10 Easy Tips To Help You Pass Your Driving Test First Time
Staying calm during your driving test is easier said than done, simply because the driving test is always going to be a stressful 40 minutes. It's there precisely to test your ability and you've got to stay cool in order to drive your best.
So aside from nerves, how else is learning to drive stressful? It's stressful because of the pressure you're under. Pressure is caused when too much is squeezed into one place, so to reduce the pressure you need to create space. If you're having an intensive course then a good way to avoid pressure is to have 2 - 4 hours a week in the weeks leading up to the course once you've had the assessment and planned in your test. This means that you'll be able to practice with friends and family, and if you decide that you'll need a few more hours than originally thought it won't be too late to schedule some more in. Even once you start the course itself, if you leave yourself a day between your course and the practical test itself then you'll be able to fit in a few extra hours on the off chance that you don't quite feel ready. Here are some more helpful tips that should help you keep your stress levels under control.
• Do make sure you're ready for your test before you actually go in for it. This might seem obvious but taking the test before you're ready and failing will only damage your confidence.
• Get enough sleep before the test. Do something to take your mind off it - read or spend time with friends.
• Don't drink alcohol the night before - turning up for the test with a hangover is not going to do you any favours.
• Be healthy in the weeks before your test - exercise and eat well. This will improve your overall wellbeing and help to keep you calm.
• Avoid caffeine on the day - it'll make you jittery and more prone to making mistakes.
• Remember to breathe. Breathing is good. The examiner will not be happy if you turn purple and pass out. Breathe deeply; this will calm your nerves and help to avoid suffocation.
• Rescue remedy (just ask for it at your local chemist) has proved to be effective in the past. All you do is drop a tiny bit on the back of your tongue. It doesn't taste of much but it will defrazzle your nerves a bit.
• One of the most effective stress relievers is to just drive the car and not do the test. Imagine that you are a taxi driver who is proud of their excellent driving style and the examiner is a passenger who is going to give you directions along your journey. Every now and then they will make a mistake and ask you to pull over and park. They'll then give you further instructions. This should enable you to focus on your driving rather than the test.
• Don't be your own judge and jury - you will probably hang yourself. It is the examiners job to decide if you are competent. Too many people think that a small mistake at the start of the test has cost them their pass and drive recklessly, only to discover that the original mistake was only a minor but their subsequent careless mistakes were majors.
• Remember: if you do fail don't let it take your confidence. People often say "I'm a much better driver for failing the test first time." If you fail, go back to the instructor, have a few more lessons and try again. It's a skill you'll have for life, so try to be positive about failing a test - it means that you'll be even more knowledgeable next time you go through.
Anna Hallam writes on behalf of The Big Red L Company who provide driving lessons throughout Kent; and for their sister site, www.intensives.co.uk, who provide intensive driving courses throughout the UK. For more info visit www.bigredl.co.uk.
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