Learning to drive is something most young people expect to get around to at some point in their life, with a fair number being really keen to get onto the road as soon as they possibly can. It’s interesting, then, that these days the average age to begin driving is a whopping 26, almost ten years past the legal minimum age!
Younger drivers claim the cost of learning, then buying and insuring a car, is what deters them, while older people (as in those aged 25+) tend to blame the lack of time they have free to learn, and/or a lack of confidence in their ability to master the skills required.
In both cases, an intensive driving course could well be the answer to the issues which are getting in the way.
Venturing Into the World of Driving
When the time and circumstances feel right and you start looking at the learn to drive options, the first major choice to be made is whether to go for regular lessons, or choose to take an intensive driving course. The first idea tends to be popular simply because it’s well established in everyday life, which makes it easy to imagine, at least in a basic sense, what learning to drive will be like.
On the other hand, intensive courses don’t feature anywhere near as much in popular culture, which inevitably means that less is known about what an intensive driving course involves compared to standard driving lessons. There are also concerns raised about some, often residential, courses where learners spend half their time as passengers, or studying for a theory test they should have already passed, and queries raised about how competent a driver can be after so few hours behind the wheel.
Perhaps the best way to look at intensive driving courses objectively is to learn more about how they work, and then if it sounds appealing to do some homework, so the final choice of company is a good, and measured one.
Mysterious or Mundane? Revealed: What Exactly an Intensive Driving Course is all About!
Making the Right Decision
A good intensive driving school will offer, and possibly encourage you to take up, the chance of some kind of assessment level. This may last for an hour or two, or an entire day (the hours that school devotes to driving on a daily basis), and it will often be offered at a reduced rate. Where possible, this is well worth doing as you can get a feel for the style and speed of instruction, and decide if you like and feel comfortable with the instructor. Meanwhile, they have the chance to assess your suitability for the intensive course.
They Are Not All a Week Long
Some companies offer different length intensive courses. One example of this can be seen at https://www.momentumdrivingschool.com/ who have packages available ranging from 20 hours tuition over five days to 48 over the period of twelve days. These are designed to cater for those with some, or a lot of, previous driving experience, as well as for complete beginners.
It’s Not for Everyone
If you want to learn to drive now, reputable intensive driving schools have staff that can recognize the typical personality traits and characteristics which tend to make this method of hot-house learning a more stressful, and possibly less successful, experience. These may include those who react badly to ongoing pressure, are not totally motivated to learn, or find it almost impossible to concentrate for longer periods of time.
Intensive Driving Courses Are Not an Easy Option
Learners on intensive courses cover exactly the same things as those taking lessons in shorter blocks over a period of months or years. There are no shortcuts, simply more focused periods of study and practice. Intensive driving school staff don’t have any secret connections which guarantee earners pass regardless, or even any way to jump the queue when it comes to getting a test date.
So, despite the stories you may read about them being akin to magicians, the truth is that those choosing intensive courses often do better than average precisely because they devote many hours of energy and effort into making it happen for them.
Learners Are Exposed to Varied Experiences
Unless you choose to spread driving lessons over an entire year, it is impossible to have the chance to take lessons in all weather conditions, but any good intensive driving course will involve driving in both busy and rural or suburban areas, at different times of the day and evening, and where possible at weekends as well as during rush hour.
It’s a Major, but Generally Flexible, Commitment
Although most intensive courses require learners to be in the driving seat for four plus hours a day, it is possible to combine learning this way with a part time job or other commitments. Ideally, your schedule should be flexible enough to allow for lessons at different times of the day, but in most cases you are not required to devote an entire week or two to the course (although many people do choose to take a week off from work or put other activities on hold to make things easier on themselves).
Most companies book definite lesson slots in for a learner at the start of the course, and in many cases, these may not be changed once confirmed, so it pays to be sure of your availability before making a final commitment.
Learners are More Than a Number
The very nature of learning to drive this way involves short, focused relationships with a steady number of people moving through a system at a fair pace, and this could raise concerns about it being a rather faceless kind of process. In reality, however, it is usually the exact opposite. The intensity of the experience means all the instructor’s focus is on one learner, which allows for a depth of insight into how they learn, and what they need to work on to pass their practical test, something which can be much harder to achieve in conventional lessons with so much time, and so many other people, featuring between lessons.
Learners Have Customised Lessons
Of course, all learners have to learn and prove they have grasped the basics involved in driving before attempting anything more complicated, but throughout the process special attention can be given to those areas they need extra help with, or time to practice. Later they may have the option of taking mock tests, and driving the possible routes they could be directed to on the day of the practical to gain invaluable insight, experience and confidence for the big day.
The Paperwork is Taken Care Of
The company providing the intensive lessons usually takes care of things like booking the practical test, after having arranged a suitable time slot and venue with you of course. Although the theory test must have been completed and passed before the practical training can begin, some companies offer optional pre-theory information, advice and support.
There’s definitely a lot more to intensive driving courses than there seems at first glance, so anyone who is keen to save both time and money would likely benefit from checking out the opportunities to learn to drive this way that exist in their area.