Learning to drive can be an expensive and time-consuming task with tens of lessons spread over weeks and months. But what if you’re in a hurry to get your UK driving licence? Is there a quicker way?
Fear not because there are plenty of crash courses out there that promise to get you through tour test in double quick time and we’ve compiled a handy list of what to look out for when booking onto one of these intensive driving courses.
Read on to find out what intensive driving courses entail, how long you’ll need to set aside to take them, how much you should expect to pay and the pros and cons of squashing your driving lessons into a short space of time.
What are intensive driving courses?
In theory, Intensive driving courses cram all you need to know to pass your test into a short period of time with one-to-one tuition. Delivering the skills you need without costing the earth or taking up hours of your time.
The content of the course will be exactly the same as a series of driving lessons but can often be tailored to focus on areas that the learner isn’t comfortable on.
Most of these courses offer help with the theory test for an extra fee while automatic driving courses are available, too.
How long with an intensive driving course take?
The market is so diverse now that the length of time an intensive driving course runs for is virtually up to you. If you’ve already taken a few lessons and want a crash course ahead of a test you can opt for a two-day course with just 10 hours of training.
If you’re attending one with no previous experience then extended 14-day intensive courses are on offer. Then you’ve got almost everything in between from six hours spread over 10 days or 24 hours spread over eight days. The choice really is yours.
There are even residential driving courses which last anywhere up to a week with locations across the UK. Your driving test will be booked for the last day of your stay, too, so you’ll leave this residential course with a driving licence.
What will an intensive course cost and will I save money?
The cost of driving lessons and taking a test is one of the biggest reasons young people don’t learn to drive at the moment. And these intensive driving courses aren’t the cheap option, either. Some start from as little as £180 but that’s for a short course.
As soon as you start increasing the length of the course, naturally, the cost goes up and for longer courses the fee can be upwards of £800. It seems high but the average hourly driving lesson is priced at £24 and the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommend 47 hours of trainning before your test, meaning most pay upwards of £1,000 learning to drive. That’s before paying to take the practical and theory test, then potentially paying again if you fail.
• Practical driving test: how to pass
What are the negatives accociated with intensive driving courses?
Clearly, packing all this learning into a short space of time can have some negative impacts. The biggest and most obvious is that you don’t rack up the same experience on the road as you might if you’re dragging out lessons over a longer period of time.
Likewise, if you cram all your learning into an intensive driving course, the road type you’re on and the conditions are likely to be fairly static, taking out two big variables that come into play when you’re driving.
It’s probably best to take a short intensive course as final prep for your test once you’ve got a few hours of experience or if you’ve previously had lessons and want a recap ahead of a test.
It’s also worth checking you’re not being over-charged for booking the theory or driving test when signing up for an intensive driving course as some will try to charge a premium.
What about courses for driver training after you’ve passed?
Intensive driving courses aren’t just reserved for passing your test, there are plenty of courses available to further your driving skills.
Pass Plus is probably the most popular – focusing on motorway driving – but the Institute of Advanced Motorists also offers an assessment-based programme to develop your skills at the wheel. It’s worth considering one of these as it may help reduce your insurance premiums – although the amount you save differs between insurers.
Beyond that there are courses for driving in Europe, winter driving courses, offroad courses and courses for driving on track, so passing your test can be just the start of your learning curve.
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