Driving Lessons - What Happens On Your First Lesson

Before You Can Drive

On your first driving lesson you will have to produce both parts of your provisional licence, the photo card and the paper counterpart. Your instructor will ask you to read a car number plate at a distance of 20 metres which is the same as you have to read on your driving test. Your instructor will usually drive you to a quiet road where it will be safe to begin the lesson.

Controls Lesson

You will sit in the driver’s seat and the instructor will explain the ‘cockpit drill’ which covers setting the seating position, mirrors and seat belt. Now it is time to learn the controls of the car. You will learn what the controls do and how to use them when driving. First the foot pedals. Accelerator brake and clutch then hand controls. Parking brake, steering wheel, indicators and windscreen wipers. Usually it is just the main controls that are covered and as your lessons progress you will cover more controls such as lights and heating.

Moving Off And Stopping

The instructor will explain the process of moving away from the side of the road, safely and under control with due regard for other road users. You will learn how to prepare the car ready to move away using the clutch gears and accelerator. You will learn how to take correct observation and drive along the road then select a safe place to park taking correct observation and giving signals correctly. You will practice this for the remainder of the lesson and If time permits you may also cover changing from first to second gear.

How Long Will Your Lesson Last

Most lessons are for 1 hour but you should usually check as some driving schools conduct 45 or 50 minute lessons. This is not necessarily a bad thing if the instructor is professional and comes recommended but it is worth checking. Some schools recommend a 2 hour lesson which can be beneficial as you have more time to practice and move on to new subjects such as dealing with road junctions.. Some people can lose concentration after the first hour so you may find a 1 hour lesson better in the beginning until you gain more experience.

First Lesson Nerves

Most people are nervous when learning to drive, the best advice is to take time to do things step by step. Usually nerves show themselves in the control of the foot pedals and cause you to stall the car by releasing the clutch pedal too quickly or braking very harshly. The use of controls needs to be smooth and coordinated. The best thing is to listen carefully to your instructor when they talk you through the procedure. The most common fault a nervous learner suffers from is rushing to move away by bringing up the clutch pedal too fast. Try to move your left foot slowly as the car begins to move until it reaches the top. When stopping the car you have to use progressive gentle braking, squeezing the pedal as you feel the car slowing down gradually to a stop.

I will be releasing more useful articles including tutorials to help you prepare for driving lessons or help if you are learning with friends or relatives.

Free help and information about Driving Lessons in the UK from an experienced driving instructor and trainer at http://www.localdriving.co.uk

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