How to help your son or daughter learn to drive

Everyone’s child is different. Some show no interest at all in learning to drive. But others are desperate to do so, and want to get started as soon as they turn 17.

But what is involved in learning to drive in 2022? What do they have to do . . . . and how much will it all cost?

In this article we look at the four main things you need to know about helping your son or daughter learn to drive:

• How to get a provisional driving licence§
• How to arrange driving lessons
• The theory test
• The driving test

How to get a provisional driving licence

A provisional driving licence is needed before your son or daughter can start learning to drive. The licence will only become valid on your child’s 17th birthday, but you can apply for it up to two months before this date. 

Be aware that it is a condition of the licence that your son or daughter must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away. 

You can apply for a provisional licence from the DVLA online or by post using a D1 form from the Post Office. Online applications cost £34 and postal applications £43. 

If applying online, be sure to apply directly to the DVLA. There are various 3rd party websites around that will offer to handle the application process but the cost for a licence with these websites is usually several times more than the provisional licence itself.

For the application process your son or daughter will need:

• an identity document such as a passport;
• the address(es) where they have lived for the last 3 years;
• their National Insurance number if they know it.

Once the application has been sent, the licence should arrive within one week, although there have been much publicised delays at the DVLA recently so be prepared for it to take a little longer.

When your son or daughter passes their driving test, their provisional licence will be replaced with a full driving licence for free.

Driving lessons

Take a deep breath! Once your son or daughter has their provisional licence, the next stage in the process is driving lessons. And you need to decide whether to pay for them to have driving lessons, or teach them yourself.

The main advantage of professional driving lessons is that the instructors are experienced and will be able to teach your child not only good driving methods but up to date intelligence about the driving test, particularly in terms of what the examiner will be looking for.

However, professional lessons can be very expensive. But it may be worth paying for a few lessons to help get your son or daughter get on the right track, and then continue with driving sessions with you. 

A word of warning . . . . teaching your child to drive can be very nerve-racking! But try starting on a quiet area of land, for example a little-used car park. This can enable both of you to gain a bit of confidence before heading out onto the open road. 

It is a legal requirement for you to clearly display L-plates on the car when the learner is driving. Your son or daughter could get up to six penalty points on their licence if they do not do this. And be aware that the maximum speed that a car displaying L-plates can drive is 45mph.

L-plates can be purchased in car stores and online retailers such as Amazon. As well as the traditional plates there are also various newer designs available that are easier to fix and display, such as Insight. 

Theory test

Before they can take their driving test, your son or daughter needs to take a theory test. This can be taken any time from when they have a provisional licence. It can be booked online on the Gov UK website. 

The theory test costs £23, and to book the test they will need their:

• UK driving licence number;
• email address;
• credit or debit card.

The theory test has two sections: multiple choice questions and hazard perception. The multiple choice section is marked out of 50, and they need 43 to pass. The hazard perception section is marked out of 75 and they need 44 to pass. There are practice tests available on the Gov UK website.

Your son or daughter will be given the result of their test at the test centre immediately after taking it. If they pass, they will be given a letter with a pass certificate number, which they will need when they book and take their driving test. This is valid for 2 years. If they do not pass their driving test within that time, they will need to pass the theory test again.

Once the theory test has been passed, the next hurdle is the driving test . . . .

Driving test

Your son or daughter can book their driving test either by calling the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) on 0300 200 1122 or online at Gov UK. Tests can be booked up to 24 weeks in the future, and the online booking service is available from 6am to 11:40pm.

Your son or daughter will need:

• UK driving licence number;
• credit or debit card;
• driving instructor’s personal reference number if you want to check they’re available.

The driving test for a car costs £62.

The driving test usually lasts for about 40 minutes, and includes: 

• an eyesight check;
• vehicle safety questions;
• general driving ability;
• reversing your vehicle;
• independent driving.

You can find more information on all the above on the Gov UK website. 

Good luck with your son or daughter learning to drive. We hope that the above information helps to point you all in the right direction. If you need some extra funding to get things moving, remember that Loans 2 Go offer quick loans that may be able to help.Do visit us here again soon for more lifestyle and financial tips from Loans 2 Go.