UK Driving School Podcast

Driving Test Routes

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:49:00 PDT

One of the most common requests I get from learner drivers preparing for the DSA practical car assessment, is can I take them on the driving test routes used by the examiners at Mill Hill, Hendon and Borehamwood centres.

As a driving instructor, it is normal practice to take a test candidate on some of the routes that the examiner might take you, but this is only after the learner driver has reached the required standard expected by the dsa, and not just to memorise the roads in a bid to having a better chance of passing the driving test. Since the DSA started publishing routes on the internet for candidates to download, I know at lot have not even bothered to check with an instructor if their driving skills are good enough to warrant a pass from the driving examiner!

There are good reasons why you might want to drive on some of the driving test routes, examples are you might not have previously had the chance of dealing with a multi-lane roundabout like Apex corner in Mill Hill that is also controlled by traffic lights, or a national speed limit (70mph) dual carriage way like the A1 on the hendon centre route or country lanes like those used in Wood Green, and you wouldn't have a chance on the magic roundabout in Swindon if you encountered it for the first time with the DSA examiner in the car. What however I find is that a lot of learners who have booked a driving test in a centre, have done so because they can get an earlier date or a late cancellation but they are not actually fully preared for the test, and just want to pratcise on the routes and do their driving manoeuvres at the same places that the dsa examiners use all in a bid to 'cheat' the system and gain that coveted hard to get pass cerificate.

Since this basically like playing a driving test game of chance, some people will get away with it, manage a pass, bragg to their friends about the method they used, but the majority of candidates will fail (because they don't have the relevant driving skills at the prerequisite standard or enough experience), and either blame the examiner for being too harsh/unfair or say lady luck was not on their side, in the meantime they have just contributed to the low pass rate on the dsa statistics records and made them some more money in the process as well.
Before you start going on driving test routes, make sure you get all the basic skills stipulated on the driver's record under your belt, including manoeuvres, especially the hardest left reverse round the corner exercise, as it is not safe and convinient to be learning this on a busy test route nor should you be mastering bay parking reference points in the busy borehamwood car park.

Once you have covered the entire dsa syllabus for the practical car assessment, and have attained a consistent level 4, making sure if there is anything that you are afraid of, or hope you will not be asked to do by the examiner, then it is a weeakness that needs to be dealt with. Once these fears have been conquered, then you are ready to tackle your local driving test centre's routes gaining the valuable experience and extra practice on any of the skills that you might not have been able to gain before now, like driving above 50mph on country A roads or dual carriageways. Remember you are about to take one of the world's hardest civilian driving tests, so give it the respect it deserves, put in the work, gain the confidence and get the nerves under check. With the right attitude, all being well and you in control, will sail through with flying colours and hearing those lovely words "that's the end of the driving test, and I'm pleased to say you have passed".

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Driving Test Brake 2 slow Gears 2 Go

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:46:00 PDT

A common driving habit that a lot of test candidates seem to have is that they use the car gears to try to slow down the vehicle instead of the brakes.
I know that many years ago this was standard practice (before the introduction of synchromesh transmission), but nowadays vehicle technogy has changed all that and the standard way of driving is use the brakes to slow down the car to the appropriate speed required for a junction, and then match the gears to go with that speed. This will also stop a lot of people from coasting as they tend to keep the clutch down because they know the car will jerk if it is too fast for the gear they are in.

A general rule of thumb is that if you are emerging at a closed junction you are going to need first gear, while moving from a major road to a minor road is usually 2nd gear (there are exceptions of course, and if you have enough driving experience will know when to do something else), so get used to braking to this speed, and then doing a block gear change. It doesn't matter what gear you are in, the gear shift should be done once (4th to 2nd, 3rd to 1st or even 5th to 1st).

On the driving test, using block gear changes shows the dsa examiner that you have acquired advanced car control skills, and is evidence that you are ready to drive unsupervised (as long as you don't commit any serious/dangerous faults).
Start today to use the brake to slow gears to go technique on your lessons whether it be with an instructor or learning to drive with family or a friend, as it will take sometime to change the old habit before test day.

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Driving Test Tip - Neutral Gear

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:15:38 PDT

This driving test tip is for those of you foreign and international licence holders who have decided to attempt the dsa practical car assessment without help from an instructor.

While I don't think that this driving tip alone will guarantee you will pass the driving test, it will be one step in the right direction.

One common driving habit that I find a lot of foreign licence holders have when driving a car is that they shift into neutral gear just as they are about to stop. This is a very unsafe habit, and it doesn't matter if you are stopping on the left, in traffic or at a junction, if you get hit from behind by another car while your car is in neutral gear, then your car will be free to roll into the junction, car in front.

So if you are a international licence holder that wants to take the UK practical car driving test, you need to start working on getting rid of this bad habit, and I can tell you, the longer you have been driving, the harder it will be to stop shifting into neutral gear as you stop your car.

You might also want to do a little more research about what the dsa examiner is looking for if you want to have a better chance of passing the driving test on your first attempt, because passing the theory element is no indication of how you are going to perform in the car, but more importantly the examiner is assessing more than your ability to move a car from A to B.

More Driving Advice
Guaranteed driving test pass, is it for real?
DSA examiners want you to fail or do they?
Don't rush the driving test.
Foreign Licence and UK driving Test advice and tip.

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Borehamwood driving test centre successes

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:03:08 PDT

In the recent weeks, I've been having a lot of pupils taking their driving test at the dsa test centre in Borehamwood due to the shorter waiting times than Mill Hill and Hendon, with many candidates being able to book a driving test appointment within 4 to 6 weeks (one on the quickest/shortest driving test waiting times in the greater London area), and some are even finding cancellations with dates of less than 2 weeks.

A few things to note about the Borehamwood driving test centre.

The centre has 2 toilets (seperate men and women facilities).
There is step free acess to the waiting room, so it is ideal for motability driving test candidates.
The centre is located in premesis shared with the DVLA, as such the car park can be very busy, so be extra vigilant if you get the bay parking exercise. In particular pedestrians walking from the multi-story overflow car park area.
The test centre routes have a lot of mini roundabouts, so if you are attempting the practical assessment here, then you need to be confident dealing with these junctions. I sat on one test with a client, I think we dealt with a least 15 of these, many of them in quick succession of each other.
Be also on the look out for the humped pedestrian crossings in the town centre.

One thing that I've experienced is that Borehamwood test centre has a high pass rate for my pupils with 4 out of the 6 that went there this year passing.
A special mention goes to Maneo who had a foreign international licence from Lethoso, took intensive driving lessons with me to get to the DSA standard, and passed there last week on the 2nd attempt. A pass was only narrowly missed the first time round because of nerves after a mistake early in the test which then escalated to missing the national speed limit on a country road, failing for driving too slow.

If you want to take your driving test in Borehamwood and need an instructor, live in the WD6 area and want some quality manual driving lessons or want a mock practical assessment, then why not give me a call on 07956233032.

July 2009 Update: More success stories in Borehamwood, with the latest candidate to pass the driving test being a client of mine from Kingsbury who had an expired European car licence taking a semi intensive crash course of 10 lesson hours to get rid of some old bad driving habits and reach the required dsa standard, passing on the 8th of the month with 5 errors on the DL25 examiner report sheet, so if you have a test booked in Borehamwood without an ADI and need some pre-test advice or refresher tuition/mock assessment test around the WD6 routes, then why not get in touch with me today.

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Petrol prices on the increase again.

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:02:05 PDT

Since last years high petrol costs due to the increased demand for crude oil, the cost of filling up at the pump has steadily been rising since january this year when it was at its lowest.

This week here in London, I can no longer find a petrol station where the cost of petrol is below £1 per litre. I'm not sure what the cause of the high prices are this time, but with the credit crunch affecting driving instructors, and many learner drivers putting off tuition, it is another dent to the profit margins of a already low paying job. The petrol increases are due to the new government duty taxes that were increased in april this year now filtering unto the consumer pumps.

I guess the ones to benefit from this are the provisional licence holders who might be able to get lower driving lesson prices.

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Driving Test Tip use of Horn

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:42:06 PDT

One of the show me tell me questions the DSA examiner might ask you before the start of the practical car driving test is to demonstrate how you would check that the car horn is working.

Tip: Did you know that your driving test will be cancelled if the vehicle's horn was not working, and you will lose your very costly test fee!

So when on the test would it be appropriate to use the car horn? The attached video clip taken from an actual driving lesson shows an example of such a situation.

It is more appropriate to have used the horn to stop the car from entering the main road, than to stop on a major highway un-necessarily and affecting other road users or try to get past the vehicle by driving on the wrong side of the road.

Other situations where you migh want to use the horn during the dsa practical car test include if you are behind a car at traffic lights and the lights change to green but the car driver is not paying attention, then a short beep is acceptable to alert them.
You could also use the horn to stop a pedestrian from walking into the road if they are not paying attention (on a mobile phone or listening to ipod/mp3 player).

More Reading
Driving test age is still 17.

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Driving Age Rumors

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:05:59 PDT

For some reason, it seems that in the UK rumors have started circulating again that the driving age is being raised to 18.

Some say that while you will still be able to apply for a provisional licence at 17, you will not be allowed to take the UK driving test until you reach the age of 18. Others say that you will no longer be able to obtain a licence and learn to drive until you reach the age of 18.

The other version of the rumor circulating suggests that if you are under the age of 18, that a new law is being passed that will require you to have taken a certain number of driving lessons with a DSA approved instructor before you will be allowed to book a driving test!

Let me put your mind to rest by saying that none of these stories are true, and that the driving age is currently 17 and is not changing in the next year or two to 18. There is no act of parliament currently in motion to effect a change in the license or driving age law and if there were, it will still take time for it to be passed into effect, and the DVLA and DSA will give enough media publicity to inform the general public, so stop worrying or spreading false information around, and if you were born after 1 Jan 1993, you don't need to worry either, as you can take the driving test once you are 17 years old.

If you are thinking of obtaining a driving licence and learning to drive, that doesn't mean that you should put it off, as there are a few things that will always change, driving test fees and the cost of driving lessons, so the earlier you get it out of the way, the easier it will be on your wallet, and the current credit crunch might be a good way of getting quality instruction at a slightly lower price, as a BSM driving instructor told me of a learner driver who was able to haggle the price he paid for tuition with the organisation.

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Intensive Driving Course is Exhausting

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:34:12 PDT

I have just finished running a week long intensive driving course in NW3 for a learner driver who had some time off work and wanted to making some progress as the weekly driving lessons had not been bearing any good results and it has been exhausting both for me as a driving instructor and the pupil.

Having to do a 3hr intensive session in the morning, take a short break, do some normal driving lessons for my regular learner drivers and then go back for another 2 or 3 hours of tuition is really hard work especially when you are introducing new topics, have to give full talk through after lesson briefings is really hard, and with the warm weather, one has to make sure that the body does not get dehydrated, so a lot of water drinking also. A driving instructor's life is not always easy money!

Not everyone will use a crash driving course to prepare for a test, as was the case of this learner driver, but they can now resume their weekly lesson schedule building up the necessary experience and practice required to pass the driving test.

If you are considering taking a 5 day, 1 week intensive driving course residential or otherwise, be prepared for some hard work, and do set your expectations right, as not everyone will be able to cope with the large amount of information being thrown at them in such a short period and don't be fooled by those guaranteed driving test pass promises made by some organisations, as you do pay a lot of money for lessons you may or may not need.

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When I pass my driving test

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:26:19 PDT

As a learner driver you would have had to deal with many aggressive and impatient drivers who can't stand the sight of an 'L' plate being displayed on the car in front of them irrespective of how good or bad it is being driven, and you would be saying when I pass my driving test I won't be like them!

While not all full British licence holders are inconsiderate of learner drivers, there are far too many of them out there making their life on the road very difficult, and the thing is every single one of these aggressive drivers were once learners themselves and they all had to endure the same abuse while preparing for their driving test.

So the question is when you get that coveted pass certificate, and your full pink license has arrived in the post from the DVLA 3 weeks after the DSA examiner posted your provisional and you are riding along in your lovely automobile, are you within a few months going to join the ranks of the many drivers out there who can't bear to see a driving school car or a private vehicle displaying 'L' plates and treat them like second citizens just because you are in a hurry to get to somewhere that might not be that important, and start to intimidate them by tailgating, overtaking dangerously, beeping your horn, etc.

What type of driver are you going to be when you pass your driving test?

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Credit Crunch & Driving Instructors

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:39:16 PDT

With the credit crunch hitting the economy hard only someone living in a dream land would believe that driving instructors are not affected as the red driving school instructor training programme sales people seems to be telling potential ADIs.

So how does one cope as a driving instructor during times of economic downturns?
Well you've got to put your business cap on, because being an ADI is not a job, but a business venture.
Personally for me, it has been a two fold effect, I've been getting a lot of calls from people looking for £15 driving lessons, which has meant fewer conversions from initial learner driver enquiries, while on the other hand I've had more people coming to me for tuition after deciding that it was too expensive learning to drive with national organisations like AA driving school, BSM, RED, etc and look for cheaper lessons from local independent instructors.

Keeping driving school afloat

Just like any other business, the first thing you do as an owner is see if you can reduce any costs, which with a driving school is not easy since most costs are either essential, or contracted, so immediate action is not possible.
You could however think about downsizing your driving school car, a little inconvinience from driving a less powerful car would see a smaller leasing fee, as well as less money being spent on petrol, especialy with the cost of fuel rising.

Other costs that could be reduced are mobile phone bills. Do you really need a contract phone with a monthly fixed cost, would a pay as you go option work, especially if you use alternative means to make calls and text messaging in the evening (landline calls could be free from home, and you could send text messages from the computer). These are business decisions that need to be made when you are suffering an economic downturn such as the current credit crunch.

Driving School Marketing

Every driving instructor must have a way of marketing their services to potential clients, and now more than ever, you need to work even harder to make sure that as many potential learner drivers as possible are aware of your driving school, the prices you charge, and why they should come to you as opposed to the instructor down the road!
Advertising is something that you should consider doing, Coca Cola the most successful drinks manufacturer continues to advertise despite it's huge success and established brand name, so you need to use this means of marketing.
You should however closely monitor all your advertising efforts and find out which one works for you. I always make sure I ask each enquirer where they got my number from. Don't just continue to advertise in the local paper, Yellow pages unless they are bearing dividends and a return on your investments.
You should also get a driving school website, and include well written marketing pages that will persuade potential clients to use your services.

Driving lesson prices

I don't think it is a good idea to offer cheap driving lessons just to get more clients. You are running a business, and you need to make a profit, so your prices must be set with that in mind.

As a business owner/driving instructor there are a few things you can do to survive the credit crunch, so don't just only hope that things will change soon, be a part, by making changes.

More Reading
My affordable cheap lessons.

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Driving Test Other Road users

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:05:52 PDT

One of the most important things you need to remember while on the UK driving test, is that your driving must not affect other road users in a negative way (causing them to slow down, change direction or put them at the risk of danger). Road users range from people (pedestrians), bicycles, motor cyclists and other motor vehices, and of these, the most vulnerable are pedestrians so you will fail the driving test it at any time your endanger them during your practical car road test (splashing them by driving through a puddle is something I continue to warn learner drivers against whenever it rains).

Maneuvers are particularly important times where you need to be very observant when it comes to other road users, and you need to have enough driving experience to have dealt with the various scenarios that you might encounter on the test. knowing when to stop or continue while on the left reverse round the corner for example is something you won't know if you've only done it 5 times before on a particular corner someone has told you is on your local driving test centres route. How many times have you had people walk behind your car while you are reversing? Would you be able to have seen them while trying not to touch the kerb, look out for other cars, keep the car slow, deal with test nerves all at the same time? You can't blame someone else (the pedestrian in this case for not waiting for you to complete the maneuver) if that action caused you to fail the driving test.

Aggressive drivers

It is a shame that there are so many inconsiderate road users out there that would show aggresive behaviour to learner drivers who are trying to gain experience and pass their driving test, however it is part of the learning process knowing how to deal with these type of people. Anyone putting in for a practical car assessment would have passed their driving theory test and should know the appropriate action to take when being followed closely by another vehicle, which is what you should be making an effort to practice during your lessons with your instructor or supervising driver.
No matter what the car behind you is doing, you should not emerge into a junction to turn right if it is not safe (even if you missed one safe gap which you might have been given a hesitation driving error for) on both sides. Don't bow to the pressure of the fact that you have been waiting for a minute, if it is not safe, it is not safe, and the examiner will not expect you to do something dangerous to please the car behind you.

If you are not sure of what to do, ask your driving instructor, if you don't have one, you could even have a quick word with a DSA examiner after a test at your centre (they wouldn't be able to teach you what to do, but can answer what they would do on a test if a candidate was waiting at a busy junction for over a minute).

Get enough driving experience under your belt with driving instructors, and don't allow not knowing how to deal with other road users fail you on the test and deny you your pass certificate and full British licence.

More reading
Driving Test Nerves

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New Driving Test fees 2009

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:02:22 PDT

I didn't post this information yesterday, just incase people thought it was an April Fool's day joke, but DSA driving test fees have gone up again.

It now costs £31.00 to take the driving theory test for cars and motorcycles and the practical car driving assessment is now £62 weekdays and £75 for weekday evenings and weekend tests.

If you are fortunate enough to have been a disqualified driver, then it will cost you £124.00 weekday or £150.00 for the priviledge of an extended saturday driving test.

Potential/Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) theory test fees will increase to £90 from 24 April 2009, while part 2 and part 3 fees will be £111.

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The New Hendon Test Centre

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:15:57 PDT

The Hendon Test Centre has now moved to its new offices in Beaufort Park, NW9.

While the new test centre has parking bays, space is limited so it can get crowded around the beginning and end of driving tests, so the DSA examiners would really appreciate if instructors did not practise there.

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Driving Licence Ban

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:45:16 PDT

Many of you currently learning to drive will be keeping a running total of the cost of driving lessons and how many attempts you've had at the practical DSA car driving test, the current economic climate also means that this money is hitting learner driver's pockets really hard, so I wonder why newly qualified drivers are not doing their best to keep thier full UK licences clean from penalty points and the resultant driving licence revocation that follows under the new drivers act.
It is not just new learner drivers that can be penalised for driving offences, as any driver prosecuted under the road traffic act could be banned or ordered to re-take a driving test by a magistrate and there is also the automatic ban you get under the totting up system if you get 12 or more penalty points on your licence (provisional or full) within a 3 year period.

The cost of any driving conviction can add up, it starts with higher insurance premiums, there could be a need for more driving lessons, especially if you are asked to take an extended driving test which is longer than the normal 40 minutes 'L' test, there could be fines to pay and finally you might need to pay for taxi or cab fares while serving your driving licence ban (I know some of you still drive while banned).

As a provisional licence holder you know that any penalty points are valid for 3 years from the date of conviction, so it is important that you abide by the law in order to avoid these going on your full British driving license, and don't get into the mind set that it won't happen to you. Every day people get penalised for one traffic offence or the other, and every month the DVLA revokes the driving licence of thousands of new drivers under the new drivers act so if you break the law you will be caught sooner than later.

Even if you are under the current driving licence age of 17, you can still get points accumulated in your name if you are convited of an offence under the road traffic act such as driving without a licence which many 15 and 16 year olds do all the time! These points will be added to your provisional licence when you are 17 and apply for one, so don't think you can get away with under aged driving.

Dealing with traffic offences

Prevention is always better than finding a cure, so rather than trying to find a solicitor who will help you avoid a driving licence ban, it is best for you to lay down your own rules that will keep you within the law.
No drink driving no matter the circumstances, you either have the drink and leave the car alone or get a friend or taxi to take you home after drinking. If you do it once and get away with it, you will do it again.
Speeding doesn't save you alot of time, and you won't always get just 3 points (SP30) for all speeding traffic offences, so gamble with the law at your own risk.
Other offences such as driving without insurance, unsupervised, not displaying 'L' plates all add up and you will be caught if you keep breaking the law!

Retaking your driving test

If you happpened to pass your driving test first time, and your licence was revoked under the new drivers act, don't think that you will be able to automatically repeat the same feat, especially if you decide not to have driving lessons. Depending on how long ago your test was, you woud have built up some very bad habits, which will not be easy to get rid of, and if you have been ordered by a magistrate to take an extended driving test you will definately not be able to put on a show for the DSA examiner.

Value your full driving licence and don't get penalised for any traffic offences.

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Driving Lessons - Extra work in between

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:01:30 PDT

No matter how many driving lessons you take a week in your preparation towards passing the UK driving test, there is always something extra that you can do between your appointments with your driving instructor or supervising driver that could give you that extra edge that could mean the difference between you passing and failing the DSA practical car assessment. One thing that I keep telling my learner driver pupils is that you can never over prepare for the driving test, but you can always be underprepared, and a lot of people who present themselves to a DSA Examiner are! They attend their appointment hoping that they don't get taken on a difficult test route, are not asked to do the parallel parking or left reverse round the corner, the end result being failure and they add to the statistics of the low 40% pass rate!

So what is the extra work that a test candidate can do in between driving lessons that will better prepare them and increase their chances of them pass the driving test and earn them that highly coveted full british licence? You will find out that some of the following advice and tips that I'm about to give will not cost you a lot in terms of money, can easily be done on a daily basis as long as your are disciplined and willing to dedicate some time to the tasks and could actually end up saving you money, be it from passing the driving test, making better progress during your lessons and thus needing fewer.

Learner Driver Journal or Diary: Not everyone will remember every single thing that they learnt during their driving lesson, and keeping a driving journal which you can fill out after your 1hr or 2hrs tuition with your ADI will give you a record of things that you learnt, tips you were given, and skills you need to work. I remember when I was in college not taking notes in class during particular subject lectures because these were hobbies of mine which I had magazines or practical experience of, some other students copied me, but where surprised when I always did better than them during tests, what they failed to realise was that I had an unfair advantage over them, because I wasn't learning the subject in class, but was just getting a reminder of the knowledge I already possessed from the magazines which I probably had read cover to cover 2 or 3 times and the practical experience I had gained from the club workshops I attended. By revising your journal notes, you will be using your driving lessons for practice, and will be more relaxed and this will produce a smooth drive which can only improve or boost your confidence.

Know your road traffic signs: As part of the driving test preparation for my learner driver pupils I take them on some country roads or dual carriageways where the National Speed Limit applies, and I'm always amazed at the number of people who either fail to recognise the NSL sign or don't know what the speed limit translates to on the specific road they are driving on! You should continue to read your highway code book in between driving lessons even if you have passed the theory test, as any of the knowledge could be tested by the test route chosen by the DSA examiner. Simple things like who to give way to at a roundabout (many test candidates under pressure give ways to vehicles on the left!), who has the right of way when turning right at traffic lights with oncoming cars, the purpose of hatched areas marked on the road! Yes you can ask your driving instructor or supervising driver, but suppose you encounter something on the test which you can't remember how to deal with because it was long ago that it happened? Reading the Highway Code on the bus or train while going to work in the morning, or returning home in the evening is much more productive than newpapers or gossip magazines and while people might know you are learning to drive, surely your pride can take a backstage if you are really serious about passing the UK driving test.

Use the internet to your advantage: If you are reading this article, then you are already doing this, but make sure you have everything covered. My driving test tips blog has a lot advise, videos and tips to help with the DSA test, but there are many other resources you there that can cover any gaps in your knowledge. The DL25 report form is a good document that you should familiarise yourself with, it explains the skills you will be tested on, and the standard expected of you by the DSA.

Learn from Driving Standards Agency resources. As the government agency that is responsible for conducting the UK driving test, they have a few books that you could also read when not taking driving lessons, and you could get tips on things that you could practise with your instructor or supervising driver during your next lesson. As has been said before the more you know about what the DSA requires of you during the practical car assessment, the better placed you are to satisfy that requirement and the little work you put into reading a £5.99 could be key to your success at the next driving test attempt.

Finally for those of you who prefer to use computer based games to prepare for the test, you might want to try the driving test simulator which is a very popular educational software for the PC that simulates the DSA test and contains additional videos to further suppliment your knowledge gained during your driving lessons. By trying one or two of these tips, I'm sure you will have the extra confidence, knowledge and skills required to get that pass certificate required to apply to the DVLA for your full UK driving licence.

For quality manual driving lessons in NW London call me on 07956233032. Please note that while I'm fully knowledgable of the Hendon and Mill Hill test routes, I don't confine learner drivers who are taking a 2hr assessment to use my car on a practical to these areas only.

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Hendon Test Centre is Moving

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:23:15 PDT

From Tuesday 24th March 2009 Hendon Driving Test centre will be moving.

The new address will be

3 Aviation Square
Beaufort Park
Hendon, London
NW9 5TZ

The new place which promises to offer improved services to both DSA staff and its clients is located just 25 yards from the old premises on Aerodrome Road

The last test at the old address will be Thursday 19th March 2009.

The test routes will remain the same, and as usual, the telephone number to use for contacting the office with be on your test appointment letter.

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Female Driving Instructor

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:12:28 PDT

I got an enquiry to my Driving School mobile phone recently, and the conversation goes something like this:

Me: Hello, how can I help you?
Caller: Do you have a Female Driving Instructor working for you?

The person making the enquiries was a lady.

Me: No, I'm an independent school, and currently work alone, are the lessons for you, and do you live around Mill Hill, NW7?
Caller: Yes, and I want to take driving lessons with a female Instructor.
Me: Sorry, but you can still have tuition with me....
Caller: Click, the phone was dead.

I know there are some women who for religious reasons have to take lessons with a female driving instructor, but apart from that, personally I don't think that a lady taking tuition with an ADI of the same sex guarantees a better service or learning experience.
If you as a woman just prefers to deal with a same sex ADI as a personal option, that is fine, but as I said in my AA Driving Lessons post, the quality of service you get depends totally on the individual teaching you to drive, and you can have a bad experience with a female driving instructor just as you could with a male counterpart no matter what organisation there are with!

DSA code of conduct

All instructors must abide by a code of conduct that has been agreed between the Driving Standards Agency and ADI representative bodies and part of it states:

"Personal Conduct.
The instructor will at all times behave in a professional manner towards clients. Clients will be treated with respect and consideration. The instructor will try to avoid physical contact with the client except in an emergency or in the normal course of greeting. Whilst reserving the right to decide against giving tuition, the instructor will not act in any way which contravenes legislation on discrimination."

As a learner driver you must be treated professional by your ADI, and note the bit about physical contact, your driving instructor should not be touching you unnecessarily, whether they are male or female, so don't tolerate this, tuition can be given with demonstrations or detailed explanations/talk through to enable you to learn any difficult skills.

You don't need to go with a female driving instructor to avoid sexual harassment (which could be a crimminal offence anyway), change to someone else, this also applies if you are not getting value for money tuition or a good service. You shouldn't be afraid to change instructors if you are not happy with you present one, loyality should be not come into it, because it is your money, neither should the fear of change, you might find it actually does wonders to your learning experience.

If you are looking for Driving Lessons in London around Mill Hill, Hendon, Kingsbury, Colindale and Burnt Oak and looking for quality, honest and reliable service conducted in a professional manner, then I would like to welcome you onboard as a pupil, but I'm not a female driving instructor despite my name, but I can give you the advice and help you need to pass the driving test, and get a full UK licence whatever gender you are.

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More Reading
Becoming a red driving school instructor.
How many driving lessons to pass the practical test?

Test Tip Bay Parking

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:33:29 PDT

If you are asked to do a bay parking exercise either to the left or right during the DSA practical car assessment, this driving test tip might save you failing.

If possible always choose a bay where you don't have cars parked next to the space that you will be reversing into.

I've seen people failing their driving test while doing the bay park maneuver either for hitting the stationary car (yes it does happen) or getting too close to the other vehicle.

There is nothing wrong with doing the exercise between 2 cars (and some might prefer this), but you must be confident that you can control the car and not end up too close to the parked cars, also you will need to be very observant because the occupants of the car could open the doors at anytime (an example would be if you are doing the bay park as the last part of your test, and someone has just failed, they might be too upset to think safety and might open the door without looking!).

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Driving Test Habits pass or fail you

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:08:12 PDT

If you want to pass the UK driving test, then you need to understand that it is your good or bad habits that you exhibit while in the car with the DSA examiner that will eventually determine whether you pass or fail the driving test.

I have mentioned this before many times in my blog, if you want to pass the driving test, you first need to know what is required of you by the DSA, attain that driving skill standard on a consistent basis (level 5 in the drivers record) without help from your instructor, then you can be confident that you are ready to book your driving test.

If you've learnt to drive or prepared for the dsa assessment without the help of a dsa approved driving instructor (ADI), then you are most likely to have picked up some bad driving habits which could fail you on the test. Over the years that I've taught learner drivers, I've seen many people who have followed this route, taken a driving test failed and then sought the help of an instructor before their next attempt. Typical bad driving habits exhibited include not taking effective observation before moving off, failure to use the handbrake when appropriate, with the car always rolling back slightly when moving off up hill. Other bad habits include putting the car into neutral gear just before the car stops when stopping either at junctions, traffic lights or even pedestrian crossings!
Many of these bad driving skills are done automatically because they haven't been corrected by the family or friends who supervised them, and because they haven't had any incidents in the run up to the driving test and they can successfully get from point A to B, they think they are ready to present themselves to the DSA examiner, but are surprised when the hear those dreaded words 'I'm sorry but you haven't passed".

Even if you are learning to drive with a driving instructor, you still need to put in the effort to build good driving habits and you must not do anything on a driving lesson that wouldn't be acceptable on the test. The number of times I've had to caution pupils for doing something on a lesson that they knew was wrong and they say "I won't do that on the test, but that car driver pressurised me into doing it"! If you don't develop a habit of dealing with situations the proper way during your lessons, you will not be able to 'put on a show' for the dsa driving examiner, especially with all those test nerves. This is one of the reasons why a lot of people fail the test, they have not had enough practice and developed those good driving skills that they can automatically apply under pressure!

The purpose of your driving lessons are two fold. You learn the required driving skill at the DSA standard, and then practice that skill until it becomes a habit! You must not take short cuts either because you want to save time on lessons or because you are finding the skill hard. If you can't automatically demonstrate a particular driving skill at the dsa standard over and over again without thinking too hard about it, you aren't ready for the test!

Remember the bad habits I mentioned at the beginning which a lot of learners especially foreign licence holders come to me with? When we start working on correcting these bad habits even with me prompting them, they still would automatically put the gear into neutral while stopping despite me saying 'keep your hands on the wheel until the car stops'. We could spend the whole lesson working on correcting this driving error, and if the instructor is not vigilant, the learner will go back to his/her old ways by the next lesson because it is a habit that has been formed over a period of months! You need to be that way with your good driving habits - always taking effective observations before moving off, using the handbrake when waiting at junctions, stopped at a traffic light or pedestrian crossings, be able to perform a reverse round the corner slowly under control while still taking effective observations and reacting properly to other road users (remembering that pedestrians are road users).

All these skills require time to become a habit, so because your instructor introduced it in the last driving lesson, and you were able to do it sucessfully without any errors doesn't mean you've mastered the skill and will be able to do always without problems, especially on the driving test. Many learner drivers think their driving instructor just wants to rip them off when her/she says you still need more practise before taking the DSA driving test, when what the ADI is trying to achieve is a level of consistency with your driving skills especially when you don't have the option of private practice with your own private car.

The current DSA driving test is of a high standard, and is going to be hard for you to pass if you don't put in the time, effort and money (yes I know that is one of the factors that makes us want to take the test sooner than later) to develop the good driving habits at the required DSA standard and there is a lot that is required of today's learner drivers by the driving examiner, so the better prepared you are, the more likely you are to be among the 40% pass rate. You will also find out that if your good driving skills are habits rather than concious efforts, test nerves will have less effect on you on the day.

Have a look at the following video which illustrates why you need to build up good driving habits during lessons.

Some people would say the DSA driving examiner was harsh if a test candidate was failed for not using that bus lane if the test was at 11am, but the information you needed was displayed, but you didn't notice it. Don't be a lazy learner driver, work on being an A class candidate and not just do the bare minimum hoping to pass!

Are you building good or bad driving habits for the test?

More Driving test advice
Nerves on test day.

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Who is teaching you to drive a car?

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:40:07 PDT

If you are currently learning to drive a car with a family member or friend, have you ever thought of asking yourself the question: Will my current teacher pass the driving test if they took it today?

I remember watching a programme on television sometime ago where I think 6 people who had full UK driving licences where asked to re-take the DSA test again as part of an experiement, the ages of the people varied, so did their sex and how long they had been driving for. One thing was common with all of them, they thought they were safe drivers because they had not been involved in an accident, and had full no claims bonus on their insurance. Only 2 out of the 6 passed the DSA test!

How are you sure that your Dad, Friend or Spouse is giving you the right tuition while you are learning to drive with them? The fact that they've never been involved in an accident doesn't mean they are very safe, more importantly it has no bearing on whether they can drive at the current DSA driving test standard, which is why I would recommend that they get a copy of the AA book supervising a learner as it lets them know how to prepare a provisional licence holder for the driving test.

Now if the person who is teaching you to drive can not pass the test, how are you the learner driver going to do the same? Obviously you will learn how to move a car from A to B, have an idea what the manuovers are, and how to carry them out to an extent, but how you can think of booking a driving test without learning to drive properly with a driving instructor beats me! Yet everyday many test candidates go to a driving test centre having only been taught to drive by a friend or family member, no wonder the current pass rate is only 40%.

Now don't get me wrong, learning to drive with a DSA approved driving instuctor is no gurantee that you will pass the driving test, but at least the ADI can pass the current test because they are aware of what the DSA requires, drive at that standard everyday (well they should be), and will not get you into unsafe driving habits.

If you are learning to drive, you should think about your teacher, whether an instructor or not, are you confident that they are giving you the right tuition and developing the right driving habits, if not, then it is time for change!

More Reading
Driving age is not changing.

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Driving Test Dont follow he leader!

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:41:45 PDT

While you are on the UK driving test, it is important that what ever you do, first of all you make sure that it is safe. You must not proceed just because the car in front of you does so, don't play driving test games of follow the leader.

I've been on driving tests where candidates have used Bus Lanes just because the car in front went into it, others have gone into roadabouts because the car besides them entered even though it was not safe, turned right at a traffic light with oncoming vehicles following the car in front.

As a potential full UK licence owner, you must convince the DSA examiner that you are a safe driver according to their standards. It doesn't matter what motorists generally do, you must abide by the road traffic act and the highway code if you want to pass the driving test.

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Guaranteed Driving Test Pass

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:04:02 PDT

If you are learning to drive a car, then you ultimately want to book a driving test, pass and get your full UK driving licence.

With the current credit crunch biting hard, I'm not surprised that many learner drivers are looking for ways of getting a guaranteed driving test pass.

The only place you will be offered a guaranteed driving test pass is on some intensive driving courses, and usually what you do get offered is a free re-test and not your money back if you don't pass your DSA driving assessment.

The reason some of these crash driving courses offer these driving test guarantees is not because they are very good schools, but that the very nature of a 5 day or 1 week residential intensive driving course you will cover a lot of material in a very short period, and most people will be able to get to test standard given the number of driving lessons you will have over the days you will be there. These cram driving sessions will be exhausting, repetitive (which is good in the short term for the driving test) and have been designed for one purpose only, getting a pass and not necessarilly being a good driver! In fact if you don't drive for a long time after getting a driving licence through this means, it is possible for you to totally forget what you learnt during the week.

Don't expect to be offered a driving test guarantee by a normal local ADI for the usual weekly lessons as passing the test is up to the individual on the day, and no matter how well your instructor has prepared you, at the end of the day it is what you do during those 40 minutes while the DSA examiner is in the car that counts, and from experience there can be some very strange behaviours exibited, with some learner drivers acting totally out of character either due to driving test nerves, some wrong advice by friends or family or even a decision by the candidate themselves to do something they haven't be taught!

You as a learner driver can offer yourself a driving test pass guarantee by doing a few things:

1. Dont book a driving test until your instructor says so and you have covered the DSA syllabus and you know that you are truely independent at performing all tasks that will be required of you by the DSA examiner.

2. Get enough driving practise before presenting yourself at the DSA test centre.

3. Familiarise yourself with the requirements of the Driving Standards Agency. The DSA Website has all the information you need to know about the driving test to guarantee a pass. The DL 25 report form for example tells you how the DSA examiner assesses your driving. The DSA Book Driving - the Essential Skills: Safe Driving for Life is another valuabe resource that will make you a safe driver (un-safe driving is always a serious error) and thus give you a better chance of passing, and the book will clear up any grey areas you might have on what is safe or not safe to do on the test.

4. Build good driving habits. 40 minutes is a long time for a learner driver test candidate, and sooner than later all those bad habits will exhibit themselves, mirror checks, using the handbrake when necessary, moving off in the wrong gear, approaching junctions to fast, going over the speed limit! Don't do anything that will fail you on the test during a driving lesson, your excuse that 'I won't do it on the test' is you being a lazy learner driver!

Your Driving test pass guarantee is yourself, and the sooner you start putting in the necessary work, the more nearer you are to your goal of getting that coveted full UK license.

Dont forget you can't book another driving test with the DSA after failing for another 10 days, so no matter the course you are on, you might have to take another trip down for the second or third attempt. Tuition and test fees might be included in the guarantee, but lodging, travel, meals and time off work are certainly not. Read the small print and don't be sucked in by the sales pitch. These courses are not cheap after all.

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AA Driving Lessons

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:32:46 PST

Recently I had a call from a potential learner driver client who told me that I had been recommended as an Instructor to him by someone who passed their practical car test when I was still giving AA Driving Lessons.

According to the caller, the person who recommended me could not speak highly enough of me, because they had been very impressed with the services I had offered them as an AA Driving instructor, the quality of learner driver tuition had been first class, I was never late for driving lessons, nor did I cancel training sessions booked which they said had been very structured, tailored to their individual ability and most importantly I had been able to record onto DVD their mock driving test and the last few AA driving lessons they had taken before the test which had been very helpful in making sure that they not only understood what they were doing wrong, but the remedy that we had used on the post mock lessons. All this according to the caller meant that the recommending person passed their driving test with flying colors (3 minors according to the caller, as I don't remember how many driving errors were committed).
All this the learner driver caller said had made them decide that they were going to use me as their instructor beginning January 2009 to achieve their new year's resolution of getting the full UK driving licence.

I checked with the caller what area of London they lived, whether they wanted manual or automatic driving lessons and informed them of the current hourly rate of tuition, checked that they were in possesion of a current and valid UK provisional licence, all of which they were happy with, and I was about to book a date in my diary for the first appointment, when they asked if AA driving Lessons were still conducted in the airconditioned Ford Focus car, to which I said yes, but that I was now an independent driving instructor, and while I no longer held a franchise with the AA organisation, I still offered all the services mentioned earlier and currently was using a Ford Fiesta as school car.

To my surprise, the caller said they would not be willing to take any tuition with me, because they specifically wanted AA Driving lessons. To cut a long story short, the person hung up the phone, and I did not secure the pupil because they were looking for lessons from a particular driving school.

Tuition with branded National Driving Schools

So the question is this, are you guranteed better quality tuition from the likes of AA Driving School, BSM, RED, LDC, Bill Plant just because they have a strong national presence and are established as a brand? The simple answer is no.
What many people don't know is that Driving Instructors are all self-employed and hold franchises from these national driving schools, are not employed, nor report to a boss at these organisations. In fact the driving instructors pay these organisations money to 'work' for them!

What this means is that the experience one gets when taking AA driving lessons for example depends solely on the instructor one gets, and has nothing to do with the brand name, which is why you see so many varied reviews of these motoring organisations. Some have good experiences, while others don't.
The only consolation you have when using a national driving school, is that you can complain, and get an instructor changed, and sometimes a token compensation for your troubles. Don't get me wrong, you will be paying a premium for taking Tuition with an organisation such as the AA driving school, BSM or RED, and usually the quality will follow, but it is never guaranteed, and you can get the same or better quality of driving tuition if you choose the right local independent ADI.

If you are one of those people who likes to stick with brand names, don't be surprised if you don't get the quality you are paying for, as you are dealing with human beings, and should request a change as soon as possible, on the other hand, you can find very good driving instructors working in your locality who will not cost you an arm and a leg, provide the service you desire, and will work their socks off to help you pass the driving test!
AA Driving Lessons are not just the only way of getting quality learner driving tuition nor does a brand guarantee you will pass or give the DSA examiner a better impression of you as a test candidate.

If you would like affordable quality manual driving lessons in North West London, then call me on 07956233032. I don't offer automatic lessons

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Overtaking on Driving test

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:10:42 PDT

Here is an important tip about overtaking during the driving test. If the opportunity arises, and it is safe to do so, you will be expectd to overtake stationary or parked vehicles, so while on your driving lessons, you need to start practising this important skill that might be called upon and needs to be demonstrated to the DSA driving examiner.

The reason many learner drivers get stuck behind buses or vehicles that stop regularly is that they fail to plan and anticipate the action of the traffic ahead of them, and therefore at the last momement are flicking on their indicators to overtake or just wait behind the obstacle while other vehciles are going by.

The Overtaking Manoeuvre

The key to mastering any driving skill is understanding the basics, and then practising the skill until you are confident in doing it by yourself (the independent stage of the driver's record), and overtaking is no different.
First you need to identify a potential overtaking situation (am I following a public transport bus, a coucil dustbin cart, approaching a narrow portion of the road with cars parked on the left?), check your interior and right hand mirror, look down the road you are driving on, and if it is safe move your car position to the right a little to give you a clearer view of the road ahead (note that a signal is not required, your car position immediately informs those behind you that there is an obstacle that you are about to overtake it), and if safe you can continue with the manoeuvre passing the obstacle while keeping a lookout especially for junctions or any other road users that might not see you coming.

Things you shouldn't do when overtaking

Don't break the speed limit.
Don't overtake on the approach to pedestrian crossings.
Don't follow the leader! You must make sure that it is safe for you to carry out the manoeuvre, causing oncoming cars to slow down for you is a big NO NO.
Don't overtake when the road markings indicate it is not safe, or you can't see clearly ahead (there is a bend in the road for example).

Overtaking on a Dual Carriageway

You must indicate everytime you change lanes to overtake a vehilcle while driving on a dual carriageway, even if you only cross the lane lines for a small distance.
You still need to obey speed limits on dual carriageways.
Take extra care when moving into the middle lane of a 3 lane dual carriageway.

I have only mentioned the basics of overtaking, you need to make sure that you practise and practice with your driving instructor until you are totally confident with the various scenarios that could occur during the driving test. Don't get into the habit of always using your indicators when overtaking, yesterday I had a new learner driver (previous test experience, but hadn't driven for a year) who indicated to overtake a vehicle close to a junction, and the car following us was confused by the signal and wasn't sure if we were turning right or following the road ahead. This confusion could have been easily avoided if my learner had positioned the car early to overtake and not use the indicators. You don't want that happening on the practical driving test with a DSA examiner in the car.

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More Tips
Overcoming driving test nerves.

Driving Examiners are out to trick you!

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:24:44 PDT

As a learner driver preparing for the the UK driving test, you've probably heard somewhere that the DSA driving examiners are not interested in passing you, that instead they would even go as far a tricking you into failing by getting you into various situations that would cause you to make a serious driving error.
First of all, let me say that as a driving instructor, most test candidates do not give the practical car assessment the due credit it deserves. The DSA test is a very high quality and demanding examination, and you should expect the examiners to follow the rules to the letter (while we know that the driving test is never 100% consistent), and the only way of having a guarantee of passing the driving test is if you aim to be an A plus student.

So do DSA driving examiners cause you to fail practical car test delibrately? The answer is no, and contrary to common belief, they do actually want you to pass, and will do their best to get you relaxed during the 40 minutes you are in the car with them. The problem is sometime the test candidates either don't know fully how the test works, or are too nervous to have noticed an instruction, or the lack of one.
Before you drive out of the test centre, the DSA driving examiner will give you a lot of information about the test, what is going to be covered in the assessment, and finally those famous words "I'd like you to follow the road ahead unless road signs indicate otherwise, if I want to turn, I'd let you know in goodtime". Those words are important, because they have just laid down a rule for you while driving, basically continue to follow the road ahead, but you must pay attention to road markings or signs, because there could be times when the examiner will not give you instructions (at a complusary right turn for example), yet you will still be expected to use MSM, with the signals being timed properly and the approach handled at the right speed! You can't complain that you didn't know which way to, and therefore didn't signal or had little time to slow the car down enough to deal with the junction safely.
Another example could be at a multi-lane roundabout which has 4 lanes on approach, you are told turn right it is the 3rd exit, if there are signs which tell you which lane to use, then the examiner is not going to advice you that both the 3rd and 4th lanes are for turning right, and that you need o be in the 3rd lane, they would expect you to follow the signs! On the other hand if there was traffic on approach to the roundabout, and all road markings where covered by cars, then the examiners will prompt you with some advice, as they don't expect you to be familiar with the area. Some large roundabouts especially on dual carriageways have traffic lights, and while the examiner will give normal instructions at the roundabout turn right 3rd exit, you need to notice the red light and not try to go because nothing is approaching from the right. If the lights are not working then you need to know that normal roundabout rules apply.

You are not a learner driver

Anyone presenting themselves to a practical car driving test at a DSA centre is not expected to be a learner driver! You might not be very experienced, but you are expected to be trained to the test standard, have had enough practical driving experience (private practice or with your driving instructor) to be able to independently deal with any situation that would arise during the test, and this is what the DSA examiner is looking for. They expect you to be able to plan your driving to deal with what is happening on the road ahead, be able to perform any of the set exercises competently and safely, and most importantly want you to have the right attitude towards driving and other road users. 40 minutes is a long enough time for you to show what your normal driving habits are, and those that have been relying on the little prompts from Instructors or supervising drivers, will now be struggling to be at ease and drive safely, and the DSA examiners are trained and experienced enough to know and pick up on this.

It is the job of the DSA examiner to make sure that the driving test is valid by covering a variety of road conditons, traffic and they are not supervising you during the 40 minutes of the assessment, and while they might throw you a life line by repeating an instruction, or advising that the current road is a National Speed Limit restriction, you should not be relying on that or indeed expect them to be linient towards you.
You don't have to make small talk with the driving examiner, if that puts you off your ability to concentrate, just let them know you prefer not to talk, and they will allow you to focus on the driving test.
Finally remember you are in charge and control of the car, if something starts to go wrong, immediately correct it, remember the faster the car approaches a junction, the faster you have to think, and the less likely you are to make a safe decision.
The driving test is your opportunity to prove to the DSA examiner that you can be trusted to be incharge of a vehicle unspervised, if you are totally prepared for it, and you go into the examination with the aim of making no mistakes because you haven't cut any corners and are dreading any situation, then you are move than likely to comeout as one of the 40% who pass!

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Driving Test - Your instructor can not make you pass!

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:14:08 PST

No matter how good or experienced your approved driving instructor is, he or she cannot make you pass the DSA pratical car driving test, that job falls squarely on your shoulders as the test candidate.

Your ADI will train you up to the standard required for the test (if you allow them to do their job, and they are not one of the few bad apples in the industry), will give you advice on what you need to work on, if you should change your test date or not, motivate and make sure you progress towards your goal of getting a full UK driving licence.

On the day of your driving test, all that training, advice, practice and motivation will be called to bear as you use the next 40 minutes or so during the assessment to convince the DSA examiner that you possess the required skills to safely be incharge of vehicle unsupervised. No matter what has happened in your driving lessons, the mistakes you might have made the previous day, or prior to arriving at the test centre, the examiner can only judge you on what you do during your time with him or her in the car. Even if you've taken a driving test with this examiner previously, they might not necessarilly remember you, and even if they have, they can't use that previous test result to judge you!

Your passing the test depends on you!

There is only one thing you need to do on the day to get that coveted test pass certificate, drive according to the required DSA standard, leaving the examiner no room to critise anything you do! Every single day roughly 40% of the candidates do that, so there is no reason why you can't do that as well, but you won't be one of them if you are relying on luck, or decide to ignore your instructor's advice, and do your own thing.
I've had many people go on the test, and for what ever reason have decided to take matters into their own hands ignoring what they've been taught, drive slowly thinking they are being safe and are surprised that they did not pass? If you are not sure why you need to drive a particular way, then why not ask you driving instructor. There is always a reason why the DSA requires things do in a certain way (pull push steering, using POM, using the handbrake at a pedestrian crossing, keeping both hands on the steering wheel), just because you don't think it is right or convinient, or because you don't do it in the country you got a foreign licence is irrelevant. If you want to pass the UK driving test and get a full British licence you have to do things the way the DSA wants them to do.

Don't be a border line driver!

For the best chance of passing the tough driving test that the DSA conducts, you need to be fully prepared, confident, and have enough experience to deal with anything you might come across while out on the test route. You need to be able to do all the maneuvers at the drop of a hat, remembering you need control of the car, while being safe and not a danger to other road users.
You need to be able to drive safely in various traffic and on different road conditions, including upto the National Speed limit of 70mph (even if you know that there are no roads that go that fast on the test route, diversions could occur due to an accident during your driving test).
Only the best preparation will do, if you know someone who touched the kerb while doing a turn in the road during their test and still passed, don't go for your test if you are still having the same problem, while driving tests should be consistent, don't expect to pass if you touch the kerb during a maneuver.

So just to summarise, listen to your driving instructors advice regarding the skills you need to pass the practical car test, and make sure you are totally prepared before expecting the DSA examiner to pass you. If you want to be among the 40% that pass, then be the best, you are no longer a learner driver, and the test is just the chance you need to ditch those 'L' plates.

Thought: Why are you still using an instructor if you don't trust their advice?

Recommended Driving test product

Focus Media's Driving Test simulator for the PC, which is a virtual test simulator based on the DSA driving test, with many videos and senarios to help build your experience required to pass.

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Learning to Drive a Car

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:37:48 PDT

Learn to Drive

There are 2 types of people that would normally be learning to drive a car and preparing for the DSA practical driving test with the hope of getting a full UK driving licence either for a manual or automatic transmission car. One is a foreign or international licence holder from a country that the UK DVLA authorities does not exchange driving documents, and the other is an absolute beginner learning to drive in Britain for the very first time. These 2 driving test candidates will need to approach their learning in different ways due to their individual circumstances.

Foreign Licence Holder learning to drive in the UK

This class of learner drivers are the most difficult to teach to drive according to the UK system because they believe they know how to drive and most of these learners will only consult a professional driving instructor after failing to pass the DSA driving test after a couple of attempts.

The reason Foreign Licence Holders find the UK driving test difficult to pass is first of all they don't know what the DSA examiner is looking for, and secondly they have built up a lot of bad driving habits which are both unsafe and are hard to get rid of without help from an ADI.

Learning to drive as a complete beginner

There are 2 routes that a learner can take here, use a driving instructor or choose to go with family or friends using your own private car. Using a DSA approved driving instructor (ADI) means that from the beginning you will be learning to drive according to the required DSA standard (if you have chosen the right person, cheap driving lessons could end up biting you in the tail), following a structured drivers record and building up good habits.

If on the other hand you decide to learn to drive with your Dad, Mum, other family, friend, fiancee, then you've got to ask yourself is the person teaching me got the right skills and knowledge to give me a safe learning environment, and actually prepare me for the DSA driving test. The person teaching you would have passed their driving test a least 3 years ago, so do they know what the current driving test entails? Will they actually remember everything they were taught while they were learning to drive? What about the bad habits that they have picked up since passing and gaining their full UK driving licence? Are you going to wait until you've failed the DSA practical driving test a couple of times before you seek the advice of a driving instructor? Obviously the choice is yours, but it is important that you know the pros and cons of each method of learning to drive a car in the UK, especially if you want to pass the driving test at your first attempt.

Here is a short video showing a pupil learning to drive a car with me in London, UK. This indidivual had previous driving lessons, took a long break, and was now ready to restart aquiring the skills necessary to pass the driving test and be a safe driver for life.

It is important when learning to drive, that you choose the right person to give you driving lessons, dont just go for a driving instructor because he is offering the cheapest tuition near where you live, because you want to make sure that you are being taught the correct and safe way of doing things, and that your teacher is giving you the best quality tuition, and not just taking you out for a drive.

Learn to drive the correct way, develop the right habits, have the safe attitude towards other road users and most importantly choose a current DSA qualified driving instructor, come to UK driving school if you are in the North West of London, call 07956233032 for affordable quality manual driving tuition.

More Reading

Learning to drive step by step
Cheap driving lessons from a fully qualified, CRB checked, DSA approved instructor.

Driving School Christmas Festive Greetings

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:44:05 PDT

Seasons greetings from the driving instructor in London, UK.

For those of you who will continue learning to drive over this holiday period, take care during your driving lessons, because the roads might not be busy with a lot of traffic but there could be other dangers that you should be aware of, in particular make sure you look out for black ice.

If you are an ADI taking a break during this not so busy time of the year for driving schools, I wish you all the best, continue to work on your driving instructor marketing efforts, so you can pick up on all those New Year resolutions from learner pupils who will be looking to pass thier test and get a full UK licence.

Download this podcast to your portable device.

Christmas and New Year Driving Advice

Artic weather driving tips

Learner Drivers are Lazy!

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:15:03 PDT

Over the few years that I have been a driving instructor, I've taught a lot of learner drivers how to drive a car safely, who have then gone on to pass the UK driving test, and my experience has led me to one conclusion, learner drivers are lazy!

If you are currently learning to drive, don't take this as a personal insult on all the effort and money you've put into your driving lessons so far, allow me to explain myself.

Many learner drivers taking lessons with an Approved Driving Instructor think that all the work to gain the required skills to safely control a car and be totally prepared for the DSA driving test has to be done in the car with the ADI, and once the hour or so of tuition is over they don't have to think about anything driving related until the next lesson (especially if they have passed the theory test). These same learners want to pass their driving test in the shortest amount of time, spend the least amount of money on driving lessons, yet won't go the extra mile to give themselves the best chance of achieving their goal, afterall they are paying a professional driving instructor to do the work for them!

Your ADI must earn his keep by providing you with a quality tuition service while in the car, but there is more that many instructors can do for their pupils in the way of advice if only the learners were willing to take it on board.
Lets start from the very first lesson a provisional licence holder takes with no previous driving experience, the controls lesson. Some people will be able to take on board everything they have learnt, while others might struggle, so I suggest to those who find things difficult to sit in a car (a friend's, family, neighbour), go over what we've covered (including finding the biting point if possible) before the next lesson, and guess what they say at the beginning of the next lesson? 'Sorry I didn't have the time' or 'I didn't remember'.
I'm not having a rant here, I'm actually trying to help you learner drivers to save money, because everytime a pupil doesn't do the extra work that I've suggested them to do, it means more money for me in driving lessons and that's fine with me!

If you are learning to drive a car, preparing for a practical driving test and reading this post, can I give you some advice:

1. Don't stop reading the highway code just because you have passed the DSA theory test, you can never have too much knowledge when preparing for an examination, and the DSA practical driving test is an exam. You can read it on the way or back from work, and a road sign or marking that you covered recently maight come up on the test, and you'll be able to smile because you know the appropriate action to take. I can safely say that the majority of learner drivers toss their theory test preparation materials and the highway code in a corner once they've passed!
2. Have a Driving Journal. Use this to make notes of things that you need to remember for the next lesson, and read it before your next session with your ADI. The best time to update your journal is after you've had your lesson, tips that your instructor might have given you will be fresh in your mind, so you can write them down before you forget.
3. You don't always need to be in a driving school car to be learning or practicing your driving skills. While being a passenger in a car, you can be testing your observation skills such as spoting gaps in traffic when emerging at a 'T' junction or roundabout. In my post about Mini Roundabouts, I suggested that those having problems spoting gaps in the traffic should stand by a roundabout and practice judging when there is a gap, I wonder how many people would be willing to do that, especially now that winter is here and it is cold. Yet many would complain that learning to drive is expensive, when you could dramatically reduce costs by doing a little extra work without your driving instructor.

These are just a few tips that could help you as a learner drive make progess in your goal to achieve a full UK driving licence, your individual instructors might have additional advice which would be suited to your particular circumstance, so ask if there is anything you could do inbetween your driving lessons.

Not all learner drivers are lazy, and if you have read this post upto this point, then you are willing to at least do something to improve your learning process, why not go that extra mile and implement some of the suggessions I've mentioned above, hopefully you will enjoy your instructor driving lessons more and be better prepared for the driving test.

I hope this post has challenged you to do something, and would be interested in hearing your comments.

Driving Tips
Dealing with mini roundabouts.

DSA Test are you and your car ready?

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:50:51 PDT

The DSA driving test is an examination (a practical one, but still an exam), so just like when you are preparing for your GCSEs or University final paper, the key to passing as a learner driver is that you know what is to be covered by the test, and are adequately prepared for it.

The current average national UK pass rate for the driving test is about 40%, and not all the people that fail did not succeed because of their inadequate driving skills, many failed before getting into the car or driving out of the test centre (the failure was not due to the bay parking exercise either).

I've seen people fail their driving test because they couldn't read a car number plate at the required distance, maybe they forgot their reading glasses or contact lenses or just didn't know that the eye test was an integral part of the driving test and where more concerned with their driving skills.

The other day I was at the DSA Hendon driving test centre, and was watching as one of the learner drivers did a bay park before going out on the rest of the practical assessment. I noticed this car that didn't have an 'L' plate displayed at the rear of the car (obviously a private car being used), as the car headed towards the exit, the brake lights when on, and the car stopped. After about 2 minutes of being stationary, the driving examiner called the accompanying driver over to the car, obviously there was a problem. In the end the driving test was terminated with the learner driver not even having done any driving. I'm not sure of the exact reason, as there might have been more than one, but not having the correct "L" plates displayed is one of them, and looking at the state of the car, the tyres might have been another contributing factor.

The same goes for the actual driving part of the test itself, are you sure you've covered the whole syllabus that the DSA examiner will be testing you on? This might seem an obvious question, but the truth is there are a lot of people who present themselves when they know that they are not up to par in one area or the other.

Personally I would advice anyone who is serious about passing the driving test to get their drivng skills assessed by a professional instructor (DSA registered ADI), just to make sure they are aware of the latest requirements that the examiner will be looking for. A family member or friend will not know of any changes that the DSA might have made since thier test especially if they aren't major ones and thus have not been covered by the national press.
Vehice safety recalls happen all the time, and while the driving standards agency will alert all driving instructors that are registered with them, not all members of the public will necesarilly be aware of these, and you don't want to turn up at a test centre to be told your vehicle can not be used because of a saftey defect, you lose your test fee and go home without a pass certificate and your dream of a full UK driving licence has to wait for another couple of weeks. Not all driving instructors are just out to take your money, there are many hard working, honest ADIs who want to pass on their knowledge and help you pass the driving test as well as make you a safe driver for life.

The best way of ensuring that you are one of the 40% that passes the DSA driving test on the next attempt is to make absolutely sure that you and the car you are presenting are full prepared and meet the requirements for the driving test, anything less, and you are playing a game of chance!

Driving is a life Skill

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:31:08 PDT

Not everyone thinks learning to drive a car is a skill that they need to acquire especially if they live in a city with very good transportation links and can get anywhere they want by public transport or if necessary by taxi.

Being able to drive a car is a life skill that once acquired could very useful in the future if not required now, and because it is easier to learn to drive when you are young, will cost you less, there is no reason why you shouldn't do it now rather than later.

Being a driving instructor, I frequently come across people who have either had a lesson on two when they were 17 yr olds, never took a driving test and much later in life now need to drive and are forced to take lessons due urgent needs to be able to drive a car. Some people even make it till their 40s and then find out that having a full UK driving licence will be paramount to thier moving to that dream house of theirs in the countryside.

The main resaon I'm writing this is that just like many of us never gave any serious thought to learning French or Spanish when we were growing up, you now find out that life would be much easier if we had acquired the skill while young and bright.

Learning to drive becomes much harder the older you get, and if you can get someone to help with the cost of driving lessons while you are bright and young, then why not take advantage of it. Christmas is round the corner, so why not ask for a gift of a couple of driving lessons instead of a game console, new mobile phone or those designer clothes you really have been hoping for. Knowing how to drive a car will last you a life time, an XBox 360 console with the latest driving game will not!

More Reading
Age for driving is not changing.

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Driving test is not over till

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:46:48 PDT

Your driving test is not over till the DSA driving examiner says so!

If you are on test, you should remember that it is not over until you have driven back to the test centre, stopped the car, and the examiner says the words 'that's the end of the test'.

You should therefore keep at your best driving skills at all times till then, I've heard of so many people who have failed their tests either within sight of the driving test centre or in the actual car park.

While you might think that it is unfair to have driven well for 35 minutes and then be failed by the DSA examiner for a serious driving error committed in the last minute of the test, they have to abide by the rules and assess every aspect of the drive up until the very end.

So if you are on a driving test, you need to stay on your best behaviour till the examiner tells you the test is over.

Mistakes on the driving test

If you commit a driving test mistake while out on your assessment to get a full UK licence, not matter how serious you might think it was (hitting the kerb, not checking a mirror or forgetting to signal), you should not give up hope and therefore driving anyhow. The examiner might not have seen it as a serious error, so don't take your driving test cap off and resign to the fact that you have failed. I've had many learner drivers who said they thought they had failed their driving test because of an error only to be told they had passed, and that the mistake was just a minor!

So whatever the case maybe, the result of your driving test will be determined by everything you do up till the point in the test centre car park and the examiner tells you the assessment is over. Untill then you have every chance of passing the driving test if you give it your best shot!

Driving Mock Theory Tests

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:56:32 PDT

If you are preparing for the DSA theory test, then you are probably looking for mock test questions to help you practice so you can pass the theory examination.

Before you start looking for mock theory test questions, it is important that you have actually studied all of the highway code and the relevant books to acquire the knowledge that will not only help you with the mock theory test, but also this information is what you will need for the practical driving test.

Many people use mock theory test question banks to prepare for the real theory test by trial and error, and memorising the answers as they go through the questions over and over again. While you will pass the mock theory test, and could even pass the DSA test, this is not a good way of preparing for the practical driving test.

As a driving instructor, I regularly see learner drivers who have passed the theory test including the hazard perception video clips, and yet they fail to recognise simple traffic signs, road markings or approach hazards without due caution.

Passing the driving test and obtaining a full UK licence is not a matter of play games of chance. Getting a licence is just the beginning of developing a life long skill, which is why those mock theory tests are there to test your preparedness and not to be used as a study tool to acquire the initial knowledge.

Mock Driving Theory Test Websites

There are quite a lot of websites out there with various mock theory tests, and a quick google search will reveal most of them. As I've mentioned earlier on, use online mock theory tests to check you've got the knowledge to pass the DSA examination, not to acquire it.

Driving Test Success Hazard Perception Test Software

Many people don't have a problem with the mock theory test questions, but where they really struggle is with the hazard perception video clips and the scoring window in which to click the mouse. I've given some detailed help on this in my hazard perception post, and I would recommend you use Focus Media Driving Test Success CD Rom to study for this portion. The Driving Test Success CD/Roms/DVDs has the highest pass rate for hazard perception candidates on the DSA theory test, and is the most popular product recommended to not only pass the HPT, but the whole theory test.

If you aren't looking for online driving mock theory test websites, then the Focus Media DVD is a good product that will help you pass the theory driving test.

dvla theory test booking

You can not book the theory test through the DVLA, as they don't administer this programme, all test booking is conducted by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) on behalf of the DVLA.
The current cost of the DSA theory test is £30.

Do you just want to pass the UK driving test?

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 04:42:39 PST

Recently someone was stopped from taking the practical UK driving test because the private car presented had faulty tyres, and it made me think if most pupils are merely interested in passing the UK driving test and nothing more!

The person was given about 5 minutes by the driving examiner to change the tyre, but the pupil's mum who took the pupil for the driving test had a bad back and thus was unable to do it, and the pupil did not have a clue, so the driving test was cancelled!

When I took the driving test in 1991, things where very easy, you only had to take a practical driving test, with an oral test at the end to check your knowledge of the highway code, no theory, hazzard perception test or 'show and tell'!

The goverment has obviously found out that a lot of newly qualified drivers in those days did not have enough knowledge to cope in the real world hence these new requirements including 'show and tell'.

The DSA does not require a pupil to know how to change a tyre or fill a tank with petrol, hence a lot of approved driving instructors (me included), do not cover these topics unless a pupil specifically requests to be taught these things.

So here is my question do you think that you as a learner should be taught these things or have you got too much on your plate already? I know that in this country breakdown services are available so once you have passed your driving test, you don't really need the knowledge, as you can call someone to do it for you, but what happens if you are driving on an isolated road, it could take 30 - 60 minutes for help to arrive, and in that time you could be vulnerable. A tyre change would take 10 minutes!

You don't need an instructor to teach you how to change a tyre, or fill a car tank with petrol, a friend or family member could do that!

Some food for thought, and action required! Let me know what you as a learner feel, or even newly qualified drivers having passed the driving test if you feel you are now ready for the real world.

Driving Test Tips Moving Off/Stopping

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:35:35 PST

What the DSA Examiner is looking for

On the UK driving test, you will be doing a lot of moving off and stopping, so its important you know what the DSA examiner is looking for, anytime you don't do what is expected, you could get a driver error, and if that error is classified as serious or dangerous, then you have blown the driving test!

Here are some driving test tips that you should bear in mind when in the car with the DSA examiner during your licence assessment that should help achieve that desired result you want, a pass!

According to the DSA DL25 report form which you get with your driving test, here is what is expected:

Moving off during the Driving Test

'You need to move off smoothly and safely on level, sloping roads and at an angle taking the correct precautionary observations.'

This applies not just to moving off from the side of the road, but also everytime to stop in traffic, at signals, a junction or roundabout during the driving test.
The POM Routine
Get the car Prepared.
You need to do is take effective Observations, and depending on the situation you will be doing either an all round vehicle check (6 point) for moving off from the side of the road or 4 point (all mirrors and road ahead) for moving off when in traffic.
Then Move Off. When you move off during the driving test, you need to make sure you do so smoothly and under control, and that your car does not affect the safety of other road users (Pedestrians, Cylclists, Motorcycles and other cars).
If you stall the car during the test, don't panic, first secure the car by puting the handbrake on, then you can either put the clutch down and restart the engine (if you stalled in first gear while going forward or reverse gear while going backwards) or put the car in neutral and restart the engine, and then continue from there. You will get a driving error for stalling on the test, but as long as you don't lose control of the car by allowing it to roll forwards or backwards you won't fail the driving test for stalling.

When moving off during the driving test, make sure you only use your indicators where necessary and using them would benefit other road users. Your indicators should not confuse.

Stopping your car during the driving test

You will either be stopping the car on the left or in the road during the driving test.

For stopping on the left, the DSA driving report form DL25 advises 'Choose a safe, convenient and legal place to stop, close to the edge of the road where you will not obstruct the road or create a hazard. You should know how and where to stop without causing a danger to other road users.'

Mirrors, Signal, Manoeuvre (MSM)
You should always use the MSM routine before stopping the car, whether it is on the side of the road, in traffic, at junctions as the DSA driving examiner want to see you stopping safely, and not being aware of what is around you when you are about to stop is not safe.

S.C.A.L.P.
I've explained SCALP in a previous article, and you must use this driving routine on your test to choose a location to stop the car on the left. Don't fail your driving test for stopping too close to a junction, blocking someone's driveway unless the examiner specifically instructs to stop there.

As you can see there is quite a lot of things to be assessed on just for moving off and stopping, which is why you need to develop a habit of driving at the DSA standard every single time you have a lesson or are out practicing you skills with someone else supervising you.

The best way of ensuring you pass the driving test is by developing the habits that the examiner is looking for.

More Driving test tips

How many driving lessons will I need to pass the driving test?

Bad Mock Driving Test

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:36:40 PST

Bad Lesson before Test Day

A mock driving test is a good way of finding out how prepared a learner driver is for the real DSA test, so it is quite common for your driving instructor to conduct a mock test in the days running up to your appointment at the driving test centre.

A mock driving test can reveal a lot to the learner driver even if it is conducted by your own ADI, as just having your instructor next to you only giving directions and not answering those little queries or prompting you about developing situations on the road can bring home the fact that you are not quite as independent with your driving skills as you thought you were during mormal driving lessons, and therefore you can not be able to tick the number 5 box on your DSA drivers record.

If you have a mock driving test with a different approved driving instructor, this could help the candidate get used to being a driver in a car with a different or strange person assessing your skills as will be the case on the day of your DSA driving test, so you have a chance of dealing with the nerves in an examination environment.

Bad Mock Driving Test

As with the real driving test, anything could happen during your mock assessment, and as a driver that claims to be at the required DSA standard, you should be able to deal with the situation safely, and under control, this is why it is important that you have had plenty and enough practice in varied conditions allowing you to have the experience and knowledge to pass the driving test.
The good thing about having a bad mock test is that it highlights any weaknesses you might have, a learning experience that you can use during the DSA driving test and the knowledge that it was not the real thing.

If necessary and there is time, you can reschedule your driving test (not usually very popular here in london with test centre waiting times between 6-8 weeks), take additional tuition to iron out any outstanding issues or just take more time to practice those multi-lane roundabouts that you had problems with on the mock test.

If you haven't scheduled a mock driving test with your instructor or a different ADI, why not get one before you appointment with the DSA driving examiner, it could help you with that all important pass on your test!

Driving Test - No Rushing

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:48:41 PDT

Driving Test Tip 1

I see this all the time with driving test candidates, I'm not sure if it is test nerves or learner drivers just want to get the whole affair over and done with, but a lot of pupils just seem to be in a rush in the days running up to the driving test, and on the day.

If you've got a driving test, it is important that you train yourself to be calm so that you are able to focus on the skills you need to demonstrate to the DSA examiner during your driving assessment. It only takes a split second to fail the driving test, how many times have you heard 'if only I had waiting a second longer or I thought I had a safe gap', if in doubt, you should ask yourself is it safe?

Driving Test Manoeuvres

This is where quite a few driving test candidates fail, and it is not because they can't do the manoeuvre, but they don't take effective observations and miss a potential danger. It is not just enough to go through the motions of turning the head and looking in the direction that you are expected to, you need to make sure your eyes are observing and allowing your head to register what you have seen. Many on a driving test have looked but failed to see a car, pedestian or other obstacle that is a hazard while doing the manoeuvre.

I know many of you might be saying it is easy for you as a driving instructor to say these things, but the truth is if you train yourself and practice what you've been taught, then you would develop the right habits required to pass the driving test. Always take effective observations during manoeuvres, if you have to stop for any reason, check all round before you move off again, if there is any possibility of the car rolling in the opposite direction of which you are travelling, use the handbrake to secure the car, find the biting point and then do your observations before moving off again.

Junctions on the driving test

Approach them at the right speed, selecting the right gear to match, if in doubt that it is safe to proceed, wait but always be attentive looking for the gap and be ready to go (this is where lots of practice comes in and gives you experience). If approaching a closed junction, then stop at the give way, check before proceeding, don't just copy the car in front that just went without looking, remember you are the one on the driving test, not them!

Practice your roundabouts over and over again, knowing how to spot gaps, which lanes to use, when to indicate coming off, and the appropriate speed required. The DSA driving test is not a walk in the park, but if you put in the right amount of work combined with the correct training, then you stand a very good chance of passing. The examiners are not expecting a perfect drive, just a high standard and safe one.

Take your time without hesistating, view your driving test as an opportunity to demonstrate to the examiner that you are ready to drive on the roads without supervision.

Driving Instructor - Fit and proper

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:04:07 PDT

ADI Criminal Checks

One of the Driving Standards Agency requirements to be an instructor is that the person must be 'fit and proper' in order for their name to be entered into the Register of Approved Driving Instructors (ADI).

Prior to 12 March 2007 anyone applying to become a driving instructor and start ADI training never had a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check done on them, relying on the applicant to disclose any convitions on their application forms. These CRB checks are now compulsary to ensure that all potential driving instructors (PDI) and existing ADIs meet the 'fit and proper' criterion.

As an existing driving instructor, I recently had my CRB check done, and the DSA are pleased to inform me that I meet the requirements, and therefore my name can remain on the register for approved driving instructors.

Is your driving instructor fit and proper?

I made a post not too long ago about illegal driving instructors, mentioning that you should check that your teacher is currently registered as an ADI with the DSA, and that their green or pink ADI number badge has their photo on it, and the expiry date has not lapsed. This is more important if you are one of those who chose your instructor because they where offering cheap driving lessons and they were the lowest priced tutor in your area. You want to make sure that your driving instructor does not have any criminal convictions which the DSA consider to be improper for an ADI especially since you would be spending time alone with a total stranger in a car for extentended periods of time, and the fact they have a car with a roof sign, dual controls does not make them legal.

The DSA are doing everything they can to ensure driving instructors are legal, and the best you learner drivers can do is to make sure you only take driving lessons with DSA ADIs who have been CRB checked, and this is easy to know, check their registration badge which they legally have to display on their windscreen/dashboard when giving you paid tuition otherwise you don't have to pay them for the driving lesson.

Practice Driving Test

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:35:44 PDT

Practice Driving Examination

A practice driving test is a good way of finding out if you are ready for your driving examination and that you have fully prepared yourself and mastered the DSA car control skills and attained the required standard.

If possible, you should arrange to have your practice driving test with someone other than your normal driving instructor, not only will this ensure your practice driving assessment is fairly unbiased, but it also gets you in the mood of driving with someone unfamiliar next to you as will happen on the day of your real driving test.

In some cases, it is not always possible to have the driving test practice with a different driving school, but even then your normal instructor can still go into a different character and thus simulate the driving test situation, you will also find out that with your instructor only giving driving directions it will soon become apparent if you are truly an independent driver, or you rely too much on your supervising driver!

If you are preparing for the UK practice driving test, you might be interested in Focus Media's Driving Test simulator for the PC.

The Practice Driving Test route

You don't necessarily have to use the actual test routes for your practice driving examination, but your tutor should make sure that whatever roads you go on, that they are as varied as possible, with both low and heavy traffic conditions, wide and narrow roads, roundabouts and high speed carriageways to give you as much exposure as possible to what you might get on the proper driving permit/licence examination.
It is no use trying to avoid traffic during your practice driving test if you might get the same conditions during your dsa test, nor should you skip any of the set parking exercises just because it is not a favorite o yours.

Finally don't get upset or discouraged if you don't 'pass' your practice driving test, it is not the real deal after all, but more importantly, it should open you eyes up to areas that you need to work on to further improve your chances of getting that driving licence on your first or next attempt. A practice driving test is good for you.

Driving Test Changes Sept 2008

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:12:05 PDT

There has been one change to the DSA UK driving test in september 2008, nothing major like raising the driving test age to 18, 21 or making the driving test harder.

On the 10th september 2008, the DSA driving test examiners started to give candidates feedback on how enviromentally friendly their driving was. The so called green initiative is supposed to help learner drivers be bit more aware of how they could save on fuel costs by adopting an ECO approach to driving.

Things like not accelerating too harshly away from a stop, planning your drive so you don't have to brake too often, wisely choosing gears etc.

Currently you can't fail the driving test for not being eco friendly, but could this be the start to introducing a green driving test? Are there any more changes that we can expect to the driving test in 2008?

More driving tips
Test Nerves.

Driving Test Tips

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:41:13 PDT

10 Driving Test Tips to help you pass the DSA practical car assessment

1. Arrive at the DSA driving test centre on time. Know your centre location, how to get there, and if possible visit a day earlier to know if there are any road works or local restrictions in place. Arriving for your appointment early will allow you to be more at ease. If you don't follow this tip and arrive more than 5 mins late for your driving test appointment, the DSA examiner will not take you out, you will lose your booking fee and not be able to get another appointment for at least the next 10 days.

2. Visit the driving examination centre and area before the day of your test (important if you are not using an approved driving instructor ADI).

3. Get a good night's rest before the day of your driving assessment a tip easily overlooked.

4. Rescue remedy or Kalms might help with your driving test nerves (seek professional advice before using medication if you are driving).

5. Use the toilet before you depart to the driving test centre (not all have facilties for learner drivers). A driving test tip I regulary give to my learner drivers.

6. During the 40 minute drive, deal with the present, don't try and predict the dsa examiner route, what set exercises you are going to get, which direction you are going to be told to go. You will pass the driving test if you successfully and safely carry out each step at a time.

7. Another driving tip is to make progress if it is safe to do so, but obey all road signs and markings, slow doesn't always mean you are being safe, and you could fail the test for driving too slow!

8. Make sure you understand any instructions you are given, if in doubt, ask for the driving examiner to repeat it.

9. Don't panic if you make a mistake, correct it and move on, dwelling on a driving error could cause a snow ball of errors, and the first one might not have failed you!

10. Make sure you are prepared before presenting yourself for the DSA driving test, you have a better chance of passing if you've taken professional training and had enough practice during your driving lessons. I've left this driving test tip till last, but it is the most important advice that you will get.

Additional driving test tips

The DSA driving test moving off and Stopping
How many driving lessons do I need before I book the driving test?
Taking the driving test in a private car.
DSA use of car horn on the test.
Top ten dsa driving test errors.
Nerves during practical car test

Driving Lessons Kingsbury

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:57:41 PDT

Driving School Kingsbury NW9

Are you looking for a North West London driving instructor to give you cheap lessons in the Kingsbury area? Have you had a driving test in the nearby Mill Hill DSA centre failed and need some remedial quality tuition from an approved driving instructor (ADI) that covers NW9, London?

I'm an Ex AA driving school fully qualified ADI that can offer you affordable cheap driving lessons in Kingsbury NW9, London. All my driving lessons are conducted on a one to one basis following the full structure DSA drivers step by step guide, and you get a full one hour of driving tuition in a well maintained and fully insured Kingsbury driving school car.

Kingsbury Driving Lessons Now

My car has the option of video recording your tuition so you can watch your lesson in the comfort of your home, reviewing mistakes, noting the remedial action to correct as well as re-inforcing any positive driving skills.
If you would like affordable driving lessons and live in Kingsbury London, then give our driving instructor a call on 07956233032.
Note: I only offer manual driving lessons and don't have an automatic car

Driving School Websites

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:28:28 PDT

Driving School Marketing

If you own a driving school, and do not have a website, then you are missing out on one of the best driving school marketing strategies available to you as a driving instructor who wants to sustain a good supply of learner drivers and continue to earn and make money.

If you are a newly qualified approved driving instructor (ADI), a PDI still going through the instructor training process or an existing teacher want to boost their earning then you might know about some of the following driving school marketing strategies.

1. Use a roof sign with your name and number on it.
2. Have you car sign written with your business details to make it stand out.
3. Park your car near a college or supermarket and hand out your cards to passersby.
4. Tell friends, family and colleagues at clubs, church, etc about your business.
5. Offer incentives to present pupils to recommend friends to you.
6. Advertise in local papers.
7. Do leaflet drops in areas that you want pupils from.
8. Get yourself a driving school website.

There are many other marketing strategies you could use to promote your driving instructor business, but the last one I mentioned above is the most effective if done right, and I'll tell you why.

Every single one of the marketing methods above apart from number 8 may not be readily available when a potential client needs your services, and are not the first point of call most of your potential clients will use (think 17 -35 year olds). Believe it or not, the place most of these people would first of all look for information about a driving school or instructor will be the internet, and with google having over 60% share of search engine traffic, that is the mostly search engine to be used by your potential learner driver customers. So actually one of the best driving school marketing strategies would be to make sure that when someone is looking for driving lessons in Kilburn, that your name is one of the options that pops up as available for them. You don't have a chance of attracting their business if don't have a driving school website in the first place!

The other thing about a potential learner driver going on the internet to search is that they are willing or a close to parting with their money, so there is a greater chance of a conversion as opposed to you giving your card to someone coming out of a supermarket who you have no idea if they want driving lessons or not.

The key difference is that with a properly setup driving school website for driving instructor marketing, the customers come to you, they are looking for what you offer and there is a higher probability that you will be able to convert an enquiry into a sale.

In a later article I'm going to show you how easy and affordable it is to get an internet driving school website or online presence and the steps to take to make sure that your website shows up in search results.

Choosing a Driving Instructor

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:10:36 PDT

What is the most important thing you look for when choosing a driving instructor? Almost 90% of the people who call me asking about driving lessons make their decisions based on the hourly tuition price!

Choosing a driving instructor just because they can provide you with cheap driving lessons is not necessarily the wisest move you can make if you are learning to drive a car. What is the quality of tuition that you are going to get from the driving instructor? Is the person actually a qualified current DSA ADI? Just because the driving school car has a roof sign and there are instructor pedals on the passenger side doesn't mean they are operating a legal learner driver teaching business.

What is the atitude of the instructor you are choosing going to be towards their pupils? Are they going to be shouting at you during a driving lesson when you have difficulties understanding a principle or driving skill? Will they hold you back from making progress in order to recoup the money they lost discounting your hourly driving lesson price?

You must know what the average price is that is being charged by driving instructors in your area, and when choosing the one that is going to be preparing your for your driving test you must remember if it is too good to be true, then it probably is.

Focus Media's Driving Test simulator A driving test simulator based on the DSA exam.

Choose your driving instructor wisely, dont just go for cheap tuition.

Passed Driving Test?

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:42:19 PDT

Have you recently passed your UK driving test and was wondering what to do next, or thought it is finally over, and I don't have any more driving learning to do.

Well first of all, you are still a learner driver, and while you don't have to display those 'L Plates' on your car while driving (green P plates are optional), there is still a lot of learning to do if you want to remain safe and stay alive. You also need to know that because of the new driver's act, you are on probation for 2 years, and if you get 6 points on your driving licence, you will have to take the driving test again!

Passed Driving Test Knowledge Acquired

If you've passed the driving test, then you should have all the knowledge you need to be a responsible car owner/driver, and therefore you have no excuse for any offences you commit, or failure to carry out some required actions.

You know that you need to be insured to drive a car, that the car must be taxed, road worthy, must display legal number plates, speed limits must be obeyed just like on the driving test, and that road signs and markings are there for a reason.

Two of the most common things that happen to new drivers is they get points on their new driving licence for breaking the law (knowingly or not), and they get parking fines for illegal parking of their car on the council streets. As if learning to drive was not hard and expensive enough, there are financial penalties that follow these things. Your cost of insurance will go up more if as someone who has just passed their test you get points on your licence (you know to inform the insurance company of these points, right?), and each time you get a parking ticket it is going to cost you money to pay the penalty charge notice (PCN).

Basically what I'm saying is that the learning process still continues, and it takes time to gain experience as a new driver, there will be the first time of renewing your car insurance, your first MOT for your car, getting your car road tax, your first visit to the motor dealer or garage to get your car serviced, you 1st drive on the 70MPH multi-lane motorway.

Don't wait until you have to do these things before you learn (or remind yourself of what is required), it is no fun suffering your first breakdown only to find that you haven't got breakdown cover, or don't know what number to call.

What about if you are involved in a car accident, do you know what to do?

I'd like to congratulate you on passing the driving test, but this is just the beginning, you need to know how to recognise parking restrictions, understand a few basic mechanical things about your car, as well as gain more practical driving experience as a new driver. All the best with your driving career, stay safe, and remember it is better to be late, than to be the late.

Hendon Driving School

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:57:11 PDT

Hendon Driving Instructor

Are you thinking of learning to drive in Hendon, looking for a fully qualified, friendly and patient Hendon ADI, want the best quality driving tuition in the NW4 area of London, then UK driving school is the right place for your driving lessons.

As an independent non franchised driving instructor based in nearby Mill Hill, I'm just a short drive from Hendon, and can offer you affordable driving lessons that follow the full DSA structured step by step driver's lessons record, with all tuition conducted on an indivdual basis in a air conditioned ford fiesta driving school car that is easy to drive, well maintained and less than 2 years old, so you will not have fear a car breakdown during your Hendon driving school tuition.

In the Hendon driving school car is a video recording system that allows me to optionally record your driving lessons for free and then transfer it on to DVD (which you provide) so you can watch/review your tuition in the comfort of your home, thus speeding up the learning process. This is a service that no other Hendon, NW4, based instructor can provide and in addition to my driving instructor blog is the best value for money service that I provide to all my learner driver pupils.

So if you want one of the best not just cheap manual driving lessons in Hendon then do feel free to contact me on 07956233032, I'm also able to take you for a driving test in nearby Mill Hill or Hendon DSA examination centres subject to a 2 hour assessment to check your current skills and standard, my diary availability.

Focus Media's Driving Test simulator A DSA based driving test simulator.

For the best Hendon based driving school, NW4 London go with this UK ADI driving instructor today!

Book Driving Test - ADI Number not required

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:17:32 PDT

Driving Instructor ADI number

Further to my illegal driving instructors post, if you are trying to book a practical driving or theory test on the DSA website or over the phone, you might be asked for your instructors ADI number and might not have it, you can still go ahead and book the test by leaving the field blank.

If you ask your ADI their number for this purpose, and are not given, or the number you are given is not recognised by the DSA test booking system, this does not point to the fact that something might be fishy wih your driving instructor. The ADI number requirement on the DSA driving test system is just a measure to stop your ADI from being double booked on a practical test, and for it to work the ADI has to first register their details with booking system. Not all ADI's do this, as some prefer to manually keep track of their tests and other lessons, and just because a driving instructor does not have a test booked at a particular time does not mean that they will be free to take you for your appointment, so it is important if you want to use your instructors car for your driving test, that confirm your intentions with them first of all so they can let you know of any dates they possibly can not make.

If you are suspicious of if your driving instructor is operating legally or not, then contact the DSA in the first instance on 02920 581155 or the police via your local station number.

A refusal of ADI number to book a test, or the number not being recognised by the DSA testing system is no reasons for suspicion. Your ADI should however be displaying their ADI green badge on the dashboard/windscreen while giving paid tuition and should produce it when asked to prove that they are entitled to charge money for giving tuition by anyone who requests.

Protect yourself, don't just take cheap driving lessons from anyone, make sure your driving instructor is legal check the ADI numberbadge and their current status.

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Illegal Driving Instructors

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:47:30 PDT

There are a few illegal driving instructors operating in the UK, some offering very cheap driving lessons that learner drivers cannot resist in the current credit crunch economy of ours. You should however know that using an illegal driving instructor is dangerous, and you could be prosecuted for aiding a crimminal offence! Yes it is a criminal offence in the UK to take money or monetary reward (including fuel costs) from someone for teaching them to drive if you are not a qualified driving instructor who has their name on the DSA's register of driving instructors.

This video from a legal approved driving instructor (ADI) gives you the information required to know if your driving instructor is legal or not.

Some of the dangers involved with taking driving tuition from someone not on the DSA's register of ADIs appart from the fact that it is illegal are:

You could be driving with someone who has a criminal conviction (The DSA is currently CRB checking all its driving instructors).
You could be driving without insurance (a criminal offence in itself).
You could be receiving sub standard and out of date training.
You could be prosecuted for aiding/abetting a criminal offence.

So if someone is offering £15 cheap driving lessons in London, leeds, bradford or anywhere for that matter, you'd better check they are operating legally before taking up such an offer, as the good deal might get you in trouble.

Be safe, pay a little more and don't go with illegal driving instructors choose and ADI.

Driving Test How many first time pass

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:14:40 PDT

How many people pass driving test first time?

This question about the driving test pass rate and those that achieve success on their first attempt is a very common question that is in the mind of every UK learner driver.

The answer is very simple, you will pass the driving test on the first attempt if you are fully prepared and demonstrate to the dsa examiner during the drive that you are a safe, and possess the necessary skills to be allowed to drive a car unsupervised in the UK.

Many people who have attempted the driving test and failed either blame the DSA examiner for being too harsh or say they failed because of driving test quotas! The truth is unless you give an examiner the excuse for failing you, they can not fail you. If your driving skills are just about at bordeline test standard, then you aren't leaving yourself room for error. You need to know what the examiners expect on the driving test, be able to do it every time you are asked to do it, then you will pass first time. It does not matter whether you are male or female, boy or girl or what driving test centre you use, if you can perform any of the set exercises properly and at the DSA standard, can tick all the boxes on the drivers record with a 5, and have had enough practice on various roads at various times of the day, then you will pass the test first time.

Whether you agree with the DSA or not, the key to passing the driving test is give the examiner what they are looking for, and they will not fail you. But I berely touched the kerb while doing the turn in the road, and I know of someone who touched the kerb during their test and passed! The instruction you were given was 'turn the car round to face the opposite direction using forward and reverse gears without touching the kerb', if you did that safely, under control, then you can't be faulted. If you "touched" the kerb, you have created a point of doubt. Your "touched the kerb" could be a "hit the kerb" as far as the DSA examniner is concerned. I'm not defending the examiner, all I'm saying is don't give the examiner any excuse! If they want a turn in the road, give them a perfect turn in the road according to their standard!

There are people who pass the driving test with no driving faults at all, zero minors, a perfect drive. The only way you can do that is by practice, practise and practise, until you can do it if woken up in the middle of the night.

The DSA examiners are not perfect, they are humans, and thus they could make a mistake, but if you are fully prepared for the test, know exactly what is required, and have had enough practice, then there is no reason why you shouldn't pass the driving test first time or on your next attempt.

If you were taught to drive by someone who is not a driving instructor, or you hold a foreign licence and are serious about pass the driving test at the first attempt, I suggest you get your driving assessed by a current approved driving instructor (ADI) to confirm that your driving is at the current DSA standard!

More Reading
Guaranteed pass driving test intensive courses.

Driving School Privacy Policy

adi@privatehomesales.co.uk (The Driving Instructor - Shola Ogunlokun) — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:10:48 PDT

UK Driving School

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