Learning To Drive In The New Year?

The New Year will see the start of many soon-to-be drivers embarking on their journey of learning to drive. Whether you’ve been gifted the funds to learn to drive for Christmas or the backlog of practical test dates has you waiting until the New Year - January will be the start for many learners.

With this in mind, Louise Bruchez at PassMeFast has recommended five ways that you can get yourself prepared for taking to the roads, ahead of starting your driving lessons in the New Year.

1. Order your provisional licence

Making sure that you have your provisional licence is an essential step you need to take before beginning your driving lessons. This is because having a provisional licence is a legal requirement for anyone learning to drive on public roads under the guidance of a qualified driving instructor, relatives and friends (over the age of 21 and has had a driving licence for a minimum of 3 years).

So if you’re looking to get started learning in the new year, it’s best to be organised and apply for your provisional licence now, which you can easily do at Apply for your first provisional driving licence - GOV.UK.

2. Watch driving lesson videos on TikTok or YouTube

Who knew that your favourite social media apps could also get you feeling prepared to start learning to drive? Many qualified driving instructors are now filming their lessons for content, which features different situations and the instructor giving instructions to the learner drivers on how to approach them.

While you can’t learn to drive simply by watching TikTok or YouTube videos, it can give you some insight and understanding before you get behind the wheel to learn.

3. Learn the car controls and how they work

If you want to do some work beforehand to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed when you first get into an instructor's car, you can start by getting familiar with a car’s controls. Learning what the gear stick, handbrake, and pedals (clutch, brake and accelerator) are used for, can make you feel more comfortable when you start to drive.

It’s important to note that depending on the car’s make and model, the handbrake and gear stick can look very different in various cars. This can include the gear stick fitted higher up onto the car's dashboard, instead of lower down next to the handbrake, or the handbrake on newer cars might be a button. So, if you know the make and model of the car you’ll be learning in, it’s good to look specifically at the set-up of that particular vehicle.

4. Get familiar with the rules of the road

You will have to learn the rules of the road when it comes to practising and passing your theory test, so you might as well get a head start on understanding the rules of the road before you begin learning.

Having an understanding of basic traffic signs, signals, road markings, hazards, and right-of-way rules will give you an advantage when it comes to beginning your lessons and learning to drive. You can use the following government-approved resources at cars: Theory test revision and practice - GOV.UK.

5. Take your theory test

If you’re keen to speed up your learning and pass your test as soon as possible, you might choose to book a course to learn more intensively. However, if you’re planning to go from ‘provisional to passed’ pretty fast, then there are a few other elements you can do beforehand to speed things along - including getting your theory test passed and under your belt.

The Official DVSA Theory Test Kit App is a great way to learn your theory and has all of the information that you will need, including plenty of practice tests and hazard perception practice videos. Once you feel prepared, you can get yourself booked in to take your theory test at Book your theory test - GOV.UK.

If these tips are applied, this should give you a head start on your driving journey and boost your confidence ahead of the New Year.

Research carried out by www.passmefast.co.uk