Provisional
Licence
Before you
can learn to drive a car you must apply for a provisional driving licence.
Apply
online
You can
apply for your first provisional driving licence for a car using the Driver and
Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) secure and easy to use online service.
Apply in
person or by post
You can
apply for your provisional driving licence by completing the D1 application
form that is available from the DVLA form ordering service or Post Office®
branches. You will also need to enclose original documentation confirming your
identity, a passport style colour photograph and the fee of £38.00. Send your
completed application and payment to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AD or you may be able
to use the premium checking service.
DVLA
aim to deliver your driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your
application.
It might take longer if we have to check on your health or personal details.
You will need to wait for your new licence to arrive before driving. Please
allow at least three weeks for your licence to arrive before contacting DVLA.
Remember
your instructor’s only aim is to get you through the test
Your lessons
will follow a carefully structured plan, which is designed to help you learn to
drive as quickly and safely as possible. At no time will you feel out of your
depth as your 121 Driving Tuition Instructor will guide you through each step
of the learning process until you become proficient. Your lessons will be set
out in the following format: -
· Learning how to enter your car, and setting it up for you to drive
comfortably and safely.
· Finding out where the controls are, how they work and how to operate
them.
· How to start the engine correctly.
· Moving off from parked and learning to stop in a safe position.
· How to deal with junctions, roundabouts and crossroads.
· Meeting, Crossing and Overtaking other traffic.
· Pedestrian Crossings.
· Giving the correct Signals at the appropriate time.
· Reversing.
· Manoeuvres i.e. Turn in the road, Reverse Parking, Left and right
reverse round a corner.
· Good anticipation and forward thinking.
· Driving in different weather conditions.
· Driving in Darkness.
· Dual Carriageways.
· Safety check (show me tell me) requirements for the driving test
· Eco-friendly driving
We will even
teach you to fill the car with fuel
As you can
see this is a fairly comprehensive list but using good instruction techniques
and well laid out diagrams you will soon learn how to drive. Of course how long
the course takes depends on your ability to learn, your commitment and how
often you take lessons.
The Driving
Standards Agency state that on average it takes 45 hours of training with a
qualified instructor plus another 22 hours of private practice to reach test
standard. N.B. You should add another lesson for every
year of your age above 18 years
Everyone
learns at a different rate and you may well pass your test with a lot less
lessons. Your instructor will tell you when he thinks you are ready and will
give you a mock test prior to your DSA Driving test to ensure you are up to
standard.
You will be
encouraged to take your Theory test as soon as possible after you start
learning to drive. Knowing the answers will assist your driving skills and the
Hazard perception will help you to anticipate the unexpected.
Once you
have reached the required standard, you can book your DSA Practical Driving
Test and take it in the car you learnt to drive in.
THEORY TEST & HAZARD PERCEPTION
About the
Theory Test
Frequently
asked questions
Why is
there a Theory Test
The DSA
Theory Test for learner drivers in the UK was introduced in 1996, it was
designed specifically to help improve user understanding and promote better
road safety in light of rising car accidents.
Taking
your theory test
The theory
test is made up of two parts; the multiple choice part and the hazard
perception part. The multiple choice part is delivered using a touch screen
computer and mouse and the hazard perception part records your responses
through the use of a computer mouse button.
You need to pass both parts to pass the theory test. If you pass one part and
fail the other you will fail the whole test, and you will need to take both
parts again.
The questions in each multiple choice test vary according to the category of
vehicle you are hoping to obtain a licence for, ie a
motorcycle theory test will contain specific questions that do not appear in
any other test.
For the hazard perception test there are no separate versions for different
vehicles, each vehicle category takes the same test, however the pass mark is
different for different categories of tests.
Part
one - multiple choice
Before the
test starts you will be given instructions on how the test works.
You can also choose to go through a practice session of the multiple choice
questions to get used to the layout of the test. At the end of the practice
session the real test will begin.
A question and several answer options will appear onscreen and you have to
select the correct answer to the question by touching the screen or using the
mouse. Some questions may require more than one answer.
You will be asked 50 questions in 57 minutes. You can navigate between
questions and ‘flag’ questions that you want to come back to later in the
test.
The pass mark for the multiple choice part of the theory test is 43 out of
50.
After the multiple choice part you can choose to have a break of up to three
minutes before the hazard perception part starts.
Part
two – hazard perception
After the
break you will then be shown a short tutorial video clip about how the hazard
perception part works.
The hazard perception part is also delivered on a computer but you respond by
clicking a button on the mouse. You will be presented with a series of 14 video
clips which feature every day road scenes. In each clip there will be at least
one developing hazard, but one of the clips will feature two developing
hazards.
To achieve a high score you will need to respond to the developing hazard
during the early part of its development. The maximum you can score on
each hazard is five.
You will not be able to review your answers to the hazard perception test; as
on the road, you will only have one chance to respond to the developing hazard.
The pass mark for the car and motorcycle hazard perception part of the
theory test is 44 out of 75.
When you
have finished the test you may leave the examination room. Once you have left
the room, you will not be allowed to enter it again. You will then be given
your result by the test centre staff.
Learn the
Highway code, read all the questions and answers for
the Theory Test, take practice Theory tests online. Don’t leave anything to
chance!
About the
Practical Test
Frequently
asked questions
In the early
days of motoring there were few rules or regulations. The first car and driver
licences were introduced in Britain in 1903.
By the early
1930s motoring had become more popular and more affordable. However, rules and
regulations were scant and drivers received only basic instructions before
being allowed on the roads. Consequently, accidents and fatalities began to
reach worrying proportions.
The
practical driving test
The driving
test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you:
· Can drive safely
· Know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your
driving
What will
the test include?
The
test will include an eyesight test (if you fail this, your test will not
continue).
After the eyesight test you will be asked 1 show me and 1 tell me question from
the 17 question database before starting the test.
You will
then be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises. The
reversing exercises will be chosen from:
· reversing around a corner
· turning in the road
· reverse parking, either the Parallel Park or Bay Park,
You may also
be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise and/or a hill start
A standard driving test takes about 40 minutes.
What
happens during the test?
During
the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow.
Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range
of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask
you to carry out set exercises.
Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you.
If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it, it might be a less serious driving
fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an
overall safe standard of driving.
You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more
results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you
will fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger
to other road users your test will be stopped.
You are allowed to take someone with you on the test,
this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test.
Driving
test standards
All examiners are
trained to carry out the test to the same standard, they do not have pass or
fail quotas. So as long as you demonstrate the standard required you will pass
your driving test.
Weather
conditions/ mechanical problems etc
DSA
do not conduct tests in bad light or in adverse weather conditions for the
safety of the candidate and the examiner. We will arrange another appointment
at no further cost, but compensation is not payable. Candidates should call the
telephone number quoted on the appointment letter to check whether their test
will go ahead.
If the driving test is not completed for reasons attributable to you or your
vehicle, you will have to take another test at your own cost.
Frequently
asked questions
· How much is it See our lesson prices
About
Pass Plus
PASS PLUS is a training scheme
for new drivers. It's much more than just a few extra lessons. This specially
designed course by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), with the help of
insurers and the driving instruction industry, helps you
There is
no test at the end of it – your driving will be continually assessed and you must
successfully complete all the modules in the course to an achieved or exceeded
standard:
· achieved – successfully reached the standard required for each of
the competencies
· exceeded – exceeded the required standard for each of the
competencies
In
exceptional circumstances, if a module can't be done on the road it will be
covered in a theory session. The highest level you can reach is 'achieved'
as you've not been able to demonstrate the relevant practical skills.
Don’t worry
if you haven’t got a car at the moment, you may be able to defer the discount
for up to two years. Again, check with your insurance company.
If you
passed your test more than a year ago you should check that you’ll be eligible
for the discounts on offer from your insurance company before you take the
course.
121 Driving
Tuition recommend the following publications to help you prepare for the DSA
Theory and Practical Test but the lists are endless and most good bookshops
will sell a complete kit for about £10 that may include a CD-rom with all the theory test questions and even a mock
theory and hazard perception test. But if you register on the DSA site you can
take their mock test online (see the links below).
Here are
some of the publications
The Highway
Code, Online version