All about Learning to Drive with Dynamic ADI and Saddlers Training
With a former Driving Examiner at Inverness Test Centre
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Advice on choosing a Driving Instructor
You should always shop around before choosing a driving instructor. Look at what they offer and the experience they have, remember not all driving instructors are good and many only have the basic knowledge required to pass the qualifying examination. Also remember you can change your instructor at any time if you are not happy.
It's never a good idea to search for the cheapest instructor, if they were good they probably would not need to be so cheap. Some instructors advertise very cheap offers (like first 5 lessons £50) however remember you rarely get something for nothing, so they may spend the first five lessons sitting at the side of the road talking and driving aimlessly around an industrial estate in circles, while you learn nothing.
Ensure your instructor is qualified, he/she should be displaying a green ADI badge (usually in the bottom left corner of the car windscreen).
See image on the right. If the instructor has a pink badge, it means they are a trainee instructor and have not yet passed the test of their instructional ability.
If you go to a big national driving school beware, you may get a trainee instructor, or you could find you get a different instructor on every lesson.
The problem with a trainee instructor is they may have already failed the instructional test they need to pass to become qualified, indicating they may have serious shortcomings in their instructional ability. Remember also, you will probably have to pay the same price for your lesson with a trainee instructor as you would pay for a qualified one.
Getting Started
You will need 3 things to get started:
A Provisional Driving Licence - Category B (Car).
Be able to read or copy a car number plate at 20.5 metres - with or without glasses.
A basic knowledge of the Highway code.
On your first lesson
Your instructor should first check your provisional driving licence and your eyesight, you need to be able to read a car number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet) to reach the minimum requirements, with or without glasses. If you have no provisional driving licence or your eyesight is not satisfactory, the lesson should not proceed.
You will be shown how to operate all the car's controls and how to move away and stop. All our pupils drive the car on their first lesson, they also negotiate several different types of road junction and many drive on busier and higher speed roads, however be aware some driving schools do not let you drive the car on your first lesson.
The Theory test
Your theory test is in two parts, the multiple choice test and the hazard perception test.
You take both tests on the same session, you need to score at least 43 out of 50 to pass the multiple choice test, and 44 out of 75 on the hazard perception test.
Both tests are computer based, the multiple choice being touch screen and the hazard perception test using the computer mouse. you can buy theory test books to help you study for the multiple choice test, plus you can get hazard perception DVD's to help you practice.
Practical Test
Your driving test will start with an eyesight check where you will need to read a number plate at 20.5 metres; followed by two simple car safety questions. You will then start your practical driving test which will last for around 35 to 40 minutes. The Examiner will sit next to you in the car and give directions, however he/she will not help you with your driving.
You will be tested on your general driving plus one manoeuvre.
The exercise will be chosen by the examiner from one of the following:
Reverse around a corner
Turn in the road
Reverse Park on a car park
Parallel Park on the road
You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise. Examiners carry out the emergency stop on one test in every three.
More facts about learning to drive
* Strangely, the number '45' is significant when learning to drive.
* There are about 45,000 driving instructors in Britain, some are very good, some are not.
* The pass rate nationally is about 45%
* According to Driving Standards Agency's own statistics, the average number of one hour lessons taken nationally by learners is 45 + private practice.
* Most people who fail the test, will fail at junctions or roundabouts.
* If a learners tells you "I've had 60 lessons and failed 4 times but my instructor is a lovely person, they probably mean the instructor is a lovely person but is a rubbish instructor.
* Examiners are monitored closely to ensure they test and mark faults the same. So you should get exactly the same test whichever Examiner you get.
* Because Examiners are monitored closely, there is a chance you could get a second, more senior Examiner sitting in the back of the car on your test. Don't worry about this, he/she is watching the performance of the Examiner and is not interested in your driving.
* Be aware most driving schools operate a 24 hour cancellation policy. This means you should give at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel a lesson.This policy is required particularly during busy periods, as if one pupil cancels at short notice the lesson cannot be given to someone else who may want it.