A Very Merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas to all of our customers.

We would like to thank you all for your custom and for choosing us as your training provider.

Congratulations if you have become full licence holders during 2009 and

those of you that are still learning ,I am sure that 2010 will be a year to remember.

Kelvin White,

Director.

Christmas lesson vouchers.

Just one day left to send out Christmas lesson vouchers.

Last posting Tuesday 22nd.

Want to pass your driving test?

Check out our new downloads to help you pass your driving test, at www.your-online-driving-school.co.uk.

The passes keep coming.

Five tests this week and five 1st time passes.

Congratulations to those that now have their full licences.

Elliot Butler

Sarah Shaw

Jade Foxwell

Alana Reed Fry

Megan Cole

I would also like to thank our Instructors for their hard work and who make it a real team effort.

Fautless drive

Congratulations to Eliot Butler who performed a faultless drive during his driving test today 16/11/09.

It was Eliot's 1st attempt and he breezed through to gain his full licence.

Eliot's instructor Fred Hemmings is very proud of the achievement and would like to wish him best wishes for the future.

Eliot joins Aaron Mogg,who achieved the same result just two weeks ago.

Thanks to the instructors involved and the hard work by Eliot and Aaron we remain the PASS MASTERS.

Congratulations to Jade Foxwell

Jade Foxwell passed her practical driving test at the first attempt on 25/11/09.

A superb drive by Jade with just a few driver faults,best wishes Phil and all at the school.

3 More passes this week

Passes are coming thick and fast at the moment .

Congratulations to the following for gaining their full licences in the last week.

Nick May

Natalie Taylor

Joe Houlihan

Congratulations to Natalie Taylor

Congratulations to Natalie Taylor who passed her practical test on 18/11/09.

Best wishes from Keith and all at the driving school.

Learner drivers have a right to know.

Ninety-seven percent of AA members say learner drivers should have the right to be told if their driving instructor is still learning the job,according a recent survey.

The AA is demanding government action to force driving schools to come clean when they use trainee instructors to teach young people to drive.

The call comes as the survey reveals that motorists have serious concernes over the safety of new drivers that have been taught by trainee instructors and the overwhelming rejection of the practice of driving schools charging full price for lessons with a trainee.

Up to 7,000 trainees are believed to be working with driving schools across the U.K. Driving schools can place a learner with a trainee instructor and charge full lesson prices without telling the pupil or their parents that the instructor is not fully qualified.

Congratulations to Joe Houlihan

Congratulations to Joe Houlihan who passed his practical test at the first attempt on 17th November.

Joe will soon be driving the 1983 mini that he is restoring with his dad,but until then he will have to make do with mum's Ford Ka.

"Good times"

Best wishes and good luck for the future ,Lee.

7 practical test passes this week.

We are delighted to report 7 successes this week.

Role of honour:

Aaron Mogg
Alex Keirle
Joe Harding
Simon Richards
Tom Lewis
Nikita Mosedale
Steve Chillingworth (instructor part two test)

Best wishes from all at the driving school.

Attitude Advisor Questionnaire

The driving standards agency are currently trialing an attitude test with a view to making an assessment of new drivers.

It has to be stressed that this is very much in the early stages and feedback is most welcome.

It is likely to be some considerable time before any such scheme is introduced.

Simply click the link to take the test.http://opinio.sigmer.net/opinio/s?s=4003


Let us know how you get on.

Pass plus workshop

I have just received the attendance list for tonight's workshop and it would seem to be another healthy turnout.

Remember all those that turn up will gain credits towards MAX CONTROL.

Alex becomes the 300th.

Congratulations to Alex Keirle who passed his practical test at the first attempt on 11/11/09.

Alex had a lot to live up to ,as sister Leanne also passed 1st time with the school.

Alex already has a Vauxhall Corsa and will now be out burning up the miles I'm sure.

The test pass proved to be a mile stone for the driving school as it was the 300th since the school was formed back in 2001.

Best wishes for the future , Keith.

Ask a question!

Learning to drive in Somerset,something holding you back,lack of progress?

Post a question and I will do my best to help.

I am not here to condradict your instructor, if you have one ,but I may be able to help.

We have just had our 300th test pass,so we no what it take to succeed,tell me what's on your mind and make progress with your driving.

Aaron is the star driver.

We could not have picked a better time to launch the driving school daily report.

Tuesday 10th November and we presented four clients at the test centre and it proved to be a good start to the week with four passes.

Special praise must go to Aaron Mogg who passed on his 1st attempt and delivered a faultless drive,a very rare occurrence with today's very high test standards.

Aaron who is training to be a caterer at SCAT college in Taunton can now give the bus a miss and travel at his leisure.

Best wishes for the future, Lee.

Learning To Drive In An Automatic Car

Many people wonder whether learning to drive in an automatic car is easier than learning to drive in a car with a manual gearbox.

The simple answer is yes - but only in so far as you don't have to worry about clutch control and changing gear - but you do still have to worry about everything else!

Although it may seem far easier to not have to worry about gears and a clutch pedal, in reality, most people have few problems mastering them eventually, even if this aspect of driving doesn't seem to "come naturally" at first!

An automatic car has an automatic gearbox that changes the gears for you and only two foot pedals which are operated with the right foot.

If you pass your driving test in an automatic car your driving licence will ONLY allow you to drive automatic cars and will not cover you to drive a car with a manual gearbox.

If you pass in a manual car you can drive both manual and automatic cars as your driving licence will cover you for both types.

Here's a few more things to take into consideration if you're thinking about learning to drive in an automatic;

1. There are far more driving instructors who teach in manual cars than teach in automatic cars, so it may be more difficult to find an instructor,
2. Lessons in an automatic car tend to be more expensive,
3. After you pass your driving test, there is a much narrower range of automatic cars available when compared to manual cars.

 

Government drops plans to make it compulsory for driving instructors to sit in on all driving tests

The Driving Standards Agency have done a U-turn on their plans to make it compulsory for learner drivers to have their driving instructor or accompanying driver present in the car when they take their driving test.

The plans which were first proposed in the 2008 "Learning To Drive" Consultation Paper were intended to be introduced from October 2010.

Transport Secretary, Lord Andrew Adonis said that the change of plan was "to avoid unnecessary regulation".

Instead, test candidates will be "encouraged" to have their accompanying driver present throughout the test.

Lord Adonis said;
"We want all learner drivers, from the start of the process, to consider the benefits of having an observer with them on their test.

'Having someone sitting in will enhance their learning experience and, in turn, improve road safety. An observer who has witnessed the test can give far better advice to the learner on how they performed and what areas of their driving they need to work on - whether they pass or fail.

'But after reviewing plans we have decided that encouraging candidates to take an observer is much more appropriate than introducing regulations to make it compulsory."

For more details please see;

Daily Mail:  Government drops plans to force driving instructors to sit in on their pupils L-tests

Driving Test Tips - How To Do The Manoeuvres!

During your driving test, the examiner will ask you to perform two set manoeuvres in addition to general driving.

There are four possible manoeuvres and the examiner will pick two of these for you to carry out. All of the manoeuvres involve you demonstrating that you can reverse your car accurately, safely, under control and with consideration for other road users.

The four manoeuvres are;

Turn In The Road
Reverse Around A Corner
Reverse Parking Into A Marked Bay
Parallel Parking

In addition, one in three test candidiates will also be asked to carry out an Emergency Stop which although it is not a reversing manoeuvre, requires you to stop your vehicle quickly, safely and under control.

For detailed information about how to correctly carry out each of the manoeuvres and the Emergency Stop exercise, please see;

Driving Test Manoeuvres

How To Do An Emergency Stop On Your Driving Test

The emergency stop (sometimes referred to as a "controlled stop") is an exercise that is carried out at random in around one in three UK driving tests.

The aim of the emergency stop is for the learner driver to demonstrate to the examiner that they are able to stop the car quickly and under control in an emergency situation.

I've written a guide on how to do an emergency stop correctly and under control complete with step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial.

For more information please click the following link;

How To Do An Emergency Stop

Reversing Around A Corner - Tips For Your Driving Test!

Reversing round a corner is one of the manoeuvres the examiner may ask you to do on your driving test.

This usually involves turning the car around by reversing into a side road on your left.

The reverse round a corner seems to be the manoeuvre that many learners find most daunting, but once mastered, it's pretty straightforward - the secret is knowing how to reverse around a corner properly followed by plenty of practice!

I've written a guide on how to reverse around a corner complete with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials.

For more information, please see; How To Reverse Around A Corner

Example Case Study Questions For The Theory Test From 28 September 2009

From the 28th September 2009 you will need to answer a case study-style question as part of your Theory Test.

You will be presented with one case study where you will be required to answer 5 questions that are related to the scenario displayed on screen.

Each question will still be in the multiple choice format as with the other Theory Test questions.

You will still need to answer 50 multiple choice questions that are broken down as follows:

45 multiple choice questions
5 multiple choice questions that relate to the case study

The pass mark for the multiple choice section of the Theory Test remains at 43/50.

Click this link to see some examples of Case Study questions

The case study questions will test the knowledge of road signs, proceedures, laws etc you will have already gained while studying for your Theory Test, so provided you have prepared thoroughly, the case study shouldn't prove any more of a problem that the "standard" multiple choice questions!

For more information on what is involved in the Theory Test, how to prepare for it and suggested study materials, please see:

Theory & Hazard Perception Test

Parallel Parking Tips

Parallel parking (sometimes referred to as "reverse parking") is one of the reversing manoeuvres you may be asked to carry out on your Practical Driving Test. It involves parking the car behind another car or between two vehicles, close to and parallel to the kerb.

Knowing how to parallel park properly is a skill that will also come in very useful after you pass your test too as it will enable you to quickly and easily park outside shops and in tricky car park spaces!

I've written a guide on how to parallel park complete with step by step instructions and video tutorials.

For more details, please see: How To Parallel Park

Bay Parking - How To Reverse Into A Parking Bay On Your Driving Test

Reversing into a marked parking bay (often referred to as "bay park" or "bay parking") is one of the manoeuvres you may be asked to do on your driving test.

The aim of the bay park manoeuvre is for you to show the examiner that you can reverse the car smoothly and accurately into a restricted space - if you can get this right, this is not only useful in getting you through your driving test but will come in very handy after you pass your test! Lots of people struggle to reverse properly into parking spaces and you can feel very smug if you know how to do it right first time :)

I've written a guide on how to bay park properly, complete with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials - see How To Bay Park for full details!

Theory Test Case Studies From 28 September 2009

The DSA have elaborated on what will be involved in the new "case study" which is being introduced to the multiple choice section of the Theory Test from 28th September 2009.

The DirectGov website describes the change as;

The case study will show a scenario that five questions will be based on.
The subject of the scenario focuses on real life examples and experiences that
drivers could come across when driving.

See the Direct Gov website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/TheoryTest/DG_4022534

Changes To The Theory Test From 28 September 2009

From 28 September 2009 a "case study" will be incorporated into the Theory Test.


The DSA state that this change has been made in order for "candidates to be tested on understanding as well as knowledge" and to "put learning into context".

The theory test case study will take the form of a scenario, or short story, on which five questions will be based.

As part of the multiple choice section of the test, the case study will assess candidates’ understanding of driving theory, whilst the multiple choice questions will continue to assess knowledge of the subject.

Candidates will answer the questions in the same way as they do now, using either the touch screen or mouse.

For more information please see; http://dsa.gov.uk/News.asp?id=SX12B7-A7832722

Booking Your Theory Test Online - WARNING - Don't Pay More Than You Need To!

You can book your Theory Test online via the offical website for all government services - DirectGov.

Booking your Theory Test is a very simple and straightforward proceedure which will only take a few minutes and you will pay ONLY for the test itself - there is no extra "booking fee" or "administration fee" added on.

There are a worrying number of official looking "Theory Test booking services" springing up on the internet who will book a test on your behalf - BUT they will charge you a sizeable booking fee on top of the test fee.

To book your Theory Test online via DirectGov you need;

* your driver number (from your driving licence)
* a credit or debit card with which to pay the £31.00 test fee

You can choose the date and time to suit you and if you later find you need to change the date or cancel your Theory Test you do so via DirectGov - you have complete control over your booking.

THERE'S NO NEED TO PAY EXTRA FOR YOUR THEORY TEST - book your test yourself directly with the DSA at the following link;

Online test booking service at the DirectGov website.

How To Do A Turn In The Road - "3 Point Turn"

The turn in the road is one of the manoeuvres that your driving examiner may ask you to demonstrate during your driving test.

It's often referred to as a "three point" turn but this is misleading as you aren't restricted to doing this maneouvre in only 3 turns!

The aim of the turn in the road is to turn the car round to face the other way using forward and reverse gears in a limited space (i.e. the width of the road). You need to show that not only can you do this, but that you are also in full and safe control of the vehicle throughout the manoeuvre and that you show awareness and consideration for other road users.

I have written a detailed guide to how to do a perfect turn in the road, complete with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials.

Please see How To Do A Turn In The Road for more information!

Online Driving Test Booking System Not Available 30 July to 4 August

From the Driving Standards Agency website;

30 July to 4 August
For essential IT maintenance work to take place we need to close down DSA's driving test booking systems. From 5.15pm Thursday 30 July to 8.00am Tuesday 4 August, online services to book or amend practical tests will be unavailable. Theory Test services will be available as normal. Please be aware that the Contact Centre will only be able to offer a limited service during the closedown period. Please call 0300 200 11 22 for general enquiries only. DSA apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Source: https://pt.dsa.gov.uk/tests/tests_E/pt/data_processing.asp

Should You Go Through A Red Light To Get Out Of The Way Of An Emergency Vehicle?

"Should you go through a red light to get out of the way of a police car, ambulance or fire engine with blues and twos (siren/blue flashing lights) on?

The simple answer is "No".

The Highway Code isn't a lot of help as it's advice is somewhat generalised on this point and it doesn't spell out what drivers should and shouldn't do in simple terms.

The Met Police on the other hand are rather more specific. Here's their advice;

We do NOT expect you to risk damage to your tyres, wheels or steering by bumping up kerbs to make way for us.

We do NOT expect you to put yourself in danger by crossing red traffic lights to make way for us.

We do NOT expect you to risk road camera fines by, for example, moving in to bus lanes during hours of operation to make way for us.

We would however, appreciate your co-operation by looking well ahead and choosing sensible places to pull over. If possible avoid stopping before bends, brows of hills or narrow sections of roads where we may have difficulty passing.

Source: Metropolitan Police Service

Get out of the way if you can, but be sensible - don't put anyone in danger (including yourself) and don't break the law.

Lost Or Stolen Provisional Driving Licence

We received a panic ridden text message from one of our students on Sunday afternoon. She'd been out to a club with her mates the night before and had only just realised that her purse containing her photocard driving licence was missing. She had her driving test booked in for Tuesday morning and wanted to know whether she'd still be able to take her test without the photocard part of her licence. The simple answer to her question was unfortunately "No"...

If you aren't able to show BOTH parts of your provisional driving licence (the photocard AND the paper counterpart) at either your Theory or Practical Test appointment, you won't be allowed to take the test - and you won't be able to claim a refund of your test fee either.

Lots of photocard licences "go missing" while people are in pubs or clubs. Thieves know that young people use their driving licence photocards as I.D and target such places for easy pickings while people are distracted or drunk. Not only is this annoying, but can lead to even bigger problems in terms of "identity theft", so if you think your licence has been stolen rather than simply lost, you MUST report it to the police.

It's not just the photocards that get mislaid. Many people seem to ignore the paper bit of the provisional driving licence and think it's not important. WRONG...it's VERY important.

Lots of people may ask to see the paper bit - your driving instructor needs to see both parts, the police may need to see both parts and if you ever commit a motoring offence, a court will want sight of it too.

The paper part of the driving licence is where any endorsements are shown and that's why "official people" will want to see it.

So PLEASE don't fall into the trap of keeping your photocard safe to use as I.D, but losing track of the paper bit.

If you do lose either part of your licence, not only is it inconvenient if someone needs to see it and you can't produce it, but it WILL COST YOU MONEY and time to get a replacement licence. The fee for a replacement driving licence is £20.00 and it takes up to 15 days to arrive.

...and if can't find your licence and it's too late to cancel or move your test booking or if you turn up for a Theory or Practical test without both parts of your licence, on top of the cost of a replacement licence it'll be £31 (for a Theory Test) or at least £62 (for a Practical Test) gone in lost test fees, plus the same amount again to book another test...plus having to wait for another test appointment.

LOOK AFTER YOUR LICENCE

For more info about how to replace a lost or stolen driving licence, please see DirectGov - Replacing your driving licence

Learning to Drive Books. Do they Help?

Our aim here is to look at whether you should buy (and use) books, e-books, CDs/DVDs and revision cards. Or would you be better to save this money and instead spend it on more driving lessons?
Most people will want to save money where possible. This can lead to learners deciding not to spend money on learning resources, as they seem like an unnecessary expense. However this could prove to be an expensive mistake, costing the learner a lot more money rather than saving any.
Let’s look at another area of learning as an example of the importance of reference books. Imagine you are studying for you’re A levels (possibly you are). You attend the classes and pay attention to the teacher; however between lessons you have no text books available to you. This is going too severely restrict your ability to complete homework or study between lessons. Relying solely on the class lessons is not going to enable you to keep up with the rest of the class if they are working between lessons. The result is likely to be poorer grades, than those who are able to study correctly. You only need to see the amount of books students carry with them when attending schools or colleges to realise the importance placed on reference books by teachers.
So what books etc should you buy and why?
First I would suggest that every driver should have an up to date Highway Code, as this contains important information that the learner should be familiar with, ideally it should be read even before driving lessons are started. This will also be very useful when it comes to studying for the theory and hazard perception tests.
Next would be one of the many Learning to Drive Books or CDs/DVDs. Again I would suggest buying this before starting lessons, as it will enable the learner to study the topic of their next lesson.
This will mean that the learner is more prepared for their lessons, which will enable them to reach their goal of passing the Driving Test quicker and needing fewer lessons.
The result will be a saving on the overall cost of learning to drive and passing the driving test.
Finally I would strongly suggest downloading the specially prepared Driving Test Revision Cards. These will enable the learner to recall key facts they have already learned even under the pressure of the driving test.
So is it worth spending £15-£20 on learning to drive books? This will even cost you less if you use some of the excellent e-books that are now available.
The answer has got to be a resounding yes, as you are likely to save many times this on the cost of extra driving lessons and tests. Preparing well/correctly for driving lessons and the driving test really will be worth it. So don’t delay, buy those books today and start saving money.
If you would like to see my own recommendations, please visit my website and go to recommended books, within my online shop. You will also find our own e-books and Driving Test Revision Cards.

Driving Test Nerves - Tips For Keeping Calm During Your Driving Test

Staying calm during your driving test isn't easy!

Even the most confident driver can get nervous during a driving test and stress and anxiety can easily have an adverse effect on the result.

So how can you keep calm during your driving test?

Here are some tips for reducing driving test nerves;

1) Try and work out EXACTLY what you're worrying about. Are you worried about what others might say if you fail? Do you lack confidence in your driving ability? Do you simply not like to fail at anything? Once you know why you're worrying, anxiety is easier to deal with.

2) If you're worrying about what other people might say or think, then don't tell them when your test is! That way, if you pass you've got a nice surprise for them and if you fail, they need never know...

3) If you've been taught to drive by a professional driving instructor and they have told you that you are ready to take your driving test, then you have no need to doubt your own driving ability. Driving instructors know the standard required to pass the practical test and if your instructor thinks you can drive to that standard you can trust their judgement! If you have doubts, talk things through with your instructor.

4) Take your driving test when there's no additional stress in your life. Exams, coursework deadlines, problems at work, relationship difficulties etc are stressful enough by themselves. A driving test looming on the horizon will just make things worse.

5) It sounds obvious, but before you go to your test appointment, make sure you have all the documents the examiner will need to see and you've had something to eat, you've been to the toilet and that you're wearing comfortable clothes and sensible shoes!

6) Don't underestimate the power of positive thinking. If you go into your test in a negative frame of mind, it's likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

7) During the test itself, try and keep focused only on what the examiner is asking you to do. Forget everything else, just concentrate.

8) If you think you've made a mistake, don't dwell on it - it may not be as serious as you think, so put it behind you and focus only on what else you're asked to do!

9) If you fail your driving test it's certainly disappointing, but it's not the end of the world! Try again, believe in yourself and you'll achieve your goal!

10) For in depth help and advice on how to cope with driving test nerves including self-help, drugs and medication, hypnosis, relaxation and other techniques and ways to deal with driving test nerves, see How To Overcome Driving Test Nerves

Revising for the Practical Driving Test

Can you revise for the Practical Driving Test?

When learners think about preparing for their practical driving test it is tempting to think that the only preparation is to keep practicing with their instructor or possibly in their own car with parents. There are however a number of other ways that the learner can prepare/practice as well as actually in a vehicle.
We will look at what I consider are the most useful methods that can greatly increase the learner’s confidence and the chances of them passing the driving test first time.
The areas we will look at are:
1. Driving Test Revision Cards.
2. Writing notes and using diagrams.
3. Talking through the drive.
Revision Cards are often used by students to revise for a subject, by using the cards on a regular basis the facts become more fixed into the memory and are able to be recalled more quickly.
As with my own Driving Test Revision Cards these should cover all the key areas of the drive from mirrors to manoeuvres. Each subject will have the key points listed together with advice on what should or should not be done. By reading a card and thinking about their drive the learner can (and through experience does) become more confident in what they will need to do, both when driving and on the driving test.
Regular use is essential to gain the best from this excellent tool. The cards are small enough to be carried by the learner, enabling regular revision, such as when travelling to and from school/work or in free periods during the day. I would strongly suggest professionally prepared Driving Test Revision Cards as the learner can then be sure that important information is not missed out and you will also get important advice from a qualified ADI.
Writing notes and using diagrams is another great way of fixing important information into the learner’s memory. Possibly the best way of describing how to use this method is to look at an example. As an Approved Driving Instructor I regularly see pupils doubting what they should do on a manoeuvre, even though they do know exactly what to do. In this instance I will often (after possibly recovering the manoeuvre) suggest that the learner takes the time after the lesson to write down what they need to do. If practising the turn in the road, the learner should first write that they would prepare the car to move (selecting first gear etc). Then leave a line or two (use lined paper!) and then write the next key stage such as carrying out effective observation prior to moving the vehicle. After finishing writing the complete manoeuvre the learner should read through carefully, and ideally using a different colour pen fill in (on the lines left free) any information missed out. These pieces of information are the areas that the learner is also likely to miss out when actually practicing the manoeuvre.
Writing something down makes the learner think harder about the subject and in doing so enabling them to remember it when actually driving.
Diagrams can also be useful to help the learner to visualise a junction or manoeuvre. For instance with the bay park the learner can draw out the parking spaces and even use a toy car or any suitable size object to act out the manoeuvre helping them to think about when they start steering and what to do if the manoeuvre starts to go wrong.
Talking through the drive is the final method I use with my own pupils. We can use this to help us remember what to do at junctions etc, or just to put any problems in the drive into perspective.
If the learner is worried about, for instance a particular type of junction, then talking through their worries with an experienced driver (possibly parent or friend) can help enormously to reinforce what they should do. I should add at this point that if a learner is worried about a particular junction etc, they really should make sure that their driving instructor knows about their worries, so that they can help them with it.
The other aspect of talking through the drive is when the learner has convinced themselves that they cannot do something. Again another example:
The learner says that they cannot deal with roundabouts. The person they are talking to should try and find out exactly what the problem is. After talking through how they approach the junction, their understanding of how roundabouts work, it appears that they understand these areas but are worried about judging traffic on the roundabout. This is clearly a very important area, but still much better than simply not being able to deal with roundabouts. After further discussion it transpires that the learner does actually know how to judge the other traffic, but occasionally misses small potential gaps to emerge onto the roundabout. On the driving test this is not necessarily a big problem as the examiner only needs to see the learner emerge into reasonable spaces. So discussing this puts the learner’s worries into perspective and hopefully their mind at rest. It also now means that the actual minor problem can be discussed and addressed so that the learner becomes more confident.
Conclusion
By using the methods detailed above the learner will become more confident in their driving and hopefully feel more able to cope with the pressures of the driving test.
So can you revise for the practical driving test? Yes.
Is it worth using methods such revision cards etc? Yes.
Can it make the difference? Yes.
http://www.your-online-driving-school.co.uk/

Driving Test Pass Limits?

Driving Test Pass Limits?

As an Approved Driving Instructor since 1996, I’m very used to being asked certain questions regarding the driving test. One of those regularly asked questions is; can driving examiners only pass a certain number of driving tests a week? This is a question I can remember asking my driving instructor some 26 years ago. I could just answer this with a simple yes or no, however that would lead to a very short article and may not completely convince you. So let’s look at some facts.
The average (overall) pass rate for UK driving test centres is normally around 45-50 %. However if you look around the country you will find widely differing pass rates. These differences may be due to the difficulty of the roads or volume of traffic near to the test centre. Also the affluence of an area can make a difference, as the learners may be able to afford more lessons prior to taking their driving test.
Here are a couple of examples:
1. Birmingham (Kings Heath) as very busy area has a pass rate of 30.13% for the year 2007-2008.
2. Gairloch (Highlands, Scotland) a rural area, which for the same period had a pass rate of 70.59%.
If there were driving test pass limits, then shouldn’t they have the same pass rate?
Now the question has possibly changed to have particular test centres got set driving test pass limits? Let me give you a recent personal experience. At the beginning of the year (2009) I had a run of 10 tests all passing in a row (most 1st time). Then I had a fail and then another couple of passes. If my local test centre had a set pass rate, then wouldn’t I have had some of my first 10 tests fail, as the normal pass rate for this test centre is close to the national average?
However, as is often the case, there may be some, if possibly only small, element of truth about driving test pass limits. First imagine you are a driving examiner. You know that over the course of any given week/month or even year, the test centres pass rate is normally around 45-50%. However you know that you have recently been passing a lot higher % than this. This may lead you, or senior examiners to wonder if you are marking the tests differently to the other examiners at the same test centre. The examiner may, in this instance decide to adjust their marking slightly as they believe they are being too lenient. This does not however mean failing someone who has done nothing wrong. Instead it may be that in a slightly grey area, which could be either a driving fault or possibly a serious/failure mark, the examiner decides to be stricter and puts down as a failure mark!
Please remember that this is only my opinion; however it is one gained from experience, having listened to a great number (hundreds) of debriefs at the end of the driving test, as well as sitting in the back during dozens of tests over the years.
So what do I mean by grey areas and how can you avoid them? Grey areas will be situations where different people could view the learner’s actions differently, such as one person/examiner feeling that a learner is travelling slightly too close to parked cars and another simply too close. It is down to the examiner’s own perception of the situation and, as in most situations this can be slightly different from person to person.
So how can a learner avoid falling the wrong side of this decision? Well the obvious answer is to drive correctly. However one of the key areas to look at is what the examiner believes the learner’s attitude is to their driving and other road users. If the learner appears to be trying to drive well, using good observation, planning well ahead and considering other road users, then the examiner is much more likely to give the learner the benefit of the doubt if there is a decision to make.
In conclusion, if the learner drives correctly then they will pass the driving test and they don’t need to worry about possible driving test pass limits. The better prepared the learner is the greater their chances are of passing the driving test.
For more details on learning to drive, together with lots of practical information and advice please visit us at: http://www.your-online-driving-school.co.uk/

Driving Test Fees Increase From 30th March 2009

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have announced an increase in driving test fees from 30th March 2009 as follows;

Theory Test;
£31.00

Practical test;
£62.00 (daytime Monday to Friday)
£75.00 (weekday evenings and weekends)

Extended driving test (following disqualification);
£124.00 (daytime Monday to Friday)
£150.00 (weekday evenings and weekends)

The fee increases will apply to theory and practical driving tests booked on or after 30 March 2009.

DETAILS OF ALL TEST FEE INCREASES CAN BE SEEN AT DSA - Driving Standards Agency announces changes to test fees

The fee for the tests are currently;

Theory test £30.00

Practical test
£56.50 (daytime Monday to Friday)
£67.00 (weekday evenings and weekends)

Extended driving tests
£113.00 (daytime Monday to Friday)
£134.00 (weekday evenings and weekends)

How To Find A Good Driving Instructor - Questions To Ask

What questions should you ask to help you choose a driving instructor?

Don't be afraid to ask relevant questions...but you need to know what you're asking and more importantly what the answers you get actually mean....

You may have seen long lists of suggested "things to ask about", including,

"What are your pass rates?" and,
"What grade will my instructor be?"

A word of advice about those particular two questions though!

The "driving instructor pass rates" question is meaningless for all practical purposes, as statistics can mean anything you want them to mean! I've heard driving instructors quote a "100% Pass Rate", justified on the basis that "everyone passes eventually". Is it true? Of course not...some people give up learning and never pass...some people pass first time and some pass after several attempts, so how do you measure a "pass rate"??????

A "pass rate" is only relevant if everyone is interpreting statistics in the same way...but they don't, so using a test pass rate as a basis for choosing an instructor is pretty pointless!

Much the same can be said of the "driving instructor grade" question. You wouldn't ask a doctor or a solicitor or a plumber or any other qualified professional person what their "grade" is would you?... so why ask a qualified driving instructor that question? The qualification process to become a driving instructor is VERY challenging and involves not only the ability to drive to a very high standard, but also to teach to a very high standard. Approved Driving Instructors (ADI's) have passed all three of the qualification exams required and they are also regularly re-assessed by the Driving Standards Agency to ensure that the standards of their instruction remain consistently high. Newly qualified instructors aren't even graded at all...

Examples of better "relevant questions" to help you choose a driving instructor include;

* do tuition vehicles have dual controls (and if you'll be learning to drive in the summer, air conditioning :) )?

* if you have any specific needs such as wanting a female instructor or an automatic vehicle etc, ask whether the driving school or instructor can supply your needs

* can you be picked up from one place and dropped off somewhere different (e.g picked up from work/college and dropped off at home etc)?

* are there any discounts available?

* can you have a reduced price introductory lesson to see how
you get on with the instructor?

* how long are lessons?

* what is the lesson cancellation policy? (you may well be charged if you do not give adequate notice if you need to cancel a driving lesson, so this question is well worth asking)

* will you be the only pupil in the car? (some instructors still "piggy-back" i.e pick up or drop off their next pupil during your lesson time...this is rare now thankfully but there are still some driving instructors out there who continue the practice...see "Piggybacking?" for more details)

* (this isn't a question as such, but having spoken to the instructor, you'll be in a position to know the answer) - can you understand what the instructor is saying? It's vital that you can understand what you're being asked to do
and be understood in return...

Further guidance on "relevant" questions you might like to ask can be found at - A Few More Things To Think About When Choosing A Driving Instructor!.

Driving Test Fees Rising From 30th March 2009

The Driving Standards Agency propose to introduce new fees for theory and practical tests booked on or after 30 March 2009.


Theory tests for learner car drivers and motorcycle riders;

£31.00 (currently £30.00 - an increase of £1.00)


Practical tests for learner car drivers;

£63.50 - daytime Monday to Friday (currently £56.50 - an increase of £7.00)

£75.00 - weekday evenings and weekends (currently £67.00 - an increase of £8.00)


Extended practical tests for learner car drivers (following disqualification);

£127.00 - daytime Monday to Friday (currently £113.00 - an increase of £14.00)

£150.00 - weekday evenings and weekends (currently £134.00 - an increase of £16.00)


Please see A CONSULTATION PAPER - DRIVING STANDARDS AGENCY FEES 2009 for more details.

Driving Test Nerves!

Driving test nerves...getting nervous and stressed out is the reason that many learner drivers fail their driving tests!

"How can I overcome driving test nerves?"

As someone who works in the UK driver training industry, I come across this question on a regular basis!

No matter how well prepared they are, nearly everyone gets nervous about taking their driving test!

Even people who are normally "cool as a cucumber" no matter what life throws at them, can find themselves reduced to a nerve-wracked, quivering, nail biting, stressed-out jelly as the day of their driving test gets closer and closer...

Why do people get so nervous about taking a driving test and what can be done to help those who suffer from nerves as the day of their driving test approaches?

I've written a webpage that looks at the subject of how to cope with driving test nerves. It examines the reasons why people get so nervous about taking their driving test and outlines ways to reduce and maybe even eliminate driving test nerves, anxiety and stress. You'll find lots of hints and tips, self-help, videos and a selection of commercially available products designed to help you try to cope with driving test nerves!

So if you're suffering from nerves, stress or anxiety in the run-up to your driving test and want to know how to deal with how you feel and try to find effective ways to stop your nerves adversely affecting the way you drive on the day of your test, please have a look at How To Overcome Driving Test Nerves