Not sure how many driving lessons to take? According to research by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), learners need around 44 hours of professional lessons to pass your driving test. This is just an average figure – it’s important to remember that everyone’s different. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a friend or family member’s car, then having learner insurance and some private practice is a surefire way to get that magic pass!

Top tip: Take an assessment lesson and find out

When you’re trying to figure out how many driving lessons to take, no one’s better qualified to help you than an experienced driving instructor. Most instructors and driving schools offer a first assessment lesson at a discounted rate or even for free. It’s a great way for you to get to know a new instructor, for them to assess your abilities and tell you how many hours they think you’re going to need to get to test standard.

What affects the number of lessons I’ll need?

Age

Great news for young drivers – according to the official stats, if you’re a younger driver you’re likely to need fewer lessons before you pass. The DSA says that pupils need to take an extra 2 hours of driving lessons for every year older they get. Put simply the younger you are when you learn to drive, the quicker you’re likely to pass.

Frequency of lessons

How many driving lessons should you take each week? Continuity of driving lessons is really important. The more often you’re behind the wheel the better. Between 2 and 4 hours of private lessons per week is recommended. You’re also likely to progress more quickly if you have two-hour lessons each time.

Private practice hours

The DSA recommends around 22 hours of private practice in addition to your professional lessons. So it’s time to rope in a mate or family member and persuade them to take you out as often as they can for extra practice. They’ll need to be over 21, have a suitable motor, and have held their licence for 3 years or more to be able to help you out.

Our Learner Driver Insurance offers a comprehensive, affordable and flexible way to insure drivers who are currently planning or in the process of learning to drive!

Learning style

Everyone learns differently. Some learn better visually and physically, whilst others learn more quickly with verbal instruction. Whatever your learning style, a good driving instructor will be able to tailor your lessons to suit you

Financial resources

Driving lessons don’t come cheap, so the number of lessons you book is also likely to depend on how many you can afford. A great way to save money is to talk to your instructor or driving school about block bookings. Often the more hours you book in advance, the cheaper the rate will be. And if you’re a student, ask about discounts, some driving schools and instructors offer student rates too.

Your driving instructor

With a good, experienced instructor, you’ll progress week after week. If you don’t have confidence in your instructor your progress is likely to suffer. It pays to get the right instructor from the get go. So how do you choose a great instructor?

Check their experience level

All certified driving instructors have to have either a pink or green licence. It should be displayed clearly for you on their car windscreen. If not – forget about it and find a qualified instructor

• Green – means they have passed all 3 DVSA exams and are a fully qualified instructor
• Pink – means they’re a trainee instructor. They’ll have received part of the training, but won’t yet be fully qualified. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that they have less teaching experience than a green licence holder.

Make sure they give you a progress record

Your instructor should monitor your progress with an individual learning plan, keeping you fully informed of your progress, what you’ve learned so far, and what you still have to learn. You can download and print off your own Driver’s Record for Learner Drivers for free via the government’s DVSA website too.

How many driving lessons before my theory test?

Taking driving lessons can actually help pass your theory test. A few driving lessons can really help you out with the hazard perception part of the theory test, as well as helping you gain practical understanding of road markings, road signs and more.