4 things you could be doing right now to prepare for your UK driving test
I’ve created a short list of a few things you can be doing now to prepare for your UK driving test. Whether you were planning to get your UK driving licence before coronavirus put your plans on hold, or you are an expat like me waiting to move over, these can be done without waiting for paperwork to be processed. Coronavirus has complicated the plans of many and made most things more difficult. Going through any structured process means you’ll be given a place in the queue and you’ll have to wait, sometimes for days, or weeks, or months.
Over the coming months, I’m hoping to compile helpful information for expats who are trying to establish themselves in the UK. This post isn’t specific to expats, though, and could be helpful for anyone who’s found themselves endlessly waiting to get a date for an exam.
So without further ado, here are 4 things you can do right now to prepare while waiting.
1. Be an engaged passenger
If a member of your household is a licenced driver, or even if you are commuting on a bus, you can be an engaged passenger. Becoming familiar with road signs and the flow of traffic can be really helpful as you start to learn to drive in the UK. If you are like me and you are used to being on the right side of the road, then it is beneficial just to be in the car and on the left side of the road and acclimatizing yourself to the flow of traffic.
Take notice of the road signs. Try to understand what they mean and know where they are likely to be placed. Unhelpfully, many of them seemed to be located at intersections or roundabouts where you’ll be looking for other dangers such as oncoming traffic or pedestrians. The speed limit signs can be difficult, too. Some are large and obvious, but the majority of them are tiny and placed in unlikely spots. I call them dinner plates – it’s as if they were always meant to be hidden.
Become familiar with roundabout etiquette without the pressure of being the driver. There are millions of roundabouts in the UK. You can’t avoid them, so you must learn to live with them. That said, it may not be a bad idea to avoid Milton Keynes until you have a bit more experience.
If you get comfortable with how traffic moves now, you’ll feel more prepared for driving later.
2. Download the official DVSA app to study for your test
The Official DVSA Theory Test Kit for Car Drivers is available to download on your phone. It isn’t free, but it is well worth buying at just £4.99. It’s created by the people who made the exam, so you can be sure you’re studying the most up-to-date material. Included in the app are all of the multiple choice questions which could be used on the test as well as 34 interactive hazard perception videos. It also has a complete electronic copy of The Official Highway Code.
It’s convenient to have the study material with you wherever you go. Every time you have a few minutes you can quickly open the app and get in some studying. Use it to read through the code, answer hundreds of multiple choice questions, and practice hazard perception. When you feel ready, it even provides you with as many mock exams as you’d like to take.
If I had to choose to recommend only one of these 4 things, it would be this one. This app helped to prepare me for my UK driving test more than anything else, except driving, of course.
Here is the link to the app on the Google Play Store: Official DVSA Theory Test Kit for Car Drivers
3. Get a copy of the most recent Highway Code
If you are comfortable with the electronic version of the highway code which is available in the aforementioned app, then you won’t need to buy a paper copy. However, many people find it difficult to study with electronic books. The Official Highway Code is handy to have in a physical form as a reference even after passing your tests.
The highway code has everything you will need to know for driving, cycling and walking along the roads. I find the diagrams especially helpful. Of notable importance for the exam are the sections on road signs, road markings, stopping distances, and roundabouts.
It’s small, reasonably priced at £2.25 and available from most large book stores. If you are reluctant to buy it, but think it would be good to use for studying, then you should be able to find it in your local UK library.
4. Start cycling – it will prepare you for driving
There’s no better way to learn about driving than being on the road. At the moment, you may find that a lot of driving instructors are fully booked, you may not have access to a car, or you may not have a provisional licence at all. If this is the case for you, then you may be able to get on the road as a cyclist. It doesn’t require waiting for any special permission or licence.
Having said that, you will have to follow the rules of the road and you should know how to read the road signs. Having a copy of The Official Highway Code will help.
If you don’t have your own bike, there are still ways to go for a ride whenever you fancy. Many UK cities have bike rentals which are parked in designated areas. The one which is available in Norwich is Beryl. I have used their bikes and their phone app was very simple to set up and use.
If you would like to have a longer term bike rental, then check to see if your local council has any schemes in place. When I first moved to Norwich, before I bought a bike of my own, I rented one from our council for one month. Since coronavirus, there has been a push to lessen the stress on the public transport system. Cycling can do that, but it also helps distance commuters and increase the health of our population. It seems like a win-win, so I wouldn’t be surprised if council’s are expanding these programs.
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