10 Most Asked Learning To Drive Questions

Here we have put together what we think are the 10 most asked learning to drive questions, we hope that they will maybe give you answers to the questions you may be asking yourself and links to further resources to help you on your journey to getting your full driving license.

1. Why should I learn to drive

Learning to drive as a 17 year old can be considered a right of passage or as we get older it may be seen as the thing that makes life easier, either way the profound impact that being able to drive has on your lives can be quite immeasurable. Driving opens so many doors in every aspect of life just imagine as a young person wanting to explore and visit places further, it could be that you and your friends want to go to the beach or visit a theme park. As you get a bit older it could be that you take a job that’s not easily accessible by public transport or you might have to ferry your children around. Driving plays a fundamental aspect in our lives and the convenience of having a car makes life so much easier. 

2. When is the best time to learn to drive

This is a hard question to answer because it just depends on the individual and their circumstances, we would say that if you can afford it then learning as you turn 17 is a great time to do so, however, don’t let that put you off if you have left it till later in life, you can still learn at any point, there are people taking driving tests who are into there 70’s. We suggest that when you embark on learning that you have thought it out, have the time and finances to achieve it as it can cost you more if you are not committed.

Quite often students who are at university tend to delay it as they are traveling back and forth during term times between university and home, if you fall into this category we would suggest that you plan to do your learning at your university city rather than your home city as you will spend much more time there.

3. Is it hard to learn to drive

This is like asking how long is a piece of string! From experience we would say that most people have the ability to learn to drive without any major issues, of course, some students take more time than others, some are nervous and anxious, having said that overconfidence can hinder you just as much as being over cautious.

The key in all of these things is to make sure that you have got the right instructor for you. Just because your friends may have passed with an instructor they recommended doesn’t mean that the instructor is right for you, our advice is that if you are not happy with your instructor’s style of teaching or their manner then change to a new instructor. Learning to drive needs to be enjoyable and if you are not enjoying being in the driving seat with your instructor next to you it will take you longer. Don’t be nervous about finding a new instructor there are plenty out there and all have different styles of teaching. Take a look here on Drive Academy to search for one.

4. Which type of car should I learn to drive in Manual or Automatic

This is the hot topic question of the decade, technology and government policy is changing rapidly and electric cars look like they are the way forward, however, they are still quite expensive but what the electric car does bring with it is an automatic gearbox so here is your conundrum. Why learn with gears when in a few years all cars will be automatic.

Our advice here is to learn in a manual gearbox car, in doing so you have the option to choose between driving a manual or an automatic vehicle. If you take your driving test in an automatic vehicle you will only be entitled to drive an automatic vehicle. In the past owning an automatic car was seen as expensive, as fuel consumption was higher along with repairs and the cost of purchasing it. This is not the case anymore. It is just that you are limited with an automatic license, imagine your car breaks down and a friend says it’s ok you can use mine, but it turns out to be a manual gearbox, or you need to hire a van to move something but they only have manual.

Don’t choose the automatic license as an easy route you will be surprised how quickly you will learn the gears, although for some automatic is the right choice and that is just depending on personal preference.

5. What is the quickest way to pass my driving test

In our opinion the best way to approach this is not to think of it as a race, there is no quick way because learning to drive isn’t about just passing a test it is about “Safe Driving for Life”. There are however many different views and opinions on this topic the DVSA’s consensus is that on average people take approx 40 hours of lessons to pass their driving tests. This figure can vary dramatically though with some students passing much quicker. This is quite often possible if you have been having private lessons with a family member at the same time as taking lessons with an Approved Driving Instructor. At the other end of the scale, there are people who take considerably longer to pass, in a lot of cases this is down to nerves or anxieties.

One of the top tips for passing quickly if you have enough experience is to make sure that you pass your theory test as soon as possible so that you are in a position to book your practical test when you are ready. Read our blog ‘Pass Your Theory Test‘ to help you out here.

Another idea is to agree on a forward plan with your instructor. Generally, they will have a rough idea of waiting times at the local driving test center and should be able to advise you on booking in advance based on the progress that you are making. For example; if your instructor says he believes you could be ready in 15 weeks you may agree between the two of you to advance book a test date based on this prediction, remembering that you can always change the test date for free with the DVSA website or there are several apps like “Testi” and “Driving Test Genie” that can help you find cancellations.

6. How much will it cost me to learn to drive

To apply for your UK driving license online costs £34. The cost of the theory test is £23 and our suggested products to help you learn this are The Highway Code £2.50 and “Driving Test Success App” £4.99. The average price for a driving lesson in the UK is around £30 depending on your location some areas are cheaper and some are also more expensive, generally Instructors who teach automatic licenses are about 10% more expensive. If you work on the basis that you will use 40 hours of tuition this will cost around £1200 in addition to this you will also have the cost of the practical driving test itself which is £63. As mention in point 5 the biggest variable here is the number of lessons needed and that is very dependant on the student and if they are having private lessons with friends or family members.

7. Who will teach me to learn to drive 

There are approximately 40,000 ADI’s (Approved Driving Instructors) in the UK, so there are plenty to choose from, but it’s not always that easy as some are very popular and have long waiting lists, so may have availability but not when your available, Drive Academy is a directory service of driving instructors, you can search through our listings and find a driving instructor near you, some of them will also list their actual availability. In addition to this, there are plenty of other resources such as the DVSA’s own list of driving instructors or you could use google maps with a search such as “find a driving instructor near me” this is quite a good way as you can look at the reviews that previous students have left. Our advice, on choosing an instructor is always to book the first lesson to make sure that you get on with the instructor rather than just signing up for an expensive package of lessons straight away only to find out that you don’t get on with the instructor.

8. Can I learn in my own car

Absolutely, of course, you can. What we do suggest though is for the first few lessons you do start off with an ADI, as their cars are fitted with dual controls which means that you are in a much safer situation whilst learning about moving off, stopping, and junctions. They can stop the car with the footbrake if needed and therefore it is much safer than if you were to be a complete novice in your own car with a parent or responsible driver next to you who only has access to the parking brake(handbrake). 

However, as we have mentioned before learning to drive in your own car alongside taking lessons with an ADI can really help progress your learning. Remember that you do need to ensure that whilst you are driving on a provisional license that you have learner “L” plates on both the front and rear of the vehicle, these can be purchased at places such as Halfords. If you are planning to use your own vehicle on the actual test you will need to ensure that there is an additional mirror available in the vehicle for the examiner to use you can find all the details of this on the DVSA’s website.

Another thing to make sure you have is insurance for you, look at is learner insurance if you are learning in a family member’s car it can be very cost-effective to add on learner drivers insurance, ‘Veygo’ from Admiral Insurance Company offers some very reasonable and flexible rates.

9. Where should I take my driving test

This is a simple question to answer and we would say don’t listen to friends or family who tell you that it is easier at one particular test center over another. Go with the one where you know the area better. A big part of driving is anticipation and if you know where you are and what’s around the corner it gives you a much better edge than somewhere where it is not so familiar. You will always have the people who tell you that if you are test ready you should be able to pass your test anywhere in the UK, well that might be true, but you will feel less nervous and anxious in an area you know.

10. Will I pass my test if I am nervous

Nerves are one of the biggest reasons that people fail, there are a few things to think about and settle in your mind to help you on this subject. Listen to your instructor in the run-up to the test they should be able to give you good advice on certain parts of the test route that they think you might be more nervous on. Try and be clear in your mind that the examiners are not looking for a reason to fail you, they are just assessing you to make sure that you are safe. So treat the test day as if it were another driving lesson and not add additional pressure on to yourself. Some instructors will run through mock tests with you these are very good in the fact that they give you a real context of what the lesson will feel like and how the 38-40 minutes of driving actually feels like. If you are still really struggling with nerves, but know you are a good driver normally, maybe you should consider getting some professional advice, one website which is often very highly recommended in the driving instructor industry is ‘New Driver Programme‘.

I do hope these have helped and good luck with learning to drive

Joshua – Founder and Driving Instructor

Still looking for a driving instructor click HERE to search our list of instructors in your area.

Our theory test blog is available HERE if you need more help passing it

Check out the DVSA website for all the latest information on theory and practical driving tests

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