You can start learning to drive at 17.

You can apply online, click on Useful Links and follow link to DVLA. Or complete driving licence application form D1 and photo card application form D750 (available from most post offices).

You can book online, click on Useful Links and follow link to DSA. You will need your driver number (from your provisional licence) and a credit/debit card to pay.

Yes, I would recommend you have a few lessons prior to applying for the theory test. The practical driving experience will help make more sense and I can assist in your study for the exam.

Anyone who is at least 21 years old and have held a full EC motor car licence for at least 3 years can supervise your private practice. It is illegal for anyone else other than a registered driving instructor to charge money for teaching you to drive.

You will be ready for the test when you show that you have reached the standards set in The Official Driving Test. Learners who pass first time do so because they are well instructed and get plenty of practice. They pass because they wait until they are ready. As your instructor I have the knowledge and experience to advise you when this is. It is my responsibility to ensure that you are capable and safe to drive alone, without supervision. If you book your test without my prior approval, I may not allow you the use of the school car. I do not like having to refuse, but the safety of you, the examiner and other road users is my primary responsibility. Most people fail their driving test, so are you really ready? The pass rate for the practical car test is 43%, and for first time candidates it's even lower. The reason for such a low success rate is because candidates are not properly prepared. You must be able to drive consistently well, with confidence and without help or guidance from your instructor. If you can't then you are not ready for your test. If the examiner has to intervene then you will have failed the test. Those who pass have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training, combined with 25 hours of private practice. Candidates who combine professional instruction with private practice are also more successful on the test. Remember that it's practice that makes perfect, it's perfect that will pass the test.

Statistics show that new drivers are more likely to have an accident in the first two years of passing their test than at any other time in their driving career. In the first year of driving, one driver in five is involved in an accident. This is mainly down to a lack of driving experience, and this is where Pass Plus comes in. Very often serious accidents occur when one driver make a dangerous error and the other road users have not been paying attention, and have been caught by total surprise. An accident may well be someone elses fault, but you can still be the person that is hurt. If you had been driving defensively, with a margin for error, it may have been a near miss, or a less severe accident. Pass Plus is a training course specifically aimed at new drivers, designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) with the help of insurers and the driving instruction industry. Pass Plus will build upon your existing skills and knowledge, it will teach you how to anticipate, plan for and deal with all kinds of hazards, and can help you to become more confident on the roads. A Pass Plus certificate may also qualify you for cheaper insurance. Pass Plus is made up of six practical modules which include; driving in town, driving in all weathers, driving on rural roads, driving at night, driving on dual carriageways, driving on motorways. Anyone who holds a full UK licence is eligible to take part in the scheme. You will not have to take a test at the end of the course but you will be continually assessed. You must successfully complete all the modules in the course to an achieved or exceeded standard.

Call me for a chat or send me an e-mail, advice is without obligation and free of charge!