One of the questions that students ask us most frequently is “How Many Driving Lessons Do I Need?”. This is a valid question and one that most of our driving instructors probably asked themselves when they were learning to drive.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) suggests that 44 hours of driving lessons with a professional driving instructor are required to pass your driving test. This is just an average, so some people will need less than 44 hours, and some will need more.
Assessment Lessons
Nobody can tell you how many driving lessons you’ll need without first seeing you drive. Most driving schools will offer assessment lessons so that they can evaluate your driving abilities. Once they’ve seen you in action, they will be able to give you an informed opinion on the approximate number of driving lessons you’ll require.
An assessment lesson is also a good way for you to meet and get to know a driving instructor before committing to block booking of lessons.
Factors that Effect How Many Driving Lessons You’ll Need
The number of driving lessons you take is just one factor that can determine how quickly you’ll be ready to pass your test. You also need to take into account the following when asking How Many Driving Lessons Do I Need?
Private Practice
When you’re learning to drive the more time you spend behind the wheel, the better. Gaining driving experience will increase your confidence and help make learning easier. If you have family members or friends with cars, then ask them to take you out as much as possible for extra driving practice. The DVSA suggests that an additional 22 hours of private lessons on top of those with your driving instructor is ideal. The individual taking you out needs to be over 21 and have held their license for at least 3 years.
Age
We don’t want to sound ageist but, generally speaking, the younger you are, the fewer lessons you’ll need to take. DVSA figures show that you may need an extra 2 hours of driving lessons for each additional year of age. Again, this figure is based on averages. When we teach students, regardless of their age, we do so based on their specific driving abilities.
Lesson Frequency
When you learn a new skill, the more often you do it, the quicker you’ll pick it up. Learning to drive is no exception. Our instructors suggest between 2 to 4 hours per week. If you’re looking to pass your test quickly, then even more frequent lessons are recommended. An intensive driving course can be a good option for those students looking for quick results.
Length of Lessons
At Get Set Driving, we only offer 2-hour driving lessons as we’ve found that our students learn a lot more over a longer two hour period than they do in just one hour. By offering 2-hour lessons, we can also keep our prices lower, which means students can afford more professional driving tuition.
How Many Driving Lessons Do I Need Summary
Learning to drive is a very individual process. Some people will pick it up like a duck to water, while others will take a little longer to feel comfortable and confident. Possibly the most important factor when learning to drive is choosing the right instructor. Having a driving instructor that you feel relaxed and at ease with is vitally important as you need to feel happy in the learning environment to gain the maximum benefit from your lessons.