Online Driving Test Booking Scams - Be VERY Careful When Booking Your Theory Test or Driving Test Online

It's easy to book a practical driving test or theory test online. You can do it through the DirectGov website at DirectGov - Book your theory and practical tests online. There is no extra fee for booking if you do it through "official channels" - all it will cost you is the appropriate test fee (Theory Tests £31.00 and Practical Tests £62.00).

Now that's all well and good if you know the website address for the offical DSA online test booking service - but what if you don't?

Most people will type something along the lines of "book driving test online" into Google or another search engine and click whatever link comes up first. That's the problem.

Over the past few months several "enterprising" website owners have cottoned on to the fact that they can set up a "test booking website" and make themselves a whole lot of money by booking theory and driving tests for other people and charging a big fat "booking fee" on top of the DSA test fee.

I've heard of so called "booking fees" of well over £20.00 charged for doing something that anyone with internet access can do for themselves in a matter of minutes.

I've mentioned this subject before, but the situation has now become so serious that even the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have finally sat up and taken some notice and have announced that they are "investigating" several 3rd party test booking services.

Don't line someone else's pockets, book your test yourself - all you need is your driver number (from your driving licence), a credit or debit card (someone else can pay using their card if you don't have a card of your own) and your Theory Test pass number (if you're booking your Practical Test)...and use ONLY the official DSA online test booking service at:
DirectGov - Book your theory and practical tests online

Do I Need To Have Driving Lessons Before Taking My Theory Test?

Do I need to take driving lessons before taking my theory test?
Do I need to have had 10 hours of driving lessons before I can apply for my theory test?

I've been asked both of these questions more than once over the past couple of weeks!

There's a simple answer to both questions - it's NO!

There is no requirement to take any driving lessons (let alone a specific number of hours) before taking the theory test.

In fact, it's not even necessary to have ever sat in a car, let alone driven one before taking the theory test!

You can take the theory test before you start having driving lessons if you want.
 
However...the theory test is designed to test your understanding of all sorts of Important Things to do with being a safe driver including road signs, proceedures, vehicle maintenance and the law and while it's perfectly possible to acquire all the information you need to pass your theory test from commercially available books and software, it can be a great help to have some practical experience of driving in order to consolidate what you've learning and to give all those dry facts about driving some real meaning...plus you can ask your driving instructor to explain and clarify anything you're not sure of - you can't do that with a book or a hazard perception CDROM!

So, no you don't NEED to have driving lessons before you take your theory test...but having some can help you to pass it!

LVG Limited, Owners Of RED Driving School Go Into Administration

LVG Limited (owners of RED Driving School) went into administration on 16/2/10.

The business is currently being traded in Administration whilst a sale of the business and assets of the Company as a going concern is pursued.

MCR have been appointed as Administrators.

More information at: MCR

Car Insurance For Learner Drivers

Learning to drive is a skill that will last you for life. By far the safest and most cost effective way to learn to drive is by taking lessons from a professional Approved Driving Instructor as they have the skills and experience to teach you not only what you need to know to pass your driving test, but to enable you to become a safe and considerate driver for life. However, your learning can be speeded up if you can consolidate what you learn from your driving instructor by being able to practice your driving with a friend or family member.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) state:

"Those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training combined with 22 hours of private practice. Learners who prepare this way, with a combination of plenty of professional training and plenty of practice, do better in the test" (source: DirectGov - motoring)

Anyone over the age of 21 who has held (and still holds) a full UK driving licence for three years covering the class of vehicle you wish to drive, can supervise a learner driver (remember that as a learner driver you must display 'L' plates in a visible and prominent position on the front and rear of the vehicle you are driving).

Also, the vehicle will need to be insured for you to drive as a learner driver. This point is important as learner drivers are NOT covered by normal vehicle insurance, so additional insurance cover will need to be taken out.

Collingwood Learner Driver Insurance offer comprehensive car insurance whilst learning to drive in a relatives or friends vehicle.

Learner driver insurance can be arranged for a weekly, four weekly or 84 day policy and if cover needs to be extended, after an inital 28 day policy further cover can be purchased for period of 7, 28 or 84 days.

For more information about the car insurance for learner drivers provided by Collingwood or to get a Learner Driver insurance quote please see the Collingwood Learner Driver Insurance website.

New weekly quiz

Visit "the learning to drive in Somerset group" on Facebook and win weekly prizes.

Taking The UK Theory Test In Polish

If you're a learner driver and English isn't your first language, it can be hard to find easy to understand training resources and study materials. It makes study a lot easier if you can get books and software in your own language!

For Polish speakers, there's now a range of books and software available with translations of the Highway Code and the DSA Theory Test question bank from English into Polish. There’s also Hazard Perception test software now available in Polish.

For more details and to view the range of Polish Theory Test products available from Amazon, please see:

Taking The UK Theory Test In Polish