The Caledonian LDT Road Map to passing your driving test:
• Get legal. Once you’ve turned 17, get your Provisional Licence online, or by asking for a D1 form at your local Post Office. Send it to the DVLA with your payment, proof of ID and a recent photo of yourself.
• Do it. Complete the Contact Form, and Caledonian will contact you to arrange your first lesson. We’re all fully qualified (only fully qualified Instructors are allowed to display the green badge in their car), and brilliant at what we do.
• Set a goal. Make a plan with your Instructor and decide on how many hours a week you’ll be able to commit to. Set a target for when you’d like to be up to test standard. Goals are important to keep yourself focused, and to help you monitor your progress through the training syllabus.
• Study. The Theory Test is 50 multiple choice questions on topics such as road signs, road safety, and the Highway Code. There are 14 Hazard Perception video clips, which you will watch, identifying hazards as they develop. The quicker you react to a hazard, the higher you score. Caledonian supplies free access to Theory Test Pro to all its learner drivers (click on the yellow box above), helping you to save money and get the best preparation possible.
• Learn to drive. The DSA (the government agency responsible for testing) has found that the average number of lessons taken with an Instructor prior to passing the Practical Test is 47, plus another 20 hours of private practice.
• Supplement your learning. Attend Caledonian Classroom Sessions and take advantage of an off-road setting to discuss and debate key points regarding driver behaviour and pressures.
• Pass your test. The Practical Test changes in December 2017. You’ll be required to drive for twenty minutes independently, possibly following directions from a sat-nav. You’ll be asked to complete a manoeuvre, and answer a couple of questions.
• Get better. Congratulations on passing your driving test. What’s next? Take some advanced driving tuition and learn the techniques that separate the experts from the crowd. To improve your driving beyond the minimum accepted standard, Caledonian Advance is a great place to start; or you can speak to us about joining one of the advanced driving organisations that run their own advanced tests