Is it Possible to Learn to drive in 10 lessons?

Hi, I own an independent driving school myself :)

BSM use a VERY high proportion of trainee driving instructors. So do lots of other driving schools who make lots of money out of selling driving instructor training courses.

Trainee driving instructors have passed only the first two of the three driving instructor qualifying exams. The exam they HAVEN'T passed is the most important one - "The Test Of Instructional Ability". So a trainee instructor may be a very good driver, but not necessarily a good teacher...the failure rate for the last exam is very high too - less that 30% of people pass it.

A trainee driving instructor is only given a licence to teach in exchage for money for 6 months, so if they don't pass their third exam in that 6 months, they have to stop teaching, which could mean you having to change instructors at short notice.

It's not only BSM who use trainees though - lots of schools do it, whether they train instructors or not. The AA don't use trainees however and neither does my own school and there are lots of others who think the same way, that learner drivers shouldn't be taught by learner istructors...

However, that's not to say that all trainees are rubbish or that all fully qualified instructors are wonderful...it's all down to the individual instructor.

Rather than go with someone who tells you what you want to hear, go with someone who is recommended if possible.

I'm not sure whether it's a BSM instructor who has told you that 10 hours is enough, or someone at the end of the phone in the BSM call centre - if it's the latter, then to be blunt, without seeing you drive, how can someone at the end of the phone make such a promise? Only an experienced driving instructor who has assesed your standard of driving will know whether 10 hours is enough to get you to the standard required for the Practical Test!

So, I'd ask firstly whether BSM are giving you a fully qualified instructor or a trainee (if you decide to go with them) and I'd ask whichever instructor/school you decide to go with for an assessment lesson so that someone who is qualified to judge, can tell you with some authority how many hours you will actually need...

Until you do that, you're in the dark!

The DSA's guidelines state; "Those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training combined with 22 hours of private practice. Learners who prepare this way, with a combination of plenty of professional training and plenty of practice, do better in the test."

So if you've had 30 hours already, you should be most of the way there...10 hours may do it...or it may not...you don't seem to rate your previous instructor much!

Get someone who knows what they're talking about to help - at your stage, I'd advise against a trainee instructor as they simply don't have the experience to assess you properly and/or rectify any faults that you may have picked up.

Good luck - tell us where you're based if you like as there's a few driving instructors post here and they may be able to help or suggest someone suitable :)

According to the DSA statistics, the average number of hours required to pass the test is 45 - plus about 22 hours of private practice. So, if you are average, what you say would be about right.

But don't forget that everyone is different - many learn more quickly, many more take much longer - sometimes hundreds of hours! It's impossible for anyone in here to say whether or not you are right without actually seeing you drive.

As for BSM, well, it depends entirely on the instructor. It doesn't matter which school you go with (independent, small or large) if the instructor is rubbish, it will take you longer.

Those who say BSM is poor, will have had a bad instructor, those who say it's great will have had a good one. It's the luck of the draw and neither BSM or the AA do their own quality assurance checks on their instructors whilst they're working - terrible isn't it! Best thing is recommendation of a particular instructor.

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Some instructors say you should have an hour of lessons for every year of your life, and at least the same again in driving practice. I guess it depends on yourself really. My dad taught me to drive when I was a teenager, but I never took my test and didn't get around to doing it until this year. This time, my husband and my best friend took it in turns to bring me out and I learned with them (and on my own - Ireland used to have a system where provisional drivers could go on the road unaccompanied) for over a year. I had five lessons with an approved instructor in the 2 weeks before my test. I passed first time. The official lessons were essential for explaining the test procedure to me and for tightening up my bad habits (esp. coasting), but it was the extensive practice that got me the test.

it would be difficult, 10 is very few these days as the tests are harder due to more cars on the road.

also don't go with BSM, they are VERY expensive and not necessary good. I know, I went with AA just for the name but the instructor turned out to be totally crap. He couldn't be bothered and just wanted the money, he even laughed when i failed.

If your in the Harrow area, try STEVES and ask for steve. He does pinner, millhill, borehamwood, stanmore etc

edit

the person below is right, i stand corrected, it's not BSM that is bad, but it depends on the instructor. But going with BSM does NOT guarantee you a good or better instructor.

yep. I had 12 I think with BSM and passed first time. I think it does help if you go out for practice runs with friends and parents just to get confidence and experience, but 10 lessons is about right.

If the instructor doesn't think you're up to doing the test after 10 then they'll say, but it sounds like to me that you know what you're doing. Good Luck.

Please do not go with BSM.

Use an independent local driving school.

A mate of my son passed after 7 lessons so was driving on passed licence 2 weeks after 17th birthday! He used an independant.

My daughter failed 3 times with BSM and lost confidence so will not drive again after 3 years of lessons with BSM!

Hiya, I am a driving instructor and can help you. From what you have said it sounds like you are almost ready for your test and if you are almost at the required standard then you should be able to do it in 10 lessons. Just one suggestion, if you are going to go with BSM, make sure when you get into the car that you are being taught by a fully qualified instructor. Some instructors are trainees and are not up to much. The instructors have their instructor licenses displayed by the tax disc. A fully qualified instructor will have a green badge and a trainee will have a pink badge. Make sure it is green! Good luck.

Absolutely. Most of driving lesson time is taking up with learning the rules of the road and gaining confidence. If you're established in those fields, passing after another ten should be doable.

If you have had 30 hrs of driving lessons, and still can`t drive, I suggest you take up walking.