Learning to drive is rites of passage for many young adults living in the UK. The romantic notion that driving represents freedom and independence isn't quite as accurate today as it once might have been. The journey from learner driver to fully qualified driver can be long, hard work and financial quite costly. It also means conforming to many laws and legal requirements. Firstly all unqualified drivers wishing to drive a car on a public road must:
have reached their 17th birthday (16 if receiving the highest rate of mobility allowance)
have applied for and been given a provisional driving licence.
have a valid car insurance policy
be accompanied by a fully qualified driver who is over 21 years old and has held a full driving licence for a minimum of three years.
display the right type of L-plates ( D-plates in Wales) on the rear and front of the car they are driving
drive cars that are legally roadworthy, have road tax and have a current MOT certificate.
not drive on motorways.
To obtain a provisional driving license you need to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) using a D1 form. You can do this online or by filling in the D1 form, which can be obtained from a Post Office. Applying for your provisional driving licence will cost you £50.00.
Driving in a manner which will keep the driver and other road users safe demands concentration and mental effort. If you suffer from or develop a serious illness such as epilepsy or a visual disability which effects both eyes (not long/short sightedness or colour blindness) then you legally obliged to tell the DVLA.
Before any learner drivers takes to the road it is important they have an full eye check-up. Driving with defective vision is hazardous. If you fail to read a number plate from 20 metres then you will fail the practical driving test.
The driving test is split into two parts - the practical driving test and the theory driving test.
The theory driving test has two sections. The first is an exam which lasts 57 minutes and consists of 50 multi-choice questions (taken from a selection over over 1000 questions). These questions are based on the Highway code and other road safety matters. To take the exam you use a touch screen computer. Before the exam begins full instructions will be given. A key point to remember is that you have the ability to go back and forth through the questions reviewing and amending as needs be.
After the multi-choice test has been completed you will be allowed a three minute break. Once finished the the hazard perception test will begin. To start the test a short video tutorial showing how to take the test will play. Once finished the actual exam will begin. This consists of 14 video clips that show every day road traffic situations. As the action unfolds one or two hazards will develop Thirteen of the videos will show one hazard and one will show two. You must identify these hazards by clicking on the mouse.
In order to pass you must score at least 44 out of 75. The driving theory test costs £30. In order to pass you must pass both elements.
The practical driving test also consists of two parts. The first, the show me, tell me test aims to test the learner driver on basic car maintenance and safety. The questions and the answers to this test are freely and widely available. Once the Show Me, Tell Me test has finished the driving part of the practical test begins. During the practical test you will be expected to drive for about 40. You will be required to correctly perform two of the three reversing manoeuvres, either parallel parking, reversing into a side road or bay parking. You may also be required to perform an emergency stop.
The test costs £56.50 on a week day and £67 on a weekend.
Richard Jenkins is owner of the driving test and UK driving schools website. A site for learner drivers providing guides on topics such as the driving theory test and cheap young drivers car insurance .