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Reply 60
Most people I know of have done it in approx 10 months, but if you have more than 2hrs of lessons with an instructor a week or are a natural driver, you'll probably do it in less. My friend did it in 4 months with more lessons per week and another in 3 after driving with her parents before she started with an instructor. Some take longer (eg. me) 18 months.


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Reply 61
as always it depends.... i took 30 hours over 3 months and passed first time. my 17th was in march and 1st week of june i had the certificate in my hand. go for a reputable driving school and not just the cheapest one. trust me... they are not 'all the same'.
Reply 62
I was 17 in the last week of October and had passed by the end of March
Average is 40 hours, so I was told.

That's what it took me, but my cousin did it in half that. There's no way of knowing, just take it when you're ready. Taking it early will just result in a fail, and that just means more money. Good luck. :smile:
Just, get your provisional now, then when it arrives book your theory for as soon as you can. Then its out of the way, make sure you book up plenty of time with your instructor, then, book your test before you are ready as there will be 2-3 weeks to wait before you can take it in which you can get up to scratch.
Reply 65
I think it can be done but you have to put the effort in. I have a similar time frame, just started last week and want to pass at the end of July. I've had 5 hours already and I'm doing okay. I've booked 20 hours for the next 5 weeks or so, and then a 15 hour fast pass course in July. I think a mix of fast pass courses and lessons is a good idea (you can book fast pass courses for different lengths of teaching time, I think the shortest is about 10 hours). This way the first few lessons aren't totally overwhelming, and you get to sleep on them and absorb the info, then you get plenty of practice in your test week. I'm with learn more driving school, so they offer both normal lessons and fast courses, so I don't have to faff around changing instructor. What you can do to help is recap between your lessons with this website:

http://www.teachmetodrive.co.uk/#/learning-centre-home/4560789241

this way you learn why you're doing things the way you're doing them, as opposed to just remembering a sequence. For me at least, this has made me progress a lot faster. Learn your theory at home (it's mostly common sense, but the more you learn, the better the driver you'll be) and learn as much as you can about motor mechanics and vehicle maintenence.

I don't know if I'll need the full 40 hours I have booked, but since I've saved for them, I'd rather have the extra experience and confidence of having more lessons (I'm not having any private practice). I don't believe a lot of the people who claim to pass after 10 hours total, and if it's true I certainly wouldn't want to be in the passenger seat! Many people can get competent, driving on the roads after 10 hours, but I think anyone could still use some guidance at this stage. Short teaching times are probably why we see so many drivers entering roundabouts on the wrong lanes, undertaking on motorways, overtaking at blind corners and undulating roads etc

The other thing with fast pass courses is everything's included! no waiting time for tests. They don't have to be super expensive, my lessons work out as £17 an hour, the fast pass course works out at £20/ hour plus standard rate for your two tests.
It depends. I started learning in January, didn't have any lessons in Febuary because of lack of money, started again in March and have been learning ever since. My test is in July, so all in all - 7 months. I have had no private practise and do 2 hours a week. I am doing automatic, though, so that could factor in.
I think that is slightly optimistic!
I started in June 2012 and passed in May 2013. However that wasn't having a lesson every week, in total I had 33 lessons, passed 2nd time. I didn't have a car to practice on though. I think I was an average learner. Obviously you could pass in a much shorter time frame, if you had a 2hr lesson every week you could do it in around 15 weeks. But part of the problem is booking theory and practical tests. I was ready to take my test by early March but waiting lists meant I couldn't take it until late April and then when I failed that delayed it by another month...
Don't let people put you off.

So you'll be on your summer holidays soon. If the average amount of hours needed is 40, doesn't it make sense that if you do those 40 hours within a shorter time period, you'll be able to take the test a lot sooner?

I personally did all of my lessons in the space of 4 weeks. I was well up to test standard by the end of them, but failed the first one mainly due to someone else's bad driving, and the second test was failed due to a bad night's sleep, so lack of concentration as well as feeling nervy.
I passed the third test easily. 2 weeks of waiting between tests meant that the total time period from my first lesson to my test pass was 2 months. If I hadn't encountered that indecisive sod in my first test, I would have passed in less than a month.

So yeah, if you can afford it and you have no issue with doing about 10 hours a week, then go for it. Yhat way, you'll be highly likely to pass before September.
Original post by UNKN0WN
My 17th is in July and I'd like to pass my test ready for school to start again in September. How long on average does it take and will this be enough time?


Took me around 30 1 hour lessons to pass my exam (first time with 4 minors :biggrin:). I only did 1-2 lessons a week (as it was during school, did it in frees) though so it took a little while, but if you do more each week and if you can, practice with a family member when you can't get lessons you should be fine. Some people learn much faster, you could be a natural :P
A good idea would be to learn all the theory and pass your theory test straight after your birthday.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 70
Who is the instructor pls. Just want to start my one now
Reply 71
If your driving instructor is teaching you the full DVSA syllabus including Self Reflecting on how your personality influences your driving habits then 40-45 hours would be a good number of hours to consider before taking a test.

If you just want the actual physical skills to pass and learn the test routes then 25 should be enough - but that does rather leave you exposed to a higher risk of crashing.

And if you really want to save money you can learn from mum or dad ...

At the end of the day it's up to the learner to chose who they wish to learn with.

Driving instructor/ Driving Coach
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 72
Original post by WoodyMKC
Don't let people put you off.

So you'll be on your summer holidays soon. If the average amount of hours needed is 40, doesn't it make sense that if you do those 40 hours within a shorter time period, you'll be able to take the test a lot sooner?

I personally did all of my lessons in the space of 4 weeks. I was well up to test standard by the end of them, but failed the first one mainly due to someone else's bad driving, and the second test was failed due to a bad night's sleep, so lack of concentration as well as feeling nervy.
I passed the third test easily. 2 weeks of waiting between tests meant that the total time period from my first lesson to my test pass was 2 months. If I hadn't encountered that indecisive sod in my first test, I would have passed in less than a month.

So yeah, if you can afford it and you have no issue with doing about 10 hours a week, then go for it. Yhat way, you'll be highly likely to pass before September.


Surely it is your poor reaction, that was probably deemed as potentially un-safe, to the poor driving of the other individual was what caused you to fail.

Defensive driving is an essential survival skill for long term avoidance of a collision.

Also it has been proven that intensive courses can leave newly qualified drivers more prone to collisions. The reason for this is that there is less time to reflect upon what has been learnt during the lessons; but then some people need to pass quickly for work.

Lack of sleep is always going to impact on your driving and driving whilst tired is considered more dangerous than driving after drinking 3-4 pints of Strong beer, so I'm not surprised you failed the second attempt.

Hopefully you have passed now and are enjoying the freedom that driving brings :wink:

Driving instructor/ Driving Coach
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 73
I'm thinking of writing a semi intensive course of driving lessons that would cover the entire syllabus of driving. It will be based on the DVSA's category B syllabus and centred around the Goals for Driver Education.

I'm not entirely sure how many hours this course will be, probably 40 - 60 hours of 2to1 coaching tuition.

The course will allow for time to research different aspects of driving and self reflection.

My question is what kind of time frame would be considered suitable/ acceptable to learn to drive within?

a/ 12 weeks
b/ 16 weeks
c/ 20 weeks
d/ some other number of weeks
Why has this been bumped so many times? It's nearly 7 years old, chances are the people you're quoting have long buggered off now. But whilst I'm here I may as well answer the OP...

You learn how to drive on your first lesson, the rest of the lessons are for teaching you how to pass a test.
I disagree your all fools you can drive with no lessons just buy a dl on the black market
I know this thread is old but my god...I'm on 60lessons and I still don't feel ready 😂
Took me 2 months. Ditched my instructor after 8 hours, learned exclusively in my parent's car, passed test with 0 minors.
Learning to drive is an ongoing thing, you keep learning all your life. Learning the basics , enough for the DSA to be satisfied you are safe to drive unsupervised is a different thing altogether. Don't rush it. You may think you are a great and confident driver, but are you competent and safe?

Learning to drive shouldn't be rushed, many "Intensive driving courses" teach you the test circuits, once you have the Pass certificate in your hands and you're on your own it is a World of difference. Go with an ADI that teaches you how to drive not how to pass a test, that's like being given copies of your next Exam papers so you know the answers, imagine how your "career" would go if all you knew was the answers for questions you'd been primed with?

Don't knock being taught or practising with your parents, if they have the ability/ skill set, they will jump on you like a Ton of bricks for every "Minor", think about it, you are the most precious things they have , not the cars. They want you 100% fit, ready and able to go out on your own safely.

I used to be an Instructor, my 17 year old (still on L plates) is a far better driver than my eldest, who did an "intensive course" due to where we both lived at the time, he has had 40 hours with me, 2 x 2Hour lessons with a local ADI who said he was "Test ready", he will have at least another 12 hours with me and 6hours with her before he is "Test ready" in my book.

One local Dad "teaching his daughter" had her driving on a Dual Carriageway after only 2 Hours, she has just failed her 5th test. (my son was still in a quiet car park , moving off, stopping, left and right turns after 2 hours ! ) 5 tests @ £62 = £310 or about 15 Hours with a Professional. So if you learn with a friend of relative please make sure you get some lessons off an ADI as well. Good luck to those still learning. If the OP hasn't passed yet they've probably given up all hope ;-) (BTW I am still not "expecting" a first time pass, it would be nice but it's all down to him on the day.)
I guess i am lucky, i revised the night before my theory and passed with 47 out of 50 and got 59 on the perception test. I have my test booked for the 30th of January 2018. I have had 7 lessons and can do all the manoeuvres, my clutch control is perfect. I think i am an example of a fast learner. All i need to work on is observations a little bit and get some experience just simply being out on the road driving. I will say it is different driving with an instructor than with your parents, a lot different.

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