Well, your provisional licence has arrived and you’ve found the Dreamstart Driving Academy. You may be excited, but also nervous or worried. What am I going to learn? How will I get on? Is it going to take forever to pass my test? Am I going to enjoy the experience? and many other questions I’m sure. If you have ridden a bike, played the computer driving games, experienced life as a pedestrian and a passenger, any or all of these experiences will give you some help when you settle in to the driving seat. You will have some understanding of taking good observations before crossing a road and potential hazards surrounding other road users for example.
With Dreamstart we offer a Free Home Visit when you can discuss how you would like to learn and taylor your lessons to suit your busy lifestyle.
Following your initial greeting you will be asked to show your provisional licence and be asked to read an old registration plate at a minimum distance of 20.5 metre (for example G123ABC) or a newer registration plate, which have a narrower font, at a minimum distance of 20 metres (eg AB23CDE).
You will then be briefed on the aims and objectives of your lesson, seatbelt laws and correct use, your legal responsibilities and warn you about the dual control pedals in the passenger footwell, before being driven to an area which is suitable.
The content of your first lesson will include:
- Precautions when entering and exiting the vehicle
- Cockpit drill
- Identification, function and use of all controls
- Mirrors (vision and use)
Throughout the lesson you will be included in the dialogue with questions and bring in your own experiences to check and increase your knowledge and understanding. This also helps to keep at a pace that is suitable for you.
You may turn the engine on, set the gas and find the biting point of the clutch before the end of the lesson, depending on the time available.
A recap should then help ensure that you have learned and understood the details. Throughout the lesson you will be given plenty of encouragement and praise. More than anything having enjoyed your first experience in the driving seat, you should be looking forward to your next lesson and be reassured of the progress you have already made.
Finally you will be briefed on the aims and objectives of your next lesson. As you progress this will be through discussion and agreement of your next steps, rather than pre planned.
Don’t just stop there until your next lesson – do yourself a favour and save money by investing in The Official DSA Guide to Learning To Drive and the Official Highway Code this will help immensely with your progress towards becoming a safe driver and passing your theory test.
