It seems appealing to some learners to find a driving instructor who places great emphasis on teaching mainly test routes. You may feel that this will increase your chances of a first time pass on the driving test in the fewest number of lessons possible. There is great danger in this approach.
Don’t just learn on driving test routes
I can always tell when a pupil has been trained mainly on test routes.
They feel nervous when asked to drive on unfamiliar roads. This fear can go on after the test leading to people only driving on roads they know when the weather is nice. Driving is all about freedom to go wherever you want so you need the confidence that comes from experience. You need to learn on busy roads to deal with things such as emergency vehicles.
I may ask a pupil if they have covered roundabouts as we drive up to one. Their reply is often “I haven’t done this one”. The idea is that you are taught the basic rules of all roundabouts so that you can deal with any roundabout at any time. Not to simply go around one or two that happen to be on the local test route. You will have problems later on if this is how you learned.
Gain plenty of experience during your driving lessons.
Driving lessons can be extremely boring if all done in the same area. You need variety if you are to remain interested and grow as a driver. Longer lessons may be needed to go further afield but remember that you are investing in your future safety. Doing the work now will pay dividends later.
There is always a chance on the big day that you will go off a test route due to road works or high volumes of traffic. Finding yourself in unfamiliar territory can really knock your confidence and lead to mistakes.
In short, make sure you get good practice on all different types of roads. You’ll find the driving test much easier and your driving will be up to a good standard when you’re out there on your own. Go for it!
