Richard Boyle DSA ADI (Car)
Professional, patient & friendly, Fully Qualified Driving Instructor.
 

Before you start to drive

You must be at least 17 years of age (16 if receiving the highest rate of mobility allowance) and you must hold a valid, signed provisional driving licence; or the new photo card style licence with counterpart (follow the link to the DVLA website, on the LINKS page, for information about how to obtain a licence). You can apply for your provisional

licence 3 months before your 17th birthday but it would not become valid until you are 17. Ensure that the car you are going to drive is properly insured for you to drive and roadworthy. You must display
L-plates which can be seen clearly from infront and behind the car. If a learner is not driving the car the L-plates must be removed.

Eyesight
You must be able to read a number plate from 20.5 metres/67 feet(new number plates, from 2001 onwards, with narrow font, from 20 metres/66 feet). If you are learning to drive with an Approved Driving Instructor he/she will check your eyesight before you start to drive. If you are unable to read the number plate, you are not legally allowed to drive on the road and the lesson will not be allowed to commence until you have had your vision corrected.

Health
If you are taking any medication you should check with your doctor that you are able to drive.

Choosing your instructor
Unlike your relatives, your Driving Instructor is someone that you can choose yourself. So, what will make you decide on who is going to prepare you best for the test? After all, if you make the wrong choice you will end up not looking forward to the next lesson. If you stop enjoying the lesson learning will soon take a back seat!

So what will affect your choice? All Approved Driving Instructors are qualified to give instruction so they should all be the same. Yes or No? Well, only time will tell if you have made the right choice, but here are some reasons that could well make up your mind:

      • Does the car suit you, is it too big or too small?
      • Has the instructor worked for extra qualifications?
      • Already known to you or recommended by a friend.
      • Instructor conducts themselves in a professional manner.
      • A clean, tidy car and well presented instructor.

Above all, you need to feel comfortable with your instructor. A course of, for example 20 lessons means a lot of time spent working with and learning from the instructor in the close confines of the car. A lot depends, therefore, on both of you being able to get on well. Don't make the mistake of paying beforehand for a
course of lessons without firstly having an assessment lesson.

Another good way is to ask the instructor to visit you at your home in order to meet them and hear what they have to offer. This can also give parents or friends the opportunity of making a judgement. If the instructor shies away from this suggestion then you need to ask yourself "Why?"

..........and now a few warnings
Always be aware of 'Marketing Hype'. There is no such thing as a 'Guaranteed Pass'.

You are looking for 'Value for Money' and not just the cheapest lesson rate that you can find. Having 10 lessons with a good instructor could be a lot better than having 20 with one that, to be honest, you shouldn't have gone with in the first place.

Make sure that they teach the full syllabus as approved by the Driving Standards Agency. They should also work with some form of Logbook into which details of each lesson given are entered. This should stay with the learner so that they can see just how well they are getting on. Will your instructor do this?      

Practice
There is no substitute for learning car control skills and how to deal with different road situations with a professional driving instructor before going out to practice privately. When you have enough confidence, your instructor will advise you what and where to practice. They will also be able to advise the person who is going to supervise you. You must be accompanied by a driver who; has held a full EC/EEA licence for at least 3 years for the type of car that you are driving, is at least 21 years of age and still holds the licence. As a provisional car licence holder holder you are not normally allowed to drive on motorways.

Back to top