UK Driving School Podcast

In this article, I want to go over some of the simple mistakes that learners commit while taking the driving test on dual carriageways. 1. Failing to make progress: Dual Carriageways are meant to be fast roads, so if conditions allow it, you need to make progess, not necessarily driving at the speed limit but keeping the traffic moving at a good pace. For example doing 30mph on a 40mph dual carriageway is too slow! By the time you are ready to take the test, you should have been on a 70mph dual carriageway if you have them in your area and might get them with a DSA examiner. 2. Lane Discipline: This is one of the most common driving faults. You need to make sure that you do not veer out of your lane while on a dual carriageway, especially on bends in the road. Your driving lessons should be spent gaining enough experience on various dual carriageeways at different tmes of the day, so you know how to deal with bpth fast and large vehicles being close to you. 3. Changing Lanes Safely: If for any reason you need to move out of your lane, you MUST make use of the MSM Routine, in particular your indicators must have given enough notice to other road users of your intentions. It is NOT acceptable for you to signal and then move a second afterwards, nor should your car start to move out of lane before the mirror checks and signal is put on. 4. Forward Planning: As a learner you will be expected to be in the left lane, but unfortunately, this means you will have to deal with Buses stopping, large vehicles parked improperly, and other cars moving out when it is not safe and slow moving vehicles that YOU HAVE TO overtake. Practice looking far down the road ahead, this will allow you to notice potential dangers which you might be able to avoid if you change lanes early. If you can see the danger, then change lanes (the examiner will know exactly why as there are more experienced drivers), it is never too early. It does take a lot of practice being able to safely deal with dual carriageways, so make sure you ready for the driving test, and do not try your luck when you can't safely turn right on a 70mph dual carriageway. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

By the time you are ready to take the driving test, as a candidate, you should know when to make use of the vehicle's handbrake. For those of you who are not sure, the purpose of a car's handbrake is to secure it in a stationary position after you have stopped and will not be moving for sometime (at traffic lights or a busy junction). You should also apply the handbrake after stopping uphill to make it easier to move off safely if you are having problems finding the biting point (balancing the brake and clutch together) thus prevent you rolling backwards. You do not need to apply the handbrake every single time you stop in traffic especially if you will be moving again shortly, and the same applies at junctions. You definately do not want to be applying the handbrake before the car has come to a stop, and you should not develop the habit of taking your hand off the steering wheel as you break to a stop in anticipation of using the handbrake. It is also advisable to use the handbrake if you obey a STOP sign, as then there is no doubt about whether the vehicle came to a complete stop or not. Another time to use the handbrake is while performing driving test maneuvers so you can keep control of the car while changing gears or taking effective observations. As a driver it is your responsibility to be safe, so ask your instructor questions if not sure, and practice whatever you are weak at (hill starts, reversing round the corner, dual carriageways) so you have a better chance of success. If you need more driving test tips then follow UKADI on Facebook or Twitter, the links are on the top right of this page. Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

The most common reason candidates fail the UK driving test is junctions, it is therefore paramount that you understand what the DSA examiner is looking for when you are being assessed for a full driving licence. Junctions are dangerous places because you are meeting other vehicles or road users and therefore as a test candidate the examiner will be expecting you to exercise caution to make sure that you are always safe at these places. Having been on hundreds of driving tests with learners, I can assure you that 90% of failures have NOT be caused by UNDUE HESITATION, but either INEFFECTIVE OBSERVATIONS or APPROACHNG TOO FAST and thus making a wrong judgement decision. Driving Test Candidates are Inexperienced! Every driving examiner knows that you are an experienced provisional licence holder and thus they will NEVER expect you to be able to deal with a junction as quickly as the cars in front of you, so do not try and copy other road users, make decisions based on if you think it is safe or not. Open or Closed Junction? If the junction is open and you can see it will be safe to join, approach at a safe steady speed and negotiate it. If on the other hand it is a closed junction, then you should be approaching with the intention of stopping, and only proceeding once you have assessed the traffic and decided it is safe to continue. If in doubt DO NOT go! For you to be given a SERIOUS fault of undue hesitation, it has to be blatantly obvious that it is safe to go (NOT just because the car behind you honked)! Being able to deal safely with junctions does take time, so get good practise in, especially on big roundabouts or complex junctions, but always remember if you don't think it is safe, maybe it is not. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

You might not believe this, but a good driving instructor will after a few lessons know your driving abilities better than you know yourself and will be able to advice you on the best driving test centre to book your test at, what time would be best suited for your abilities if you are a nervous driver and what you need to practise more on to have a better chance of passing at your next attempt. I say all this because further to my pevious article on listening to instructor advice, I today had another case of a candidate failing their driving test because they prefered 'trying their luck' with the DSA Examiner taking the test a few weeks earlier during rush hour! This person was always a bit nervous driving, and despite my warning that it can be more pressurised dealing with other road users on their way to work, failed due to a serious fault of not giving way to other road users while emerging to turn right at a junction. While it might be true that some driving instructors will want to make as much money from you by getting you to take more training sessions, I am not one of them, otherwise why would I be offering free driving test tips, but more importantly, I have enough work coming in from my good reputation as a reliable, honest and very good instructor that I don't need to play dirty tricks. I love what I do, and want to help as many people as possible hence my blog. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

It is very important that you choose the right driving instructor, because you need to be able to trust the advice you are given especially as you get closer to the day of your DSA driving test. Having over the last 10 years helped thousands of provisional licence holders gain a full UK licence, one thing that I do know is that those that listen to my advice pass much quicker and in less attempts than those that either ignore it or do as they please. A lot of the advice I give especially as the test gets closer is not get more driving lessons, but little tips like thoroughly reading the highway code, watching roundabout videos and sometimes changing the booked driving test appointment time to increase the chances of passing. There have been times when I have adviced some candidates to have more training sessions either because they have a particular weakness or have fallen behind the original planned schedule we had originally agreed on, but I only do this if necessary. I tell all my learner drivers to ask questions especially if they do not agree with what I tell them or they think it is stupid or silly. My job is to get you confident in your driving safe as well as get you to the DSA examiners standard, so I will not shout at your or ignore any question, as it is better to ask a STUPID question and be put right, than to ASSUME you know that answer and fail the test! It is for this very reason that I am not one of the cheapest driving instructors in the area. I offer good quality affordable training that will give you the best chance of passing within the shortest period. Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

If you have lost your Theory Test Certificate, you can still book a driving test online without having to spend long minutes on the phone to the DSA to find out your pass certificate number. The DSA in conjuction with the DVLA have launched a new 24hr online service that allows anyone who has passed the UK theory driving test and lost their paper certificate to find out the number which is required to book a practical driving test. You will need the following information to retrieve your pass certificate number. Provisional Driving Licence NumberDate of BirthAddress Go to the DSA Website Now to get your lost pass certificte number. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

One of the ways you can know that you are ready for the driving test is to be able to deal with closed junctions safely. Learner drivers are usually too aware of vehicles behind them, that they do not deal with what is in front of them. The examiner is always interested in seeing you drive safely, and in the case of a closed junction, it would unwise if you approach too fast when it is obvious that you can not see what is on the main road you will be emerging into. The driving instructor video below gives you valuable advice on how to deal safely with closed junctions the way a DSA examiner would expect you to. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

You might have learnt all the test maneovers and are no longer stalling the car, but does that mean you are ready for the DSA UK driving test? This driving instructor video asks you a few questions about junctions which is the most common serious driver error DSA examiners fail candidates on. A lot of very good drivers fail because they are not familiar with the DSA test parameters or the way they are expected to deal with situations. I keep recommending the highway code (available from amazon on the left) to people preparing for the test, spending a few minutes each day going through this £2 book could save you a lot of money when it comes to passing. Are you ready to pass the UK driving test? If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

If you have passed the driving test and are fortunate enough to have a car to exercise your new found freedom, familiarise yourself with the show me tell questions and make sure you know how to refuel your car at a petrol with the correct grade for the vehicle engine. Misfuelling could be a very expensive mistake to make. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032. Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe by email to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your Inbox. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

If you have booked a driving test at Borehamwood, then you might have to drive through some of the narrow country lane roads to Shenley and Radlett where the national speed limit sign is posted, and might be wondering do I have to go that fast on these roads (the video below shows how narrow some parts can be, and include lots of corners or double bends). You should always remember that safety should be your number one priority during the practical car driving test, and while you might have cars behind you, you do not have the experience or local knowledge to deal with these roads at high speeds so do make progress, but remain in control. Personally, I don't advice any of my pupils to go faster than 40mph on any part of the route shown in this video, and in my 10 years of using Borehamwood test centre, none of my pupils have failed on this section for not making progress. Get as much practice as you can on these and similar roads to increase your confidence and help you be in a better position to pass the driving test in either your automatic or manual car. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

All road users should drive safely in order to avoid road traffic collisions like the one shown in this video. Most test candidates fail their tests at junctions for ineffective obsrvations, incorrect use of speed, amongst other reasons. It is not a small responsibility to be in-charge of a ton of metal, sometimes you need to be able to deal with other people's mistakes as well. Make sure you get enough experience before taking the driving test, and even if you pass, there is still a lot to learn. Pass plus for example should be considered if you have had less than 40hrs of professional tuition. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

You will pass the driving test one day if you do not give up, so when you finally do and have forgotten about all the hard times you had (including the multiple test failures), are driving your very own car do not cut up or intimidate other learner drivers. Spare a few seconds and be patient! If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. More Reading Overtaking DSA Driving Test Should I Become a Driving Instructor? How To Deal With Big Roundabouts.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

A 17 year old provisional licence holder last week found out the hard way that dad was not a very good driving instructor, not only did they end up on a motorway, but he also discovered that he was not insured to drive his dad's car either! The learner driver had taken about 4 driving lessons with a qualified instructor (not me), after which dad decided he can now take over and bring him up to test standard, they had a car suitable to use which dad and mum were insured on, so obviously there would be no problem supervising junior in it. On the day in question dad wanted to give junior some dual carriageway practice so they went on the A1 from apex corner in North London, and headed north towards Stevenage. For some reason dad did not notice the signs advicing that the 70mph dual carriageway was turning into the A1M at the junction with the M25. Having travelled some miles on the motorway, they got stopped by a traffic policing unit. While checking the driver's details, it turned out that dad had not included junior on the insurance policy because he thought this was only required once junior passed the driving test and wanted to drive the car alone unsupervised! The police are now reporting junior to the CPS for driving without insurance as well as being on a motorway when not qualified to do so! The poor 17 year old could now face a ban, but will at least get 6 points on his licence because both he and dad had not read up on the highway code and failed to obey the law. The funny thing is that the dad is not at fault in the eyes of the law, as it is the responsibility of the driver to be insured and obey the road traffic act, not the supervising driver. Video A1 dual carriageway becomes A1M The highway code only costs £1.50, and if both of the parties involved in this story had read it completely, they might not have made this expensive mistake. So what should you do if you accidentally find yourself on a motorway during a driving lesson with a family member or friend? DO NOT stop on the hard shoulder, continue towards the nearest exit or motorway service station, call the emergency services who will arrange to get you escorted off. Note: that under the road traffic act, it is not an offence to display 'L' plates on the motorway (I do not recommend you do), the offence is driving on a motorway with a provisional licence, and this includes those with a full automatic licence driving a manual transmission car. UK Highway Code If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

The DSA recently mounted a special operation to clamp down on illegal driving instructors operating in the South London area of Sutton. Police officers from Sutton’s Safer Transport Team were on mobile patrol in 2 marked APNR vehicles, operating across the borough. During the 3 hour operation, they stopped more than 50 driving school cars and other vehicles displaying ‘L’ plates. The officers were backed by 2 fraud investigators from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). A quote from the officer incharge of the operation said: “We want to send out a message that driving instructors and drivers showing ‘L’ plates must ensure they are driving legally in London. Law-abiding qualified instructors have to pay annual fees to operate and are being cheated by drivers acting as instructors and receiving payments illegally often offering very cheap driving lesson.” The DSA’s head of fraud and integrity, Andy Rice, said: “Operations of this nature are a vital part of our attempts to halt illegal instruction. The vast majority of instructors meet the extremely high standards we expect of them, but in the rare cases where individuals are found to be giving paid tuition without the necessary skills and qualifications, we work with the police to bring these offenders to justice.” The morning’s operation resulted in a 37-year-old driver using a driving school sign written vehicle being arrested on suspicion of operating as an instructor, despite having failed the last qualifying ADI exam 3 times. The driver received a caution under the Road Traffic Act for receiving payment for not being an approved driving instructor. He is also being processed for having no insurance and his vehicle was seized. 5 other driver instructors using driving school liveried vehicles are being sent warning letters from the DSA for failing to display their green badges while given paid tuition. !function(d, s, id) { var js, pjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "http://player-services.video-loader.com/embed-code/index/find?placementVersionId=51214887133224853740009"; pjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, pjs); }(document, 'script', 'gv_script_51214887133224853740009'); If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified and DSA approvedinstructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032. Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

As a driver preparing for the DSA UK driving test, it is your responsibility to make sure you are fully aware of the rules and regulations governing bus stops and bus lanes as defined in the highway code. Bus Lanes are dedicated for the use of Public transport vehicles during specific times which are clearly displayed on the Blue signs erected as you approach them. You as a test candidate would know that you are not allowed in these lanes during the times indicated, however outside the posted times you will be expected by the DSA driving examiner to drive in the bus lane. On the other hand, you can drive over bus stops, queue in traffic, and there is no reason to avoid bus stops while on the driving test unless overcourse a bus is stopped/parked in it. The main restriction on bus stops is that you are not allowed to park your vehicle or stop/wait in them. !function(d, s, id) { var js, pjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "http://player-services.video-loader.com/embed-code/index/find?placementVersionId=51214887133224853740009"; pjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, pjs); }(document, 'script', 'gv_script_51214887133224853740009'); As a driving instructor I have seen many learner drivers try to avoid going over bus stops, in some cases causing oncoming vehicles to slow down or change direction (serious fault). The video below shows another instance where avoiding a bus stop could put a learner in the wrong lane to deal safely with a junction. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email. The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page.Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk