8 Success Steps to a 1st Time Pass

No 1. Be consistent with your driving Lessons.

A 1st Time Pass is possible for everyone just by following a few guidelines. Endeavour to take a weekly driving lesson. Those students that take regular driving lessons learn SO much faster than those that are irregular. If possible commit to two hour driving lessons, you will learn far more and much faster. One hour driving lessons WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE BEST VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY. Taking two hour driving lessons will greatly reduce the time it takes to be ready for your driving test. The reason being that you will build momentum as when a new subject is introduced, you will not only have time for it to be explained, but a decent amount of time to practice and develop while it’s fresh in your mind. Often on a one hour driving lesson it can be frustrating for both you and your driving instructor when time runs short just as you were getting to grips with the topic.

NO.2. Be prepared for your driving lessons.

It’s Your Driving Lesson! Make The Most of It. Being in the right frame of mind will give the best value for your money. Spending a few minutes thinking about your last driving lesson just prior your driving instructor arriving will give you the right frame of mind and make sure that you are focused on the lesson ahead. Staying up half the night before or overindulging is probably not going to give you your best learning experience. Also! Actually being conscious, is definitely a MAJOR plus.

No 3. Your driving lessons should always begin with a recap of your previous lesson.

The  recap phase at the beginning of your driving lesson, better trained instructors will be utilising client centred learning and will have an interactive discussion with you to determine your frame of mind and discuss what topics you would like to cover during the driving .Please don’t underestimate this very important point. Your driving instructor should be asking you questions at this stage to confirm your understanding of previous learning and to test your knowledge on the next subject. Your practical driving practice will be far less effective if you do not fully understand the theory of the subject and mistakes can be made through lack of knowledge.

No 4. The lesson objective

The lesson objective is possibly the most important element to your progress. Trust me, without a firm objective, your learning period will be greatly increased. It is absolutely vital that EVERY lesson has a definite objective. You must understand what will be covered in the current lesson and how it will move you forward towards your goal. Driving aimlessly around is a complete waste of your hard earned money. At the beginning of your driving lesson and after you have agreed with your driving instructor what the lessons main objective is, it’s crucial that you are completely clear on the actions that are required to achieve that objective. Regular breaks during the lesson will be required to evaluate progress toward that objective with tweaks implemented as necessary.

NO 5. Your driving Lessons should be structured.

Your Driving Lessons should follow a structured path from very easy at the beginning and then increase in complexity as you progress. Your instructor should be encouraging you to develop by asking you relevant questions to check your understanding. This is a very important procedure as responsibility is gradually transferred to you. Generally speaking driving lessons will have a talk through stage to ensure you are completing the objectives correctly with your driving instructor talking you through each element required. The next stage will be prompted questions where your driving instructor will ask you in advance what are you going to do BEFORE you do it to so correction can take place if required. This is an important stage as you will now be taking some responsibility for your actions and control. The final stage is normally independent practice, this is where your driving instructor will keep quiet (yeah!!) and let you drive unaided and practice what you have learnt. He/she will be ready to intervene if required, so don’t worry you are not on your own.

NO 6.  Debrief /summary of your driving Lesson.

What you discuss at the end of your lesson, will compound the retention of that newly gained knowledge and understanding. Think back to the objective that was agreed at the beginning of your driving lesson and discuss what actions were taken and whether progress was made. This is a great opportunity to evaluate your driving lesson and decide if your objective was achieved. Objectives are not always achieved in full but what is very important at this stage is that you understand why! Any misunderstanding or further practice can be carried forward to the next lesson as failure to do this will lead to frustration and a lack of confidence.

NO 7. Self evaluate, be confident and be ready.

Be honest with yourself! Are you still making mistakes during your driving lessons? Many students fail their driving tests because they are not driving consistently before they go to test. Arriving for your practical driving test knowing that you are lacking in confidence due to inconsistent driving will just add to the anxiety and many will blame nerves “on the day” but in reality it’s generally down to lack of consistency in the build up to test day. Being able to drive during your lesson and make very few minor errors and no serious errors will make a massive difference to your confidence and this will be reflected during your driving test.

NO 8. Listen to the advice of your driving instructor.

Driving Instructors are highly trained and experienced at assessing when you are ready for your driving test, you are paying for professional advice – so it would be wise to listen to it. You will know if you are still making mistakes and your instructor will be reluctant to take you to test on that basis. He/she will have been working with you and building a rapport over a period of time and the last thing your instructor or you want is a test fail. Your driving instructor will have a massive incentive to get you a 1st time pass as his/her reputation depends on a high pass rate and the drive home from a failed test is the worst feeling in the world.

Make sure your driving instructor follows the structure mentioned above, adhere to the guidelines and there is no reason why your 1st driving Test will be your only Driving Test.

I wish you every success and safe motoring for the future.

Warm regards, Tim Hunt.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us and we will help with any questions you may have.