An outline of the pre-driver course available from Dudley's Road Safety team is available to download in pdf format here. Alternatively contact us for a paper copy.
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Getting a LicenceIf you have not yet got a licence you will need to apply for a provisional licence. You'll need to get a form D1 (available from post offices) and the documents needed to prove your identity (document list). You'll also need to get a passport sized photograph taken against a plain, light background. The fee for your provisional licence will be £38. In order to get a car licence you need to be 17 years old. This age is also the minimum for agricultural or forestry tractors, small vehicles and motorcycles. If you are receiving Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component) you can apply for a car licence at 16. Sixteen is the minimum age for moped licences; in order to be able to drive medium/large vehicles, minibuses and buses you need to be 21. Vehicle Documents Before your car can be used on the road there are three documents you need: a vehicle registration document (V5), a vehicle licence (the tax disc on the windscreen) and an insurance certificate. In addition to these, if your car is more than three years old, you will need an MOT certificate. More details about these documents are provided below. For full details visit the DVLAwebsite. Vehicle Registration DocumentA Registration Document/Certificate shows the registered keeper of the vehicle. It gives the keeper's name and address, the registration mark and other details about the vehicle (make, model, engine size, etc.). A new document is made up every time the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is made aware of any changes. All of the cars that are used on the road, and those off of the road that have not been scrapped, need to be registered with the DVLA in Swansea. By law you are required to inform the DVLA when you sell, transfer, scrap or export your vehicle. If you don't inform them that you are no longer using the vehicle and if it is used on the road without tax or has been used to commit an offence (e.g. speed cameras) you will receive all the correspondence. Vehicle LicenceThe vehicle licence, or tax disc, on your windscreen shows that you have paid the necessary vehicle excise duty (VED). It shows the registration number of the vehicle and the date of expiry. You can purchase them for periods of six or twelve calendar months. Purchasing your vehicle licence serves four purposes: 1) it allows the DVLA to keep their register up to date, 2) it allows a check to be made of MOT certificates, 3) it checks people's insurance and 4) it manages the collection of vehicle excise duty. The rates of excise duty for cars registered before March 2001 are fairly straightforward. For cars with an engine size under 1549cc twelve months tax is £110 and six months is £60.50. For cars with an engine size over 1549cc the rates are £165 for twelve months and £90.75 for six months. These engine sizes were brought in to reward people with smaller engines as they generally pollute less. For cars registered from March 2001 onwards things are a bit more complex. The tax you pay is now dependent on your vehicle's emissions, not engine size. For example, a diesel car with a carbon dioxide emission figure of less than 100 g/km the rate for 12 months would be £75. For the tax rates according to their emissions rates view the DVLA's Carbon Dioxide Rate Table. If you do not know your car's carbon dioxide emission figure you can search the Car Emissions Database. Insurance CertificateThe minimum level of insurance allowed on our roads is Third Party. This level of cover will pay for the damage done to other people's property if you cause an accident. Third party, fire and theft is a popular budget insurance policy as it provides cover should a couple of unfortunate things happen to you. The most complete insurance cover you can have is comprehensive. This level of cover will even pay if you have a single vehicle accident (e.g. you drive into a tree) that's your fault. However, there's a sting. In order to cover their costs insurance companies have to charge high rates, especially for young or accident involved drivers. If you can drive safely you can build up a no-claims bonus (e.g. five year's no-claims) that works by giving a discount off of your insurance bill. If you claim, like the example of driving into tree given above, you'll lose your no claims bonus so that means your next bill will be enormous! This way, the insurance industry rewards safe drivers. Insurance policies and their prices vary greatly so it is wise to shop around. Quite often one person will insure a car and will have some named drivers on their policy. This allows other people to drive their car. However, the owner of the insurance policy may have lost their good record or pay more money if somebody else has an accident in their car. You will not be popular if you cause your parent's insurance bills to go up! Another factor to remember is when driving on other people's insurance is that you are not building up your own no-claims bonus. If you have not had your own policy for more than two years you may find that you go back to having no no-claims bonus. If you are a new driver and plan to insure your own car it is worth investigating the benefits of doing a Pass Plus course. MOT CertificateA car, that is more than three years old, must have a valid MOT certificate when it is on a public road. The only exception to this rule is when the car is being driven to a MOT testing station to a pre-arranged appointment. A MOT certificate confirms that, at the time of the test, a vehicle meets the minimum acceptable environmental and road safety standards required by law. This does not mean the car will be safe for the duration of the certificate; it is your responsibility to keep the car roadworthy. It is also important to remember that the MOT does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch and gearbox. When you are buying a second-hand car it is a good idea to check the vehicle's past MOT certificates as they can prove a useful check on the car's mileage. |
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Instructors and Accompanying DriversMost people learn to drive by using a combination of professional instruction and practice with family or friends. Research shows that this is a very effective way of learning to drive. However, you need to be careful about whom you choose to be your instructor and when is the best time to start practising with family or friends. If you are paying for someone to teach you they must be either a DSA Approved Driving Instructor (car) or a trainee instructor who has been granted a licence to teach before taking their final qualifying examination. Fully qualified instructors will have a green badge displayed in the front windscreen; trainees will have a pink certificate. A good way to get an instructor is through recommendation. If you are searching for one yourself think about: whether they cover the DSA's recommended syllabus for learning to drive, their check test grade (4 to 6; the higher the better), the area that they cover, if they give one-to-one tuition (some instructors have a passenger in the back which may affect your concentration and where the instructor has to go (e.g. to drop them back off at home)), the length of their lessons, the car they use to teach and their pass rate. When practicing with family or friends you must make sure that they: a) have held a full licence for three years for the class of vehicle, and b) they are at least 21 years of age. The car that you use must be insured, display L plates (or D plates in Wales) front and back, and be in a safe and roadworthy condition. |
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DSA's Recommended Syllabus for Learner DriversIn order to increase your chances of passing the driving test and face the challenges in the years to come it is very important that the competencies listed below are covered and mastered. The list shows the topics that need to be covered; each one will require a large amount of knowledge to be obtained. Cockpit Checks
Safety
Checks
Controls
and Instruments
Moving
Away & Stopping
Safe
Positioning
Mirrors
- Vision and Use
Signals
Anticipation
and Planning
Use
of Speed
Other
Traffic
Junctions
Roundabouts
Pedestrian
Crossings
Dual
Carriageways
Turning
the Vehicle Around
Reversing
Parking
Emergency
Stop
Darkness
Weather
Conditions
Legal
Responsibilities
Environmental
Issues
Passengers
and Carrying Loads
Security
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In order to become a full licence holder you will need to pass a theory test and a practical test. These tests are set by the Driving Standards Agency. The theory test has two elements; a multiple-choice section and a hazard perception test. The practical test consists of some pre-drive checks and about 35 to 40 minutes of actual driving. More details about these tests are presented below. Car tests are explained first. Theory Test for Cars The multiple section of the test has 35 questions, of which you must get 30 correct to pass. These questions cover a wide range of topics (e.g. vulnerable road users, documentation) and you answer the questions by touching the screen to select your answer. You'll be given the option of having a practice session (lasting up to 15 minutes) to get used to the system. For the actual test you are given 40 minutes to complete the 35 questions. After a short break, the hazard perception test will start. You'll be first shown a tutorial video that will explain how to complete the test. The hazard perception element of the test has 14 video clips. You need to respond by clicking a mouse button when you see a hazard. The test will be looking for you to respond to developing hazards (i.e. things that move towards your path). You need to click at a particular time on the approach to the hazard (up to 5 marks are available for each hazard) and if you click too early or too late or in the wrong place on the screen you may get no marks at all. During the test there are 15 hazards that will be marked. The pass mark is 44 (out of possible maximum of 75). It is advised that you practise these on a CD-Rom before you take the test. As it is a computer based test candidates will be given their results when they have returned to the waiting room. If you have passed you theory test you have up to two years to pass your practical test. There are also headsets available for people with dyslexia or reading difficulties. These headsets are also useful for those who have trouble with English and there are 20 languages available (Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Dari, Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Kurdish, Mirpuri, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pushto, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu, and Welsh). An on-screen video with sign language is available for deaf people. For people with other special needs it is best to enquire when making their test booking. The Practical Test for Cars Reading through the recommended syllabus will give you a good idea of how you need to prepare for the practical test. You'll first meet the examiner when they come into the waiting room to call your name out. They will then want to check your documents so its best to get them out whilst you're waiting for them. You will need to take your driving licence (both parts) and your theory test certificate. If you have an old style paper licence you will also need to take photographic identification. It is also a good idea to take your appointment letter with you just in case they have made a mistake. After checking your documents and getting you to sign to declare that your car is insured the examiner will take you outside. Before you proceed to the car the examiner will check your eyesight. You need to be able to read a registration plate from a distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet) or for the new style plates 20 metres (66 feet). When you get to the car the examiner will ask you two questions about pre-drive checks. They may, for example, ask you how you would check the tyre pressures and show them how you would check to see if the headlights are working. Some of the questions require opening the bonnet so you will need to be familiar with how it works and the layout of the engine compartment of the car that you are using for the test. You will then go on a 35 to 40 minute drive where the examiner will be assessing your every move! There will be two manoeuvres involving reversing; there are four possible alternatives (turn-in-the-road, reverse around a corner, parallel parking and a bay parking exercise). You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop (1 in 3 tests do the exercise). You will pass the test if you commit fewer than 16 minor faults. There are three categories of driver faults: minor, serious and dangerous. A minor fault may be going around a corner in 3rd gear where 2nd would have been more appropriate. For a fault to be classed as minor it should not be harsh on the vehicle, should not cause any other road users to change their behaviour and should not break any laws. If you commit a serious fault you will fail your test. An example of a serious fault would be emerging from a junction and causing another driver to change their speed. You can also get a serious fault if you have a repeated minor fault (e.g. never checking the mirrors before slowing down). Quite often once you are marked three times for one category of error the examiner will mark down a serious fault. A dangerous fault occurs when the examiner has to intervene to prevent something from happening (e.g. having to dual brake a candidate at a set of traffic lights). When you get back to the test centre the examiner will inform you of the result of the test and give you some feedback. Motorcycles You have to complete a compulsory basic training course (CBT) before you will be allowed to ride a moped (cannot go faster than 50 km/h, must not have an engine over 50cc and can be moved by pedals if first used before August 1977) or motorcycle on the road. Some of these courses do use the roads but as you will be under the direct supervision of an instructor it is permissible. After you have successfully finished the course you will get a certificate of completion that will be valid for two years. This certificate would be required for when you take your moped or motorcycle test, the unaccompanied riding test or the police may want to see it. When learning to ride a moped or motorcycle you are not allowed to carry a pillion passenger. You must be over 21 and be accompanied at all times by an instructor if you are learning on a machine that is over 125cc or one that has a sidecar. The theory test has the same set-up as the car theory test that has been outlined above. Once you are over 17 there are two categories of motorcycle licence: the A1 light motorcycle licence or the standard category A motorcycle licence. To obtain the A1 licence you need to pass the CBT and the theory test before taking a test on a machine between 75cc and 125cc. This class of licence will allow you to ride any motorcycle up to 125cc and power output of 11kW (14.6bhp) without 'L' plates, take pillion passengers and ride on the motorways. To get a standard category motorcycle licence you must take your practical test on a machine with an engine size between 120cc and 125cc and capable of least 100km/h (around 60mph). You will then be allowed to ride motorcycles with a power output up to 25kW (33 bhp) and a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kg without 'L' plates, take pillion passengers and ride on motorways. You will be restricted to motorcycles of this size for two years after which you will be allowed to ride machines of any size (you must be over 21). If you are still under 21 when the two years are up you can apply for accelerated access. You can do this by taking a test on a machine with an output of at least 35Kw (46.6bhp); if you are training for this test on a machine over 25Kw if an instructor accompanies you and displaying 'L' plates. |
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This area of our site covers some issues that will be important to you once you have passed your driving test. The Pass Plus Scheme and the New Driver's Act will be covered along with the costs of owning a car and the dangers of driving whilst impaired. The first two sections outline two measures that have been introduced in response to the large number of new drivers being involved in road accidents during their first two years of driving. During this period 1 in 3 drivers are likely to be involved in an accident. At the start of the two-year period new drivers are 2.5 times more likely to be involved in an accident than older drivers. At the end of the first year their liability drops by 30% in the first year and by a further 28% during the second year (Clarke et al, 2002). The first, the Pass Plus Scheme, uses education to reduce the driver's accident liability. A further bonus is that some insurance companies will offer discounts to drivers who have completed the course. The second measure, the New Driver's Act, is a deterrent to dangerous driving habits as it carries the threat of losing your licence. Pass Plus The pass plus course is designed to increase the pupil's experience by taking them on a wider range of roads and more varied conditions than they may have experienced whilst they were learning to drive. The course comprises six modules that cover: driving in town, in all weathers, on rural roads, at night, on dual carriageways and on motorways. There is no test at the end of the course. Your instructor will continually assess you and you must complete all the modules to an achieved or exceeded standard. Some modules, especially the inclement weather module, may need to be covered as a theory session so you will only be able to gain achieved status for that module. Once you have completed the Pass Plus course your instructor will send the report off to the Driving Standards Agency and you will receive a certificate. The Pass Plus site has lots of information about the course, how to choose an instructor or the insurance companies taking part. New Driver's Act The New Driver's Act has created a probationary period that lasts for two years after you have passed your test. The Act works by using penalty points on your licence. For some driving offences, such as speeding or having an bald tyre, you may get an endorsed fixed penalty ticket that means you will need to send your licence away to have the points added (most offences result in 3 points). These penalty points stay on your licence for three years. You may also receive penalty points if you have been sent to court; the magistrates can often specify the number of points to be added to a licence to reflect the seriousness of the offence. Points you have gained before passing your test will count as long as the offence was not more than three years before the latest penalty point offence. Once you have collected six penalty points you will lose your licence and be reverted back to provisional status. To regain your full licence you will need to re-pass your theory and practical tests. In October 2004 1351 new drivers had their licences revoked. When you have finished the probationary period the number of penalty points you are allowed before losing your licence raises to 12. The Costs of Owning A Car The convenience of owning a car is very expensive. The cost of buying the car is only the start, you have to worry about insurance, road tax, maintenance costs, fuel costs and servicing costs to name just a few. This section will give you a good idea of the financial aspect of car ownership. A good way of estimating the cost of owning a car is to think about standing costs and running costs. Standing costs are those that you need to pay even if your car isn't driven. These would include things such as depreciation (how much the car loses its value), finance you may have borrowed to purchase the car, road tax, insurance and breakdown cover. Running costs are those that arise due to use of the car and include: fuel, oil, tyres, servicing and maintenance, and parking and tolls. For a new petrol car costing under £10,000, the AA (2004) calculated the standing charges at £1,796 and the running charges to be 15 pence per mile. In this calculation they put the insurance bill at £343 but for a younger driver £700 would be a more realistic price. This would raise the standing charges to £2153 or 43 pence per mile if the car were to travel 5000 miles (this would reduce to 21 pence per mile for 10,000 miles). With the running costs being 15 pence per mile the total bill for a year's motoring, covering 5000 miles, would be £2903. Many people buy a second hand car as the cost of a new one is so expensive. However, although the cost for finance and insurance may be lower it is important to remember that the running costs may be higher as the car could require more repairs. A good approach is to buy a car between 3 and 5 years old as it will have suffered most of its depreciation and should still be quite reliable. When buying a car it is very important to ensure that you can cover the total budget required for running the vehicle. Driving Whilst Under the Influence of Drink or Drugs Consuming alcohol and driving a vehicle just doesn't mix. Each year 3000 people are killed or seriously injured in drink drive related collisions in Great Britain. Almost 1 in 6 of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal limit. At twice the legal limit you are 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision. The police first used the breathalyser in 1967. The first breathalysers had a tube filled with crystals where a change in colour indicated that a person could be over the limit. Police now use digital breathalysers. If a driver fails a roadside test they are then taken to a police station to have more accurate tests to determine their exact blood alcohol concentration. The blood alcohol concentration limit (BAC) in Britain is 80mg/100ml. If you are convicted of drink driving the maximum penalty is six months imprisonment, a £5000 fine and a 12-month ban. You could also be convicted of being drunk in charge; you do not need to be driving; possession of keys is often enough for the courts to find you guilty. People are now aware that it is becoming socially unacceptable to drink and drive meaning that the problem has lessened; however accident figures are starting to rise again. During the late 1980's and the early 1990's there was a reduction in the number of drink drive accidents with the lowest year being 1993 when 9480 accidents were recorded (see the bar chart below). Since the mid 1990's the number of accidents involving illegal alcohol levels has risen and was 12400 in 2003. This rise may be due to the need for a new generation of drivers to be educated about the dangers of drinking and driving. There are several measures that could help reduce the drink drive problem. Many support a reduction of the drink drive limit to 50mg. Evidence from other countries supports the view that reducing the blood alcohol limits would save lives. Other measures that could be used include: random breath testing, designated driver programmes, raising the drinking age and using alcohol ignition interlock devices (a vehicle won't start unless you provide a breath specimen that is safe). There are many factors that can influence how alcohol will affect you including: your mood, your size, your gender, your tolerance to alcohol, how tired you are, and your health. Therefore, it is very difficult to predict how alcohol will affect you so it is best not to drink alcohol at all if you are planning to drive. It is also worth remembering that it takes an hour for the body to process one unit of alcohol so it may be wise not to drink a lot of alcohol in the evening before driving the following day. Drugs and Driving Driving whilst under the influence of drugs (prescribed or illegal) is just as dangerous as drink driving and carries the same penalties as drink driving offences. There are many ways that drugs can affect your performance including: slower reaction times, poor concentration, sleepiness, confused thinking, distorted perception, over-confidence, impaired co-ordination, erratic behaviour, nausea, hallucinations, blurred vision/enlarged pupils, aggression, panic attacks, paranoia, tremors, dizziness and cramps. For more information about how drugs could affect you visit the DfT's information page. The police have powers to carry out impairment tests when they suspect someone may be driving whilst under the influence of drugs. These tests include a pupillary examination, balance tests, a walk and turn test or a finger to nose test. Failure to undertake a test when requested to do so carries the same penalty as refusing to take a breath test (up to £1000 fine, 4 penalty points, disqualification is at the discretion of the court). Research has shown that 18 to 24% of people who are killed in road traffic accidents have traces of illegal drugs, a six-fold increase since the mid 1980's. Of those found with drugs in their systems half of the people were found to have cannabis, a quarter other illegal drugs and the rest legal or prescribed drugs. Although its most intense effects last a few hours, cannabis is detectable for up to four weeks after use. Unlike alcohol, were a large body of research gives a good indication of its effect, there is little information on how drugs affect us, or how long that effect may last. Therefore, as with advice relating to drinking and driving it is best not to use drugs if you plan to drive. If you're taking medication check the information that is provided or consult your doctor. |
