This question is very important especially if you are one of those who is taking cheap driving lessons.
The DSA made changes to the Theory test in 2012.
Driving test how many lessons
How many hours will I need before I'm ready for the UK driving test and pass? This is the second most common question I get asked as a dsa qualified driving instructor operating in London.
It is not possible for an instructor to answer this question, how many driving lessons for test varies, as every individual is different when it comes to learning to drive. Here are a few facts that you should bear in mind when thinking about how many hours or driving lessons you need to pass your driving test.
1. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) which conducts the UK driving test recommends an average of 45 hours with about 22 hours of private practice.
2. Your driving age is a determining factor, the younger you are, the quicker you learn, the fewer driving lessons you'll need, on the other hand an elderly learner will need more lessons to be prepared for the test.
3. Previous experience also needs to be taken into account, a learner who rides a motor bike will have more road knowledge than someone the same age who has no previous experience on the road and is thus more likely to be ready for the driving test earlier, and thus requires fewer driving lessons for test.
4. You need to be consistent with your learning. Many people have a few driving lessons, take a 6 month break, find another instructor have some more lessons, expecting to just continue from where they left off. This will not work, learning to drive is about building a habit, and you need to be consistent with your lessons which is why I always advise those wanting to learn to drive to save up or budget the money for their lessons so that they can be consistent and not have to re-learn old skills that have been forgotten due to long breaks in between driving lessons.
5. Use the time in between driving lessons productively. If you haven't passed your theory test continually study your books
and the Highway Code
. If you have passed the theory test, make sure you still read the highway code at least. You can never have too much knowledge, and it is important that you don't forget all you learnt for the theory test as any gaps in your knowledge will reflect on your driving.So back to the original question how many driving lessons will I need to pass my driving test?
Here is a formula to give you a ROUGH idea of how many lessons with an approved driving instructor you MIGHT need before you are ready for the driving test.
Hours = Your Age X 1.5
Please not that the above mentioned information applies to learner drivers in the UK. If you are in the US, then you need to check with your local Driver Education instroctor or a DMV office for advice if a provisional license holder, as requirements differ from state to state, and what holds in Califonia maybe inadequate in Michigan.
More Reading for Learner Drivers
How many driving lessons before I start maneuvers?
Using the Driver's Record to know when you are test ready.
Advice on Choosing a driving instructor.
Pass Plus scheme for new drivers.
Provisional driving licence dont drive alone!
So how many driving lessons for your driving test?
If you want a honest, patient and experienced driving instructor to help you achive your goal of getting a full british licence without holding you back, then why not give me a call on 07956233032 for affordable and cheap driving lessons. I give manual not automatic tuition in the North West area of London, including Borehamwood, Edgware and Wembley.
Free Driving Lesson Sept 16th 2009.
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25 comments:
Your age x 1.5 as a rough guide? I m a driving instructor and this is more like your age x 3. Most people will take approx 50 hours without any private practice. 17years old x 3 = 51 hours needed. There are only about 10% of my pupils that need 25 hours to be ready for a test from scratch.
I would agree with the above. Not all puils have access to a car for private practice which means slower learning
I passed when I was 18 (now 19) with 28 hours. Maybe it's the gaming generation that do best? :P
Definately the gaming generation, or people who play driving/racing simulations with a wheel. You can set a standard for all people, everyone learns at different rates, different people learn in different ways, and of course getting a good instructor is instrumental in passing, age x 1.5 sounds about right, x3? way off, maybe with you as an instructor?
x3 isn't as "way off" as the person who made the last post seems to believe. It's a lot nearer to the mark than 1.5. There seems to be a perception, especially amongst younger learners that most people will take about 20 lessons at most before they pass the test, no doubt influenced by classroom boasting etc. I am constantly amazed at the number of times I have heard claims of having had between 10 and 15 lessons before passing. The figures, I'm afraid don't lie. The average is, as previously stated about 45 hours with an instructor and about 22 private practice, nearly 70 hours in total. As for the "gaming generation" whatever that is, don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure I read some research last year that stated playing console and PC games (driving or otherwise) had a noticeable detrimental effect on driving ability in the "real world". It is slightly worrying that some, more immature members of society actually believe that playing racing games can improve their driving on a real road!!
I don't think an amount of lessons can be set by the age of the learner driver. Everybody is different and everybody's way of learning is different, regardless of their age.
1.5 times and 3 times are both crazy answers to give! You cant possibly judge how many lessons a person needs to take based on their age or a 1 year old would be driving pretty damn quickly and a 50 year old in 3 years at 1 lesson a week.The old times your age method is a bit outdated isnt it people.An as a person who knows MANY people who have passed their tests...none of them have had such an absurd amount of lessons....maybe time to retrain as an instructor...oops you did know you need qualifications right?
Just as a curiosity, I realise that most people are different but roughly on average how many lessons would someone do before they begin practising their manouvers. My daughter has now reached lesson 31 without practising any. Personally I think that seems a lot, but then I'm not a driving instructor.
31 driving lessons is a lot, and should have started manouvers by now. Why not go on a lesson with your daughter, this should give you an idea of how both she and the insructor interact, and how much progress she has made.
Do you have proof she has had so many lessons (driver's record or similar), if so and she seems to be doing okay with the skills she has been taught, then maybe she has been held back.
Is the instructor fully qualified?
I would normally start manoeuvres with the Controlled Stop - which should be around lesson 6/7 subject to the pupil responding well to previous lessons.
I have heard similar stories to this and am amazed that people are getting away with this.
Is the instructor definitely a qualified ADI?
On my 1st lesson I was doin a circuit around this street I live nearby. got into gear 3 hitting about 25mph and on my 2nd lesson I was doing reverse manouvers and 3 point turns... I have now had about 16 hours worth of lesson and feel I am an okay driver, just need to practise and build confidence on the faster roads... I'd say another 16 hours worth to be safe so that should be around the 32 mark... :) Hope this helps
Oh and this was with no previous driving experience, well half hour with my father about 2 years ago....
I've had 10 lessons, 2 more till test. Had quite a lot of time in my car with parents. My instructor is awesome!
Hopefully it will be a pass!
Ok so all of this formula stuff, say i am 26 and have just finished a graduate degree at university and until now have had no reason to know how to drive, are you telling me that because i am in my twenties i need more hours than a 17 year old kid? i dont think so somehow. If i am wrong please enlighten me, there seems to be a few drviving instructors commenting here so i am sure one of you could tell me.
i just passed my test first time 6 minors
im 17 and i have had 47.5 hours and no practise other than the hours with my instructor
which i was told is about average with no car to learn in with parents and so on
I dont think games have anything to do with it to be honest, the gamer generation comment is rubbish.
I am 31 and have been playing games since I was about 7 and have had just about console imaginable, and work in software development.
It is down to the individual, some people learn more slowly than others, some suffer from nerves.
My instructor always said age x 2, which is in the middle of the 2 on this blog, surely its completely subjective though.
Also 31 lessons and no manoeuvre techniques practiced? I did emergency stop on my second 2 hour lesson and also started learning turn in the road then.
Its hard to believe a lot of what you read online, I have heard people saying they passed after 12 hours etc which always annoyed me.
I had 59 hours of lessons and was also driving my girlfriends car with her sitting me up, I only just passed at age 31.
i know that age x1.5 is a load of rubbish.in general the younger a learner is the easier to teach but not always. i hav young kids that hav passed with 25 hrs but im pretty sure they wer driving b4. you can normally tell on there 1st lesson.and i dont think there is any point in teaching manouveres in early lessons unless they can drive and hav good control of the car. i personally teach my learners how to drive and control the car properly then i teach manouveres. i dont belive in teaching bits here and bits ther. and guess wat i hav a 73% pass rate. and anybody that sais they hav higher are either lying or hold there learners back from tests or simply take out the badge from the car on tests.
oh and by the way people that say that they passed with 12 hrs are fibers. and also most people that say that they passed 1st time are also fibbers it just makes them look good. remember national pass rate is 43%. in london its more like 35%.
normally on average the older you are the more hours you need. i think probably as you get older you are more responsible and careful. but a lot of driving is not just about driving skills but common sense. and you need confidence and good concentration. some people just dont have those.
People are not necessarily fibbers, I passed my test after 12 lessons and first time. Although that was some years ago. My worry is the driving instructors who treat pupils as cash cows and tell them they are not ready for their test just to sell more lessons. I have warned my son to look out for these kinds of instructors. Yes you know who you are.
The average amount of lessons is on the increase due to 1) Harder driving test. 2)Lack of private practice due to reluctant parents and high insurance costs. 3) Schooling of new generation where they are all told they are clever, and if they aren't clever then they must have a learining difficulty of some kind.
Between 35 and 50 hrs with instructor is the norm. The best of the best may do sub 25hrs.
I'm a female DSA/ADI, fully qualified for the last six years, grade 5. Lets be honest about all this how many lessons stuff. Does it really matter who had what and how many? I tell all my pupils the same thing, don't be in a hurry to pass, it's being safe thats the important thing. How on earth can you learn to drive and have good understanding of road signs, road markings and awareness and planning skills. These Driving isntructors that teach in around 20 hours, can you honestly say that that person passed with good defensive driving skills. I think not, and I would rather them have 120 hours if it means that I won't see them on the local obituries page. It really gets my back up when I hear about Driving instructors getting them through asap. Time is whats needed, understanding and experience, but there are a lot of instructors that would rather spend time telling learners rubish like, you can't cross your hands and you must apply the parking brake every time the vehicle stops for more than 3 seconds. Cods Whallop! Crossing hands is NOT a fail and neither is not putting on the parking brake every 2 seconds. I was told first hand by the SE on my part 3, Hand brake, hand brake hand brake, that's all we ever get from learners, And why???? because the instructor can't be bothered to teach proper cluch control. And as for the hands thing, those poor learners get into all sorts of scrapes while trying to pull push their way around a mini roundabout, whats wrong with just crossing the hancds over? Her words but I totally agree. And the other thing, Learners, please dont worry about failing your test, that examiner has just done you a favour, by not giving you the certificate, they may have just saved your life.
Lady ADI again, Learner drivers, let me give you some advice from a real driving instructor that actually cares. Firstly, cheap lessons, don't bother, you will also get cheap instruction 9 times out of 10, and secondly, quick pass courses, put ur £800 back in the bank and learn properly. Any decent ADI knows that you couldn't possibly learn to drive in a week, the brain can't physically take in that amount of information in, in such a short space of time. And thirdly, guarenteed pass, P-HA, so if I say I can guarentee that you will also win the lottery this week, would you believe that soo. Sorry ADI's that don't like my comments, but im sick of taking poor unsuspecting young people that get a mear £30 a week, and give it to some so call driving instructor only to find that when they have lessons with me, they don't actually know anything other than a test route. Best thing they did bringing in independent driving and taking the test routes out of public view. Because if you can drive, it doesn't matter where you are does it? Bad Practice, shouldn't be in the job if you see it as only a job, these are lives in our hands, not marbles.
i dont care if i take 40 or 70 or even a 100 i would trust my driving instructor to make that call when im ready to take my test rather than knock my confidence being too cocky and doing sooner. Also i will just be grateful i passed and didnt hit something! lol
PS very old slow learner of 47..but hey better late than never and no private lessons available.
hi all as an adi i have a very sad story lovly young girl comes to me for driving lessons 17 years old , all she can say is am i ready for test yet ?? no no no week after week , ok so i give in after 27 hours , off she goes wow passed .
2 weeks later comes up to a bend to fast with moter bike coming other way bang now shes dead , ok she passed her test but did she learn to drive ?
plaese do not ask how many lesson to pass test you should learn to drive first .
sorry but this is a true story
john dsa adi
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