Starting to drive
Learning to drive
is one of the most complicated skills you will ever have
to acquire. As well as learning the many controls and
pedals in the car, you will have to obey the rules of the
road, take into account the differing road and weather
conditions and be aware of other road users and anticipate
their potential actions – in most driving scenarios you
will have to use all of these skills at the same time.
Virtually all learners (98%) have professional tuition and
you will probably benefit the most from that tuition when you
first start to learn. To develop confidence it is important
that your experience of learning to drive is a positive one
from the outset. A professional instructor can ensure this will
be the case by:
- Providing you with a structured course of tuition
- Selecting routes and roads that are appropriate to your
experience
- Not overloading you by asking you to perform tasks that
are too advanced or taking you into inappropriate traffic
situations
- Providing a well-maintained vehicle usually fitted with
dual controls for your safety and comfort.
The DSA have set out a driving syllabus of topics that you
need to learn, practice and master to be able pass the UK
practical driving test and to become a competent driver. It is
called the "Driver's Record for Pupils" and can acquire a copy
from our Download
Section.
It lists the main topics and skills required, and as each
topic is introduced your instructor can then grade your
progress according to your ability. The grades are as
follows:
- topic introduced
- under full instruction
- prompted
- seldom prompted
- independant
You can see that the higher the grade the more competent you
are becoming at a particular skill and, consequently, less
reliant on your instructor.
Remember, you are not merely preparing to pass a test, you
are learning the driving skills you will require for the next
50 or 60 years (hopefully). So it is important that you have
thorough training via a comprehensive and structured
course.
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