How many lessons does my child need before taking the practical driving test?

This is a question that I am asked quite often, the short answer is.. Everybody is different. Depending on the circumstances.

Of course there are a number of key factors which determine this. The main ones being as follows:

How much driving experience does the student have? Is it in the transmission that they will be doing the practical driving test in?

For those who want to gain their manual drivers licence. They must be confident in a manual vehicle in order to pass the test.

Are they wanting to do the test in an automatic vehicle or a manual?

Doing the practical driving test in an automatic vehicle can in some cases , not all, significantly decrease the amount of lessons required.

Does the student have access to a vehicle with the required transmission to practice in?

This significantly reduces the amount of lessons required with a driving instructor providing they are using the correct techniques etc.

Have they had driving lessons previously?

Learners Driver Training driving School Gold Coast advise that it is much easier to teach students the correct driving techniques at the start of the learning process than it is to try and change 100hrs of bad habits in an hour before the driving test. If the student is not familiar with and confident with the 7 different manoeuvres that the examiner can ask them to do during the test it can be overwhelming to try and learn all this in an hour before the test.

Where is the student located? Where are they doing the practical driving test?

Too often we have students whom live 30 mins or more way from the test centre in which they shall be sitting the practical driving test and not allowing enough time to familiarise themselves with the area that they will be tested in. If the student only has an hour test preparation it is advised not to spend 30 minutes of it driving to the required testing area. This can be avoided by doing a longer preparation or by meeting the driving instructor at the test centre that you shall be tested at. Our Driving instructors advise to ensure that the first time you are taken through unfamiliar complex driving situations to not be the day of, or during your practical driving test. Practice these in the lead up to the test. Each driving test area has their own complex driving situations.

Final Thoughts

Practical driving tests are easy if the student has done the practice. Stress and nerves play a major part on the day. Focus on the mental game rather then the practical. Everybody is different as is their situation which determines the amount of lessons required before taking the practical driving test.

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