reverse Bay Parking (Carried out in the car park at Loughborough's Driving Test Centre)

Reverse Parallel Parking (Behind another car on the roadside)

The Emergency "Controlled Stop" procedure will be done at random at the examiners discretion.

You will almost certainly be asked to perform a Hill Start, plus several normal stops at the side of the road.. then asked to "Drive on" again

You will fail if you make one serious or dangerous mistake, or if you commit more than 15 minor driving errors.....

There are normally a minimum of 7 driving test's conducted daily by each driving examiner Monday to Friday through the week the first test being at 8.10am, followed by 9.07am..10.14am..11.11am..12.38pm..13.35pm..14.32pm...

(Extra driving test times are often available during summer months at 15.29pm..16.26pm but might be charged extra)

There are often tests available on a Saturday & Sunday, and again are charged extra by the DSA...please consult the DSA website for latest fees and availability

Before the actual driving test begins, the examiner will take you out to the car and ask you to perform TWO simple basic routine maintenance checks on your car. This is known as "SHOW ME"..."TELL ME" (Click on this link to find out more)

An example of this could be to show/tell him how you would check the oil levels on your car, or perhaps explain how to check the tyre pressures...All this will be explained during the course of your lessons.

Try not to get to nervous about your Driving Test ! Amazingly 6 out 10 fail due to Driving Test Nerves!

Click on the link below and try the driving test angel programme, it offers a full money back guarantee if your not 100% happy with the results...Give it a go, you've nothing to lose.