This question is very important especially if you are on of those who is taking cheap driving lessons.
Driving test how many lessons
How many hours will I need before I'm ready for the UK driving test? 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
Using the Driver's Record to know when you are test ready.
Advice on Choosing a driving instructor.
Pass Plus scheme for new drivers.
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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9 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?
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