Everyone is different, and the answer to this question depends on factors such as
your age, your previous driving experience, your ability to learn and retain new
skills and knowledge, as well as the opportunity for private practice.
The volume of traffic using UK roads has increased dramatically in recent years.
The core objective of the Driving Standards Agency (the government body responsible
for the testing of new drivers) is to ensure that new drivers are fully prepared
for these difficult and busy road conditions, and therefore reduce the incidence
of road accidents, injuries and deaths.
As a result, the standard of driving required
for the current Driving test is (quite rightly) higher than ever before.
For a ballpark estimate of lessons required in relation to age, click here. Official DSA advice in relation to the number of lessons and amount of private practice that successful test candidates have taken can be found here.
At Graham May School of Motoring, our aim is not only to teach you to pass the Driving Test, but to teach you how to be a safe driver for life. Rest assured, however, that we will always strive to achieve this in as short a time as is safely possible (and therefore as cheaply as possible). By use of our Online Learning Zone (included in the cost of your lessons), you can shorten the time further through private study.
“By Graham May’s use of the most up to date instructional techniques,
adapted to your individual strengths, weaknesses and learning style,
and the completion of your Personal Logbook after every lesson, you will
be pleasantly surprised how quickly your skills will develop. Private study
via our Online Learning Zone can shorten the learning process further still.”
You may take longer to learn to drive if you only have 1 hour a week. There may be too much time between lessons for you to remember what you have previously learnt, and you may end up having to go over previous topics. It makes sense that the more often you are out on lessons, the quicker you will become independent and therefore be ready for the test, so consider two lessons a week if you can afford it.
If your concentration levels allow it, a two hour lesson is another good way to save
money in the longer term. If you consider it may take you ten minutes to recap your
previous lesson and ‘settle in’, ten minutes to discuss a new topic and get to where
it is to be practised, and ten minutes to get home and fill out your Logbook at the
end, you may only be left with approximately 30 minutes out of a single one hour
lesson for actually practising the new topic. This may not be enough time to allow
you to become proficient in the new topic, meaning you will have to revisit it the
next lesson. With a two hour lesson, you would have approximately 90 minutes for
the new topic practice (as you’re cutting out driving and recap time), hopefully
allowing you enough time to become confident and proficient enough in it without
the need to revisit it next lesson. There may even be enough time to move on to the
next topic.
Please note that 1½ or 2 hour lessons may be required in any case as your lessons
progress depending on your distance from the relevant teaching areas and the Lanark
Test Centre. If required, however, we can start and finish our lessons at an agreed
meeting point in Lanark / your work / school / wherever suits you!
“A 2 hour lesson is an excellent way to allow you time to recap on what
you have previously learned as well as acquiring new skills,
all within one session, and save yourself money in the long run.”
