How many lessons does it take to pass your driving test?
I have just started driving a few months ago expecting it would take me about 10 lessons to get good enough to pass my test. After speaking to my friend about it she looked at me like I was crazy and that I should expect to be paying for up to 50 lessons!
I have had 3 lessons so far and am just about to start manoeuvres next week, what else do they have to teach me? Is it really going to take that long?
I have had 3 lessons so far and am just about to start manoeuvres next week, what else do they have to teach me? Is it really going to take that long?
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Depends on the person. Some people are just not natural drivers or take longer to learn things.
I personally took 20 hours (talk in hours because lessons can mean any length), whereas most of my friends took around 30 and one took 40.
50 hours does seem like an awful lot though.
I personally took 20 hours (talk in hours because lessons can mean any length), whereas most of my friends took around 30 and one took 40.
50 hours does seem like an awful lot though.
I think the average is around 35-40. Not to say you cant do it in much less then that, but yeah 10 is unrealistic.
It's not the same for everyone. As a rough guide, it could take 20 to 40 lessons on average to learn to drive. Bear in mind that different driving instructors progress at different rates and different people progress at different rates in terms of their driving ability. It took me around 34 hours of paid lessons, plus five to ten hours of independent driving practice with family members.
Some people might need 40 or even 50 lessons with an instructor. It depends on your learning ability, the quality of your instructor and how much driving practice you can get outside of your paid lessons.
Some people might need 40 or even 50 lessons with an instructor. It depends on your learning ability, the quality of your instructor and how much driving practice you can get outside of your paid lessons.
About 40 is fine. It really depends on how you profess.
Depends really, 50 sounds a bit high to me. The average is like 40 lesson + (not sure how many hours) private practice.
Personally, I did about 25 hours (in total) and passed first time. Some people just pick things up faster than others.
As for the things that you'll need to learn... Ehh, hard to say without knowing what you've already been taught.
At a guess...
-Emergency stop
-Roundabouts
-Dual carriageways
-Turn in the road (X-Point turn)
-Bay parking
-Parallel parking
-Reverse around a corner (this one seems to trip people up for some reason)
-Show me, tell me questions
Doesn't sound like much, there may be stuff I haven't listed that you still need to learn, but the vast majority of your driving lessons are spent improving skills rather than learning new things.
Personally, I did about 25 hours (in total) and passed first time. Some people just pick things up faster than others.
As for the things that you'll need to learn... Ehh, hard to say without knowing what you've already been taught.
At a guess...
-Emergency stop
-Roundabouts
-Dual carriageways
-Turn in the road (X-Point turn)
-Bay parking
-Parallel parking
-Reverse around a corner (this one seems to trip people up for some reason)
-Show me, tell me questions
Doesn't sound like much, there may be stuff I haven't listed that you still need to learn, but the vast majority of your driving lessons are spent improving skills rather than learning new things.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by cat_Holmes
I have just started driving a few months ago expecting it would take me about 10 lessons to get good enough to pass my test. After speaking to my friend about it she looked at me like I was crazy and that I should expect to be paying for up to 50 lessons!
I have had 3 lessons so far and am just about to start manoeuvres next week, what else do they have to teach me? Is it really going to take that long?
I have had 3 lessons so far and am just about to start manoeuvres next week, what else do they have to teach me? Is it really going to take that long?
I think most people have the hang of it around lesson 10-15 but it really takes a few more lessons to make things second nature and to be able to effectively do all the maneuvers, I'd say 30 is about right on average, although if you're good you'll do it faster. Get your theory under your belt and go out in your parents car as it will speed up the muscle memory and it's cheaper than driving lessons! Good luck!
If you had zero driving experience and are purely doing all your hours with a paid instructor then 25 - 35 is the "norm". Anyone can learn to drive in 10 hours but to pass the test..unlikely.
Are there any driving centres that are both driving schools as well as an examination location?
Or if i'm looking to take driving lessons and am a little sceptical about hiring private instructors (thanks to where I came from), is there a better alternative? So far the "schools" that I checked out seem to dispatch independent instructors, which makes it kind of private isnt it?
Or if i'm looking to take driving lessons and am a little sceptical about hiring private instructors (thanks to where I came from), is there a better alternative? So far the "schools" that I checked out seem to dispatch independent instructors, which makes it kind of private isnt it?
I passed my test 1st time last week, I had around 30 lessons but the only time I drove was in those lessons; I never had any external driving experience with parents/relatives etc, like I know a lot of people do. The amount of lessons you need does depend on the individual person though, as I said it took me around 30 lessons, but one of my friends passed after 17, although his mum was able to teach him outside of lessons also.
About things that you need to be taught...
The 4 manoeuvres (turn in the road, reverse around a corner, parallel park, bay park).
Major right turns trip a lot of people up - including myself - some can be very hard to position yourself in the middle of the junction, and there are different ways to carry them out... if you do it the wrong way that is a major fail unfortunately.
Emergency Stop
Independent driving (this is very straight forward)
Roundabouts - depending on where you take your test dictates how difficult this could be - where I took mine there was a very large double roundabout with pedestrian crossings in the middle. It could be a nightmare at times.
Dual Carriageways
My instructor also took me around specific test routes that may be my driving test route so that I was aware of any problematic areas.
50 lessons is far too many, in my opinion. I think 25 - 35 is the average for someone who has not had any experience. God luck with it all!
About things that you need to be taught...
The 4 manoeuvres (turn in the road, reverse around a corner, parallel park, bay park).
Major right turns trip a lot of people up - including myself - some can be very hard to position yourself in the middle of the junction, and there are different ways to carry them out... if you do it the wrong way that is a major fail unfortunately.
Emergency Stop
Independent driving (this is very straight forward)
Roundabouts - depending on where you take your test dictates how difficult this could be - where I took mine there was a very large double roundabout with pedestrian crossings in the middle. It could be a nightmare at times.
Dual Carriageways
My instructor also took me around specific test routes that may be my driving test route so that I was aware of any problematic areas.
50 lessons is far too many, in my opinion. I think 25 - 35 is the average for someone who has not had any experience. God luck with it all!
Original post by Shezzle
Are there any driving centres that are both driving schools as well as an examination location?
Or if i'm looking to take driving lessons and am a little sceptical about hiring private instructors (thanks to where I came from), is there a better alternative? So far the "schools" that I checked out seem to dispatch independent instructors, which makes it kind of private isnt it?
Or if i'm looking to take driving lessons and am a little sceptical about hiring private instructors (thanks to where I came from), is there a better alternative? So far the "schools" that I checked out seem to dispatch independent instructors, which makes it kind of private isnt it?
Honestly, private instructors are probably better tbh. They've been good enough at their job to run their own business. Granted, there are rouge instructors out there, but even the ones from the driving schools like RED and AA teach things wrong.
Original post by TheMcSame
Honestly, private instructors are probably better tbh. They've been good enough at their job to run their own business. Granted, there are rouge instructors out there, but even the ones from the driving schools like RED and AA teach things wrong.
How do I look for good private instructors? Is it solely by word of mouth / friends' recommendation etc?
Original post by Shezzle
How do I look for good private instructors? Is it solely by word of mouth / friends' recommendation etc?
Yeah word of mouth
ask your friends who drive who they passed their test with.....big companies like AA, BSM i would avoid imo...
I have heard too many stories about them ripping people off such as telling them they still require lessons when they are in fact at the test stage. Of course I am not saying every BSM/AA instructor is like that but private inscructors are the way to go imo!
24 hrs - still going ... So about 30 hrs is a good target for anyone
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the average from the DVLA is 60 hours.
that's 40 with an instructor and 20 privately with family ect.
60 may seem a bit long too most people, but for some people driving is harder to pick up. and 60 hours does drag.
it took me 56 hours to learn to drive over 9 months. it dragged, I hated it.
I was the worst learner, I forgot things often, drove on the wrong side of the road at points, cut corners. everything you can imagine a bad learner doing - I pretty much did bar crashing.
you spend less of your time learning to drive an actual car, than you do actually learning to be test standard. most people have crasped the concept of how to drive a car way before their test, the issue is getting it to a point where you can drive safely on the road. I wouldn't bother counting up the lessons and guessing, because some things click better than others when preparing for the test. you may spend a month learning reverse from a corner
(or in my case never learn it and not ultimately embarrass myself everytime I try as a licence holder)
if you want to keep tabs on your progress and how far away you are from passing, ask for reviews off your instructor, they can give you the best indicator to have many hours they think you may need
that's 40 with an instructor and 20 privately with family ect.
60 may seem a bit long too most people, but for some people driving is harder to pick up. and 60 hours does drag.
it took me 56 hours to learn to drive over 9 months. it dragged, I hated it.
I was the worst learner, I forgot things often, drove on the wrong side of the road at points, cut corners. everything you can imagine a bad learner doing - I pretty much did bar crashing.
you spend less of your time learning to drive an actual car, than you do actually learning to be test standard. most people have crasped the concept of how to drive a car way before their test, the issue is getting it to a point where you can drive safely on the road. I wouldn't bother counting up the lessons and guessing, because some things click better than others when preparing for the test. you may spend a month learning reverse from a corner
(or in my case never learn it and not ultimately embarrass myself everytime I try as a licence holder)
if you want to keep tabs on your progress and how far away you are from passing, ask for reviews off your instructor, they can give you the best indicator to have many hours they think you may need
I did my test without a single lesson. Passed first time,
I wanted to be completely comfortable driving before I took my test so I think I had around 50 lessons, took me about a year and I had 1 hour a week so thereabouts. I didn't have anyone else to let me drive their car for more practice though, and I had zero experience beforehand.
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The most recent set of figures from the DVSA (2008 in a major study) is that the AVERAGE is 47 hours of professional tuition plus 20 hours of private practice. Whilst there are many people who do it quicker than that, that figure is the average so there wil be people who take a lot more!
Being older does affect the learning period so being young would suggest that you will learn to drive quicker. However, slightly older learners, motorcyclists and cyclsts can have a better understanding of the dangers and interacting with other road users so they make up time where young drivers might take longer.
Furthermore the roads are busier now than they were then and the standard of driving is generally deteriorating (simple observation) so the average may have now increased.
When I start with a brand new pupil I always point out the average and the likely cost so that they have a good understanding of what might be required. Most of my pupils pass after around 35 hours but not all as it is entirely down to the inidividual. It also depends whether someone is learning to drive or learning to pass the test. Whilst the latter is usually the goal, there are some instructors out there who try to take you beyond a minimum standard so that not only are you good enough to pass your test but you can also handle almost every situation that you are likely to encounter. This may seem an unwarranted cost but I, and some of my professional colleagues, believe that driving safely should be the goal and not just passing the test. If you do the former, you will naturally do the latter. Unfortunately sometimes the test does not do the job properly!
If you are brilliant enough to pass with just 3 lessons then great but that is the exception rather than the rule.
p.s. Not doing your theory early enough can also string out the lessons unnecessarily.
Being older does affect the learning period so being young would suggest that you will learn to drive quicker. However, slightly older learners, motorcyclists and cyclsts can have a better understanding of the dangers and interacting with other road users so they make up time where young drivers might take longer.
Furthermore the roads are busier now than they were then and the standard of driving is generally deteriorating (simple observation) so the average may have now increased.
When I start with a brand new pupil I always point out the average and the likely cost so that they have a good understanding of what might be required. Most of my pupils pass after around 35 hours but not all as it is entirely down to the inidividual. It also depends whether someone is learning to drive or learning to pass the test. Whilst the latter is usually the goal, there are some instructors out there who try to take you beyond a minimum standard so that not only are you good enough to pass your test but you can also handle almost every situation that you are likely to encounter. This may seem an unwarranted cost but I, and some of my professional colleagues, believe that driving safely should be the goal and not just passing the test. If you do the former, you will naturally do the latter. Unfortunately sometimes the test does not do the job properly!
If you are brilliant enough to pass with just 3 lessons then great but that is the exception rather than the rule.
p.s. Not doing your theory early enough can also string out the lessons unnecessarily.
Original post by Emma-Ashley
The most recent set of figures from the DVSA (2008 in a major study) is that the AVERAGE is 47 hours of professional tuition plus 20 hours of private practice. Whilst there are many people who do it quicker than that, that figure is the average so there wil be people who take a lot more!
Being older does affect the learning period so being young would suggest that you will learn to drive quicker. However, slightly older learners, motorcyclists and cyclsts can have a better understanding of the dangers and interacting with other road users so they make up time where young drivers might take longer.
Furthermore the roads are busier now than they were then and the standard of driving is generally deteriorating (simple observation) so the average may have now increased.
When I start with a brand new pupil I always point out the average and the likely cost so that they have a good understanding of what might be required. Most of my pupils pass after around 35 hours but not all as it is entirely down to the inidividual. It also depends whether someone is learning to drive or learning to pass the test. Whilst the latter is usually the goal, there are some instructors out there who try to take you beyond a minimum standard so that not only are you good enough to pass your test but you can also handle almost every situation that you are likely to encounter. This may seem an unwarranted cost but I, and some of my professional colleagues, believe that driving safely should be the goal and not just passing the test. If you do the former, you will naturally do the latter. Unfortunately sometimes the test does not do the job properly!
If you are brilliant enough to pass with just 3 lessons then great but that is the exception rather than the rule.
p.s. Not doing your theory early enough can also string out the lessons unnecessarily.
Being older does affect the learning period so being young would suggest that you will learn to drive quicker. However, slightly older learners, motorcyclists and cyclsts can have a better understanding of the dangers and interacting with other road users so they make up time where young drivers might take longer.
Furthermore the roads are busier now than they were then and the standard of driving is generally deteriorating (simple observation) so the average may have now increased.
When I start with a brand new pupil I always point out the average and the likely cost so that they have a good understanding of what might be required. Most of my pupils pass after around 35 hours but not all as it is entirely down to the inidividual. It also depends whether someone is learning to drive or learning to pass the test. Whilst the latter is usually the goal, there are some instructors out there who try to take you beyond a minimum standard so that not only are you good enough to pass your test but you can also handle almost every situation that you are likely to encounter. This may seem an unwarranted cost but I, and some of my professional colleagues, believe that driving safely should be the goal and not just passing the test. If you do the former, you will naturally do the latter. Unfortunately sometimes the test does not do the job properly!
If you are brilliant enough to pass with just 3 lessons then great but that is the exception rather than the rule.
p.s. Not doing your theory early enough can also string out the lessons unnecessarily.
you know the theory test...is the official DSA app from the apple store enough or do i need the highway code or CD?
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