Is Learning to Drive Hard?
Many of the UK’s towns and cities weren’t designed to accommodate the over 38 million registered cars. With few parking spaces and narrow roads, traffic congestion is inevitable.
Learning to drive on some of our UK roads can be a challenge, particularly in busy areas that are congested with impatient drivers. It is of course all about taking enough driving lessons to reach, or ideally exceed the standard required to pass the tough UK driving test. So yes, learning to drive in the UK can be hard.
Is Learning to Drive Hard for Everyone?
Most learners find it difficult with some exceptions. A small percentage find it incredibly easy and at the other end of the scale, some learners will require significantly more lessons than average.
But the good news, is that for the vast majority of learners, as you progress through your lessons, it does get easier. Plus the driving test, though tough, isn’t as difficult as the extremely high standard required in some European countries.
Is it Possible to Make Learning to Drive 'Less Hard'?
Yes, it is possible to make learning to drive an easier process. Here’s some tips for making learning to drive an easier, less stressful process.
Lose the Anxiety
We all suffer from stress and anxiety from time-to-time, but if we don’t control it, it holds us back. You need to remember that all learner drivers progress at different rates and all learners make mistakes – lots of them. If you’re a bit slow at picking something up, don’t worry about it – your instructor is used to this and expects it. Just keep at it.
Equally, making mistakes is perfectly normal. Many learners make the same mistakes over and over. Again, your instructor is used to this, so just keep at it.
Choosing the Right Driving Instructor For You
If possible, avoid simply choosing the first driving instructor or the cheapest that you find. Do a little research and consider meeting them before making a decision.
As driving instructors, we almost always find that learners who enjoy their lessons progress at a much faster rate. So, choosing the right driving instructor for you is important. It’s not just about their pass rates.
Ask around for recommendations and locate a driving instructor that you feel at ease with. You’ll find driving lessons far easier if you chat with your instructor (doesn’t have to be about driving) and have the odd laugh.
Take Consistent Driving Lessons
We understand that a busy lifestyle can get in the way of driving lessons, but as instructors we see learners that take lessons here and there without any real consistency find learning to drive much harder.
Taking consistent lessons of at least one each week will keep what you’ve learnt fresh in your mind, so you’ll not have to spend as much time recapping what you learnt before.
Private Driving Lessons
Not all learners are lucky enough to have the option of private driving lessons. If you can take lessons with friends or family members, be sure to take up the offer as the more experience you get, the easier your driving lessons become.
However, be sure to only cover what you have already learnt with your driving instructor. We often find that learners who’ve been taught incorrectly causes more work as week need to undo what was previously taught.
Consider Learning Automatic
Automatic cars were once slow and tedious to drive and having an automatic licence was considered a little embarrassing. However, automatics have come a long way and are now becoming more popular than ever.
Many new cars come with the option of an automatic model and almost all performance cars are now auto only. Besides, as we make the change from internal combustion engine cars over to electric or hydrogen, the only option will be automatic anyway.
All new vehicles sold must be electric or hydrogen by 2035, so there’s going to be a lot of change well before that date. Learning to drive in an automatic means there’s no clutch or gears to learn – much easier!
Not Everyone Learns to Drive Quickly
In fact, most don’t. According the the DVSA‘s statistics, the average learner driver requires 45 hours of professional tuition along with 22 hours of private tuition. That’s 67 hours in total – if you’re an average learner driver.
It then stands to reason that many learners require more lessons than that. If you’re finding learning to drive hard and are heading towards 100 hours of driving lessons, then don’t worry. Many learners require this amount, or even more.