Why you will need a driving licence?
Being mobile is something you need to get used to. In the modern world, you will need to be everywhere. Either you or someone else will have to drive a car to get to most destination. You could suffer public transport, which is still also the same case of somebody having to drive if you have to but it’s not much fun. At some stage you really need to get a driving licence.
Just imagine a world without cars. Everyone would be lost in the wilderness without them. We can’t think of not driving anymore, it is part of our daily routine.
It’s extremely beneficial if you know how to drive. We have already made another article about why you should learn to drive, which you can read here. Now, we will focus on the progress of actually learning how to drive. So if you are struggling with your practising or simply have no clue where to start, use these tips to make the journey to your driving licence more fluent.
Get access to a car
Yes, let’s start with the very first thing you need to have if you want to drive. It’s obvious but worth saying.
Cars are expensive and I would recommend that you shouldn’t buy a car if you don’t have your driver’s licence yet. First the licence, then you can think about buying your own car.
Ask your family or your friends if they are willing to lend you their car for practicing purposes. You want to start practicing for your driving test and you need something to practice in. It would therefore be a good idea to choose a car that is not extremely expensive or of substantial value to somebody. Small crashes or dangerous situations can’t be ruled out.
It would also make sense to start with a rather small car. It’s simply easier to handle, especially if you have to do reverse parking or exercises similar to that.
Understand the laws of your country
Before entering a car as a driver, make sure that what you are doing is legal. The answer of this question varies between countries.
In the UK everyone who is at least 21 years old and has got a driver’s licence for more than three years can be your instructor as long as you have a provisional driving licence. You can apply online for one of these HERE.
In Germany it has to be a teacher from a driving school and a car from a driving school as well unless you achieve your licence. Understand that there may be a difference based on where you learn.
Also be sure of having your insurance right. You don’t want to end up having to pay thousands and thousands of pounds because you or maybe someone else made one wrong move in some traffic. It’s simply the best for your financial existence and your health.
It’s the best option to insurance anyway, but there are also countries where it is illegal to drive without any insurance. If you have no clue about applying insurances, inform yourself by asking your family and friends, or go directly to the insurances, compare the offers and measure out what the best choice for you might be.
Think logically
This seems quite obvious but many fail at this. Don’t let your tension influence your ability of thinking of the most logical answer.
I’ve sometimes found myself searching for reasons why illogical answers could be the right ones, especially in my theoretical learning phase. There is just no point in doing that. Get an overview of all of the answers, be intently, think of the one which makes sense and you have it.
This is something you should think of every time. If you have got the logical answer, you have got the answer. That is what traffic is about.
Prepare yourself for every hour of practice
Overs days or weeks there will probably be gaps between your practicing hours. Don’t let your skills fade away within those gaps. At the end of the day, you don’t want to learn the same exercises over and over again every time. It would just decelerate your progress.
You can easily prevent this by thinking about what you have learned. Take time to think about exercises and imagine situations and how you would act. You can do this almost everywhere and it is indeed effective in keeping yourself fit for driving.
If you are on your way to somewhere, no matter if by bus, as a co-driver or on foot, keep your eyes open and watch the traffic. If you are attentive, you will recognise many situations that will also meet you while you are practicing.
You will definitely realise that many drivers do not drive how they supposed to, and how they learned it for their driver test as well. This is the perfect place for you to do exercises in your mind. If you are aware of the mistakes that are being made in the traffic that means that you also are aware of how to do it right.
These hints will help you to be prepared for every hour of practice.
Listen to your instructor
This topic is probably the most individual one.
Not everyone is lucky with his or her instructor. There are different ways to teach somebody how to drive. Some will make you feel like a diligent beginner who is learning very good and fast by praising you for everything you are doing right. You would therefore think that your progress is going well.
But some won’t mention anything that you are doing right or what you’ve learned. This kind of instructor will just keep on telling you what your mistakes are. This can indeed be frustrating since you not really feel that the time you are spending in the car is effective. But here is the thing – you definitely won’t forget any mistake that you have made. You will hate to feel like a bungler and therefore prevent having to feel like one.
If this is the case, use this certain feeling to push you forward. Your instructor doesn’t have to tell you what you did right, you will recognise it yourself. It’s more important to focus on the exercises and situations which you’re not so good at.
It doesn’t matter how much your instructor is making you feel like an incompetent idiot by the ‘smallest’ mistake, I mean you know that you aren’t. This is making it easier for you to remember what your mistake was and how to do it better next time.
All advice your instructor gives you is important for your driving test and also after the test. All he wants is that you are able to pass the driving test and achieve your driving licence. Just listen to him.
Focus
After you have already done a couple of hours practicing, you might find yourself not being as focused as you were when you started.
You might find yourself having plenty of other things in your mind which causes that you start doing the driving part secondarily. This is not only dangerous for you and other road users, it’s also wasted time that could have been used to improve your driving skills. At least when you caused a dangerous situation or you tie up traffic, you will recognise that you were daydreaming.
You have to get used to being constantly focused while driving. Besides all the signs, lanes and roads you have to pay attention to, don’t forget that you’re not the only one who is on the road. You will have to interact with other road users. Driving simply requires your attention, so keep being focused.
Don’t let your tension obstruct you
My instructor always says that being nervous is no problem at all. A certain level of tension can better your performance unless you let your tension block you from thinking forward.
A bit of tension will help you to remember things like turning off the indicators after the curve, distinctly paying attention to all of the mirrors or signs, and only using the first gear while starting the car. I’m speaking from my own experience when I say that it definitely helped me to be more attentive during my driving test.
Remember yourself from time to time that you should keep calm. Tension should not obstruct you from being as good as you are under usual circumstances.
It’s easier than you think
Don’t overthink too much. There is no point in making yourself mad about a test that your mum, your dad, your teacher, your aunt, and your sister have passed.
Keep calm. Just remind yourself that you are prepared, and that you will most likely not have to do something that you haven’t learned before.
Summary
The best way to deal with your learning phase is to be attentive, drive thoughtful and keep calm. Be confident about the skills you’ve obtained. If you have a plan of how you are going to deal with your learning phase, follow it, and you can make the journey to your driving licence more fluent.
Make sure that you keep the simple things in mind. Staying focused, attention, good preparation and listening to your instructor are the key things that will help you to pass the drivers test and achieve your driving licence.
Good luck!