Passing My Driving Test: Reflections & Tips for New Drivers
I recently passed my driving test! “Finally,” I’ve heard from many older people around me — not always the most reassuring response. “Congrats”, many of my University classmates greeted me on Thursday.
This experience inspired me to share insights and tips for new learners and my thoughts on improving the testing system.
The COVID Impact
Let’s address the elephant in the room: COVID-19 significantly impacted learner drivers. With cancelled lessons and tests creating a massive backlog (something my examiner and I discussed during my test), the situation became increasingly challenging for new drivers.
The Booking System Challenge
The current test booking system faces serious issues. Companies and driving instructors book slots en masse, creating artificial scarcity and price inflation. While the DVLA is reportedly working to address this, it remains a significant hurdle for learners.
Tips for New Drivers:
- Start When You’re Ready
As someone who struggles with anxiety, I learned that timing is crucial. Don’t let others pressure you into learning before you’re ready. Wait until you have both the motivation and the financial means — with lessons now costing around £40 each, it’s a significant economic and emotional investment.
2. Finding the Right Instructor
For anxious drivers like myself, finding the right instructor is pivotal. The best instructors excel at explaining concepts clearly, maintaining patience throughout, and adapting to your learning pace. This relationship can make or break your learning experience.
3. Open Communication
Be transparent with your instructor about factors affecting your learning—work stress, studies, or personal matters. While you don’t need to share everything, helping them understand your circumstances allows them to support your learning journey better.
4. Managing Test Anxiety
Remember: a driving test is a marked lesson. With the UK pass rate at 40%, it’s perfectly normal to need multiple attempts. Developing stress management strategies specifically for driving can be a game-changer in handling test anxiety.
Looking to the Future
I believe it’s time to modernise the driving test system. Perhaps we could develop software that assesses drivers throughout their learning journey, potentially eliminating the need for a traditional test day. While this might seem progressive, a coursework-based assessment could reduce learners' time, stress, and costs.
This approach might seem radical, but as we continue to embrace technology in education and assessment, why shouldn’t driver testing evolve, too?
