Learner Zone - inc IAM

Learning to drive - for most of us it is a necessity, for many it represents a rite of passage, a passport to the freedom of the open road.

But first you have got to pass that test. You need to be 17 or over and have a valid provisional driving licence.

You will need to complete a D1 form from the Post Office and send it to the DVLA with your passport or birth certificate and a passport-sized photo as ID.

The Driving Standards Agency says that on average drivers will need 45 hours of tuition plus 22 hours private practice to pass. But everyone is different and your instructor should be able to give you an idea of how long you are likely to need after your first lesson.

In the West Midlands, the average cost of lessons is currently £22 per hour. Although you might think you can only afford one-hour lessons it might pay to think again. The AA Driving School - www.theaa.com - recommends two-hour lessons.

It says: “In two hours, you’ll have time to take in what the instructor says and put it into practice. And that could cut down the number of lessons you need, helping to reduce the overall cost. With one-hour lessons you often spend more time recapping on the last lesson and preparing for next time than you do learning.”

If you have a foreign licence, you can usually continue to drive on it for 12 months after entering the UK and may be able to exchange it for a UK licence. Contact the DVLA for more information.

Disabled people who want to learn to drive can contact the Queen Elizabeth Foundation centre - http://www.qefd.org/mobility_centre.html - which provides specialist tuition and motoring advice.

Take the test

So, once you have put in the required study and practice it is time bite the bullet and take the test – when your instructor says you are ready.

There are three parts to the test, the theory test, the hazard perception test and the practical driving test.

You need to have passed the first two at the same time before you can apply for your practical test. There is usually about six weeks between applying for your practical test and your test date but this can vary.

The theory test is a 35-question multiple-choice test. You must answer 30 or more questions correctly within 40 minutes.

The hazard perception test, which is really part two of the theory test shows you a series of 14 one-minute video clips, each showing potential hazards on the road.

There are 15 hazards to identify and you can score up to five points on each one, depending on how quickly you identify them. You must score at least 44 out of 75.

The fee for the combined theory and hazard perception test is £21. You can apply for your theory test as soon as you start your lessons.

During the practical test, you will have 40 minutes to demonstrate everything you have learned in your driving lessons.

You will need to show you can drive competently and safely in all kinds of driving situations. You will be asked to do two of the three reversing manoeuvres you have practised with your instructor, possibly make an emergency stop and answer two vehicle safety check questions.

You must finish the test with no serious faults and fewer than 15 minor errors. A weekday test costs £45.50. For an evening or weekend test, that rises to £55.

The Driving Standards Agency says the average pass rate for the practical test is 43%, but if you fail your practical test, but have passed your theory, you need only sit the practical next time.

New drivers should check out our insurance section. Or search for your dream car.

Going up a gear

Thinking of taking your driving skills to the next level? Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2006, the Institute Of Advanced Motorists gives you an incentive to take another test,.

One of the big benefits of joining is that IAM membership can help cut you insurance premiums. Once you’ve passed the IAM tests, insurers see you as a safer pair of hands behind the wheel.

The IAM is dedicated to developing “the advanced skills that help make driving and riding a more enjoyable and rewarding experience” and campaigns on road safety and related matters at a national level.

That means raising motoring standards and reducing the number of collisions on the roads.

Many people only think of car drivers being able to carry the famous Advanced Driver badge, but a quick look at the institute’s website www.iam.org.uk shows that motorcyclists too can benefit.

Its fleet driver arm, IAM Fleet, is aimed at company drivers. It states it has worked with more than 1,000 companies throughout the UK and internationally, “demonstrating that a proper training programme not only reduces accident risk, but also saves money on fleet costs, such as fuel, tyres, insurance and maintenance”.

The IAM is a registered charity. Its financial support comes mainly from membership fees and the charges it makes for administering the Advanced Test.

Its Skill for Life programme enables drivers and riders to prepare for the Advanced Driving and Advanced Motorcycling tests. More than 350,000 people have taken the Advanced test. More 300,000 have passed and gone on to become IAM members.

Support for IAM Associates preparing for the Advanced Test is provided by a network of over 200 local IAM Groups across the UK, all run by volunteers. To contact your local group check out the list here.

Other features on the site include regular safety hints and tips, and an e-shop where you can buy instructional books, CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs.Members also enjoy discounts on everything from breakdown assistance and windscreen replacement, to tyres, exhausts and brakes; from car hire, hotels and airport parking, to financial services.