Driving lessons and learning to drive

You need to find an instructor that has many years of experience in offering driving lessons as it is a specialist skill that takes a while to hone. Just because you can drive, it doesn’t mean that you can teach others how to so make sure that you find an instructor that has taught people of all ages and abilities. The problem is if you wait for too long after you pass your test to take to the roads, you may forget what you are doing and it is therefore important to start driving as soon as you have passed your test. Being able to afford a car after paying out for your lessons may not be possible so think wisely when making that purchase. Many new drivers will choose to buy a small car as they are easier to manoeuvre while you are still in the early stages of your driving life. You will need to find a car that you feel comfortable in.

A qualified instructor will have an ADI certificate (Approved Driving Instructor) that proves that they are qualified to teach you how to drive. Many modern instructors will be able to teach you how to drive with the environment in mind as well and the national average of first time pass rates is 39%. This means that you are less than 50% likely to pass your test first time around so give yourself the best chance possible by hiring a good teacher! Some teachers have a far higher average than this for their students with 60% upwards being really impressive. Ask your instructor what their first time pass rate is before you choose one but best of all get a recommendation.

Once you have found an instructor that you want to use you can ask them how many lessons on average most students will need before they are ready for their test. That way, you can price up how much money you will need to fund your lessons. You will also have to pay out to take a theory test before you take your practical test and both of these cost money as well as the lessons themselves. You may want to take a few lessons first and see how quickly you adapt to driving as some people do take to it really naturally while others will take longer. Then, ask your instructor how many lessons they think you will need so you can work out how much money you will need to pay out.

Driving lessons individually may not seem that expensive but they soon add up and it is important that you are aware of the overall cost before you begin. A loan is the perfect way to fund lessons if you are short of cash and you can ask your instructor for a discount if you pay for a set amount upfront. Not all instructors will give a discount but it is worth asking as you will end up saving yourself money in the future if you pay for them all at once. Driving is something that almost everyone can do and if you are worried about learning to drive, then speak to your instructor before you begin. You will usually be taken to a quiet stretch of road for the first couple of times that you drive and this allows you to practise learning about how to use the accelerator, brake and clutch. You will also have to learn about road etiquette, seat adjustment and mirror placement but all of these things are included in your lessons, and once you pass your test; you will soon be able to go anywhere whenever you want to without having to rely on someone else for a lift.

As a member of the Driving Instructors Association our driving school is fully insured and we have Professional Indemnity to £5,000,000 and Public Liability to £10,000,000.