The driving test can be one of the most worrying things a person can do, because passing will have a life-changing effect. The majority of people fail for the same sort of reasons, and fortunately they’re not impossible to overcome.
Lack of proper preparation
Some pupils are tempted to rush into the test, only to be knocked back by failing. The key to passing is to make sure you are well prepared and take enough lessons with a BADDIA professional instructor, backed up by practice with a relative or friend.
According to the Driving Standards Agency, those who pass their test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training plus 22 hours of private practice. Research shows the importance of professional tuition: the L-test success rate for those who don’t use instructors is 15 per cent worse than the UK average.
It’s also important to choose a good instructor. Ask for recommendations from friends or relatives who have learned to drive, and when booking lessons, ask if your instructor will be fully qualified. Look out for a green badge in the windscreen of the driving school car. A pink badge means the instructor has not passed an exam on their ability to instruct. Look on the BADDIA website for Driving Schools in Bedford.
Nerves
Nerves are a big issue for many learners on test day. Some resort to superstition to try and stay calm. Some have been known to wear lucky pants, socks and T-shirts, or even bring calming aromatherapy oils and a lucky champagne cork.
The best advice for mastering your nerves is far more worldly than that. Harking back to the previous point, preparation is everything – luck has very little to do with it. Arrive at your test well prepared and confidence should follow.
Observation/use of mirrors
Observation is a key issue that needs to be mastered when pulling away, as well as at junctions, including roundabouts, emerging at a T-junction or crossing the path of oncoming cars. Some candidates find themselves rushing or feel pressured by vehicles behind them. This can mean they fail to make effective observations and exercise good judgement.
Ineffective observation, or not checking mirrors, is a sure route to a fail. The examiner will check to see that you not only look at your mirrors at the appropriate times, but also that you react safely and act on the information the mirror provides.
Poor control of the car (including indicators)
Failing to turn off an indicator or confusing other drivers or pedestrians with misleading signals are often preludes to a fail, as is incorrect positioning on the road. This includes failure to use the correct lane at a roundabout or to obey road markings and stay in your lane on a dual carriageway.
Passing also means avoiding cutting corners or crossing the middle line when turning right. Not surprisingly, safe and accurate steering is also a must. Steering too early or too late has taken many candidates on a nasty turn towards failure.
The other big issue is speed. Some people think they’ll impress the examiner with their ‘safety’ by driving slowly – but if it’s too slow they’ll fail. And, of course, breaking the speed limit brings about the same result!
Manoeuvres
Reversing around a corner is one of the driving test manoeuvres most likely to trip up candidates. Poor observation or accuracy, or a lack of good control, are the main problems. Reverse parking is another bugbear for the ill-prepared.
Effective observation is again crucial to getting this right, while many candidates come unstuck in terms of accuracy and control of the vehicle, or by moving too fast. Hitting the curb is the usual result, and a test fail could follow.
So, to find a suitable Driving Instructor in Bedford, visit http://www.baddia.co.uk/index.php
Taken from an article By Mark Nichol
Researchers say a ban on newly qualified young drivers from driving at night would reduce accidents. Photograph: Rex Features