Choosing the Correct Driving Instructor

Why this is an important decision.

Your Driving Instructor will be teaching you a skill that will last your whole lifetime. Not only that, but it’s a skill that has life-changing consequences: Learn well and your life will open up in freedom, opportunity and independence; learn badly and you could cause a horrific accident. In addition, you’re going to be spending an average of around 45 hours sitting next to this person in a car, spending an average £20 per hour. It’s worth choosing carefully.

Options

You can be taught by anybody who is over the age of twenty-one and has held a full driving-licence for at least three years, and as long as you are covered by insurance for the vehicle you are driving. Only an Approved Driving Instructor (or trainee) who is registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is allowed to charge for driving lessons. They must have a badge in their car window, and will be graded by the DVSA between Grade 4 (competent) and Grade 6 (best). An Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) is the best option because they have experience and skill in teaching people to drive, know the driving test syllabus and have chosen their vehicle with learner drivers in mind, though it’s also helpful if you can get practice in between your lessons with a friend or family member.

How to choose

Going by personal recommendation is a good place to start. If you’ve a friend who has recently learned to drive and they are happy with the instruction they received, then find out who the instructor was. Ask around and get a few positive recommendations. Next, have a look at reviews on the internet, and look at the driving instructor’s website if they have one. Ignore “pass rates”. They aren’t that helpful because there is no consistency – a 100% pass rate might mean that all their learners passed their test but it took them four attempts; it might mean that 100% of the learners who took their test one week last June passed! Speak to the instructor and ask them questions. How do they teach? Do they specialise in nervous drivers? What kind of car do they use? Do they follow a plan? Do they record coverage of the syllabus on the Driver’s Record?

Having a trial lesson first.

Ask for a trial lesson before you commit to anything. You’ll soon see whether or not you and the instructor get on, and whether you’ll be happy with them. Look for a clean and uncluttered car interior, punctuality and professionalism. Ask about the Driver’s Record and if they will have a plan for what will be covered each lesson.

While you will often get a discount for block-booking lessons, don’t commit too far in advance. If you find out that you don’t get on with the driving instructor after all, or you are unhappy with their instruction for any reason, then you can change driving instructor at any time.

If you would like to learn to drive in Glasgow contact TX Driver Training now on 0141 764 1213.

How The Driving Theory Test Isn’t As Bad As You Think

You’ve got your Provisional Licence and you may or may not have already started your driving lessons. Before you can even start thinking about your Practical Driving Test you need to pass your Theory Test. For some people this is a small hurdle to overcome, while some people worry so much about the Theory Test that it becomes a real obstacle. Let me reassure you. The Driving theory test almost certainly isn’t as bad as you think.

How does the driving theory test work?

There are two parts to the Driving Theory Test, and you need to pass both in the same sitting.

The first part is the Multiple Choice part. You will have fifty multiple choice questions to answer on all aspects of driving theory. Questions may be about stopping distances, first aid, what road markings or signs mean, considerate driving and many other scenarios you may come across on the road. Some questions may require more than one answer, or you may get several questions based on a brief case study. You have fifty-seven minutes to answer the questions, and can “flag” and go back to any you weren’t sure about. The pass mark is 43 questions correct out of 50. Provided that you prepare well there is nothing to worry about. If you have a Special Educational Need, you should let the test centre know about this when you book, as you can hear the questions being read out with earphones, or can be allowed extra time to complete the test.

The best ways to prepare for the multiple choice part of the driving theory test are:

• Read and digest The Highway Code
• The DVSA have provided an online learning programme, e-book, app, book and DVD to help with your preparation. As these are designed by the people who set the test, they are the very best preparation materials.
• You can also take a mock theory test provided by the DVSA on www.gov.uk/practise-your-driving-theory-test

The second part of the test is the Hazard Perception Test. On the computer screen you’ll be shown a short introductory video and then you will see a series of fourteen video clips, each lasting approximately one minute. Each clip will show an everyday road scene. In the clip you will see several potential hazards, one or two of which could start to develop to a point where you may need to change direction or speed. When you spot a hazard beginning to develop, you click with the mouse. The earlier in the developing hazard you click, the more points you score for that clip. You need to score 44 out of 75 to pass the Hazard Perception part of the test.

The best ways to prepare for the Hazard Perception Test are:

• Be aware of the road ahead whenever you are driving or as a passenger. What could constitute a hazard ahead? How soon does the driver (if that’s not you) notice the potential hazard and start taking action? You could ask another driver to give you a commentary of potential hazards they spot as you drive and see if you spotted them too.
• The DVSA provide an interactive DVD-ROM and there are several free online mock Hazard Perception tests available, and it’s very helpful to have a go at a few of them until you are confident with how the clicks score.

Top Theory Test Tips

• Do your homework! The DVSA recommends about twenty hours revision and preparation for the test.
• Make sure that you know where the test centre is, and give yourself plenty of time to get there. Aim to be about thirty minutes early.
• Remember to take your photo-card provisional licence with you on the day.
• Before your test begins you get some time to familiarise yourself with the way the computer program and touch screen works with some practice questions. Make the most of this and flag up if there seem to be any problems with the technology or if there’s anything you don’t understand.
• In between the two parts of the test you get a three minute break. Use it to take some deep breaths, have a stretch and refocus ready for the Hazard Perception test.

To book your Glasgow Driving Lessons, contact TX Driver Training now on 0141 764 1213.

How do I book a driving theory test?

If you’ve read and digested the Highway Code, you’ve spent some time trying out mock multiple choice and hazard perception tests online, and you’re confident that you know the rules of the road and are competent at reading the road ahead of you, then you can go ahead and book your car driving theory test.

In order to book the theory test you must have your provisional licence and be at least seventeen years old.

To find your nearest Driving Theory Test Centre you can either go online at www.gov.uk/driving-theory-test-centre or you can phone the Theory Test Enquiry Line on 0300 200 11 22 between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday. There are other unofficial theory test booking sites, but treat these with caution as you may end up paying more, or finding that you are not booked in at all. You can also use the official website if you need to cancel your test for any reason, or change the date or venue.

You can book online, or you can obtain an application form from the test centre. You will need your Provisional Licence number and a credit or debit card to pay the £25 fee. To book online you’ll also need an e-mail address to which they can send your confirmation. Your confirmation will arrive within four days, with a booking number.

What if English isn’t my first language? In the past the driving theory test was available in a number of languages, but after consultation this facility was removed in 2014. It’s important that all new drivers are confident enough in English or Welsh that they will understand traffic updates or emergency information, and will be able to communicate with law enforcement officers. It will also help to prevent test fraud. The test is now available in English or Welsh.

What if I have Special Needs? If you have reading difficulties such as dyslexia, then you can listen to the test being read to you in English or Welsh, and you may be able to have an extension on the time allowed for the test. You will need to provide proof from an education or medical professional that you need this. The Theory Test is also available with a BSL interpretation for deaf learners, or if you do not read BSL an approved interpreter can be arranged. Contact the Theory Test Enquiry Line (number above) for more information and to let them know if you have these or any other special needs.

What if I can’t make the date I booked? You must give notice of your cancellation at least three working days prior to the test, otherwise you will lose your test fee.

I failed the theory test. Can I book again straight away? If you fail the test, don’t worry. You can take it again, but you must wait a minimum of three working days before you take your test again. This gives you plenty of time to revise the content of the Highway Code and take a couple of mock tests for practice.

To book your Glasgow Driving Lessons with TX Driver Training call us now on 0141 764 1213.

How many driving lessons will I need?

There is no simple answer to this question. Everybody is different. Learners come to driving lessons with different experiences as a passenger and different rates of learning. Some learners have more opportunity for practice outside of their driving lessons than others too.

Some learners claim to have needed as few as five to ten driving lessons with an instructor, so it’s assumed that they have been taught most aspects of learning to drive by a friend or family member. Some learners spend many years learning, and find combining the skills very difficult or are very nervous. The average learner is somewhere in the middle of this continuum, requiring in the region of forty hours of lessons with a qualified instructor and about twenty hours practice with a friend or family member.

It’s important to remember that we are talking about being in sole control of a vehicle weighing at least one tonne and capable of travelling in excess of seventy miles per hour. Learning to drive isn’t all about being able to pass the test in the fastest possible time, but about teaching you to drive safely and confidently. It’s surely better to take a couple of extra lessons and pass safe and confident, than to squeeze through too quickly to save money and time, and end up either failing, or not being a safe driver and potentially causing an accident.

A few factors that might have an impact on how many lessons you require include:

• People who live in congested urban areas, or who usually have their driving lessons at rush hour are likely to need a few more lessons. They are spending more of their driving lesson time sitting in traffic, and less time driving at normal speeds learning to read the road, or practising manoeuvres.
• People who live further from the test centre may need a few more lessons because they get less practice on the test route, or spend more of their lesson time travelling to and from the test area.
• Nervous drivers will need more lessons because they need to feel completely confident at each step before they can be moved on to the next, and driving lesson time will be spent going over material that’s been covered and reassuring the learner.
• Learners who don’t have the opportunity to practice between lessons may need more. They don’t have the chance to embed their learning with a friend or family member, and will probably need to recap the last lesson before continuing. On the other hand, it’s possible that those who do practice with a friend or family member could be picking up bad habits, or becoming frustrated and tense with their driving between lessons, and time may need to be spent undoing this damage, leading to more lessons being required.
• Learners who have spent more time in the front passenger seat, or who have ridden a bike regularly may need fewer lessons, as they have more understanding of the rules of the road and more experience reading the road ahead.
• Having two or three lessons each week will also probably reduce the number that you need, as you’ll not be forgetting what you have learned in between your lessons and needing to re-cap.

Before you start driving, there is no magic way of telling how many lessons you’re going to require, and it’s certainly not worth trying to scrimp and save on something so important. Spending some time reading and learning The Highway Code before you start, and paying more attention to the way other people drive will all help to prepare you for your lessons.

Contact TX Driver Training on 0141 764 1213 to start your driving lessons now.