Learner Driver Information
Information and rules for learner drivers, minimum ages, medical conditions and driving in Great Britain (GB) on a foreign licence.
Before you start to drive, you must:
hold a valid, provisional driving licence for Great Britain or Northern Ireland
make sure that any vehicle you drive is roadworthy and properly taxed and insured
It is important to learn safe driving practice from the beginning of your driving career because bad habits are hard to break.
It is unlikely that anyone except an approved driving instructor (ADI) would have the experience, knowledge and training to teach you properly. Learning safe driving habits from the start will improve the safety of yourself and other road users.
If you want to practise your driving with an accompanying driver, the accompanying driver must be at least 21 years of age and must have held (and still hold) a full UK licence for three years.
All learner drivers are required to display 'L' plates ('L' or 'D' plates in Wales) in a conspicuous position on the front and rear of the vehicle they are driving.
Nervous and Foreign Language Drivers
We understand that the prospect of learning to drive can be quite daunting, and that some people are worried about their age, sex or even nationality being a barrier to training. So if you are nervous don't worry, as our instructors specialise in gentle coaching. Using a series of gradually increasing steps in carefully selected training areas to build up driving experience, confidence and road-craft until you are ready to attempt the driving test.
If English is not your first language do not worry, as all our instructors here at Surviving Driving specialise in coaching students whose first language is not English. We offer multi-lingual support and are very skilled in communicating to limited English drivers. Our instructors will keep jargon to a minimum, yet as the test is conducted in English, the lessons will be in English so that you understand all the relevant terms that an examiner might ask of you on your test. We also use a number of different teaching aids, from diagrams and photographs, to plan drawings and demonstration drives. It is even possible for us to sit in on your practical driving test, even though we can not interfere with the test in any way, we can listen to the examiners debrief, and explain any relevant points.