calling all driving instructors....

[youngrusscle]

Hi i am 18years old and am going to start driving this month..I haven't got my provisional yet...but i am applying for it this week. How long do you advise it will take me to pass my driving test on average? I have no experience and don't know the first thing to do in a car! Thanks in advance!

[Ethel]

The average number of lessons is 45.

But some need fewer and others need many more. A lot depends on your confidence and your co-ordination.

Good luck!

[saintjohnny]

If you are absolutely new to a car and the workings therein, 45 may be too low. Generally speaking, your first few lessons will be all about getting comfortable with being in the car. It can take quite a while to fully "trust" the vehicle, by which I mean it's a strange experience when you first sit down and realise that you are controlling a ton of metal with your feet and hands. I would also advise you to concentrate on observations from the start. Make a point of using your mirrors, knowing where it is safe to pull off, and where it is better to stay still. Observations are by far the most vital part of driving, because they make you think in terms of being part of all traffic, rather than just you in your car. Best of luck with it.

[youngrusscle]

thanks saint jonny...i am quite nervous actually...and i get quite panicky! i really want to drive soon tho cos i dont want to rely on buses all of the time!

[africaking]

45 lessons? that seems very high to me, as I only had about 20 myself and I never did any practice with family or friends, just the lessons, but then again, I guess the instructor was confident in my abilities, I'm sure an instructor will let you know after a few lessons

[caz21]

It took me way above the average of 45, more like 85 ;o) ahem! it took a year altogether, my instructor said it made a difference if you have extra practise in another car, which i couldnt do, and also one lesson a week with two - three week gaps between isnt advisable! if you can afford to you need to keep them close together else you (if like me) tend to forget what you've learnt and spend the first half hour going over things! i bought a car a month before my test and drove to work and back every day this helped so much i passed first time last month!! good luck!

[timbeau]

You may be better opting for 90 minute lessons, I found that I got more out of the longer lesson and that extra 30 minutes was spent constructively, it may also be slightly cheaper, but of course more expensive if you are having 1 per week. It took me exactly (and i mean to the day) 12 months to pass and I had approximately 35 lessons, which equates to about 50 hours.