Kev's Driving School

If you want to start taking driving lessons in or around Peterborough and eventually pass your driving test. These are the steps you will have to take.


Learning to drive

Step one: Apply for your provisional licence

You must be at least 17 and have a provisional licence to drive on public roads but you can apply for your licence up to two months before its start date.

You can apply for a provisional licence online or by post. To apply by post complete driving licence application form D1 (available from most post offices), and send it with the £50 fee, original documentation confirming your identity, and a passport-sized colour 
photograph to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AD. You can expect to receive your licence within two weeks.

Further information about driving licences is available on the Directgov website.

Step two: Check your eyesight

You must be able to read a new-style UK number plate at a distance of at least 20 metres (or 20.5m for number plates that are pre-September 2001). If glasses or contact lenses are needed for this, they must always be worn when driving.

Step three: Take driving lessons

The Driving Standards Agency advises "The best way to learn is by having regular planned lessons with a good driving instructor and as much practice as possible."

We hope you will choose to learn with Kev's Driving School and if you are lucky enough to have private practice, you should be accompanied by a motorist who is at least 21 and has had a full British car licence for at least three years.

The number of lessons you need will depend on your natural ability, relevent experience and, to a degree, your age.

Step four: Pass your theory test

You can start driving lessons before you pass your theory test but you will not be eligible to book the practical test without a theory test pass certificate number. The theory test is a computerised exam in two parts. If you fail either part you must take both parts again.

In the first part of the theory test you must answer 50 multiple choice questions in 57 minutes on road procedure, traffic signs, road markings, road sense, rules and regulations etc. You must answer at least 43 correctly to pass this part of the test.

In the second part your hazard perception skills are tested when 14 video clips of real road scenes are displayed on the computer and you have to click the mouse when you see a hazard developing. One of the clips will contain two hazards, the others contain one each.

Each clip is about one minute long and you can score a maximum of five points for each of the 15 hazards shown - the earlier you spot the hazard the higher your score. You must score 44 out of 75 to pass.

You will receive your result within 30 minutes of finishing the test.

We recommend you study for the theory test at the same time as taking practical lessons as this will allow you to put the theory into practice and so aid understanding.

How to apply for the theory test:

The nearest theory test centre to Peterborough is on Broadway in the PE1 area.

You can pay the £31 exam fee by debit or credit card for a telephone or online booking, or by cheque or postal order with a written application.

For a telephone booking, call 0300 200 1122. For online bookings: click here. If you wish to book by post, application forms are available from driving test centres, from your driving instructor, or you can ask for one to be sent to you by calling 0300 200 1122.

When you book you will be asked to state your driver number (written on your provisional driving licence), your name, address, phone number, where and when you want to take the test and if you have any special needs.

Step five: Pass your practical driving test

The practical driving test is about 40 minutes long, during which time you will be asked to carry any one of the following manoeuvres.

The possible manoeuvres are Parallel reverse parking behind a car.

A Forward or Reverse Bay Park.

Pull up on the right facing towards oncoming traffic and reverse back before rejoining the traffic on the correct side of the road.

You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise - a random requirement in about one in three tests.

You will fail the driving test if you make more than 15 minor errors or a single serious, dangerous or potentially dangerous error.

Driving test faults and your result

There are 3 types of faults you can make:

  • a dangerous fault - this involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property.
  • a serious fault - something potentially dangerous.
  • a driving fault - this is not potentially dangerous, but if you keep making the same fault, it could become a serious fault.

At the start of the test you will be asked two questions about vehicle safety checks. If you get one or both of these wrong, it will count as one minor error. You will be told your result at the end of the test.

How to apply for a driving test:

Please communicate with your driving instructor before booking your test to confirm the car is available and that the test centre is covered.

If you book the test yourself, you will be asked for your driver number (written on your provisional licence), your theory test certificate number, what type of vehicle the test is for (car, motorcycle, lorry, bus), if you have any special needs, your name, address and phone number and where and when you want to take the test.

You can pay the £62 fee (£75 for Sat or weekday eves) by debit or credit card for a telephone or online booking, or by cheque or postal order with a written application.

For a telephone booking, call 0300 200 1122. For online bookings: click here. If you wish to book by post, application forms are available from driving test centres, from your driving instructor, or you can ask for one to be sent to you by calling 0300 200 1122.

 

Step six: Send off for your full driving licence

When you pass your driving test your examiner will give you a test pass certificate and ask you to hand over your provisional licence so he/she can arrange for it to be exchanged for a full licence, which you will receive in the post.

Alternatively, you can choose to do the paperwork yourself, by sending off your pass certificate and provisional licence to the DVLA. But you must claim your full licence within two years or your pass certificate will become invalid and you will have to take the exams again.


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