Learning to drive is both one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in your life, offering a degree of freedom that public transport simply doesn’t offer. But for many new learners, it’s also extremely nerve wracking getting to grips with the rules of the road and knowing what to expect before your first lesson can help put your mind at ease.
At Aram Driving School, we offer driving lessons throughout East London and we understand the importance of making sure your first lesson is handled with care. That’s why our team has come together to create this helpful guide to lay out what you should expect on your first driving lesson – not just with Aram Driving School, but with any reputable driving instructor.
What You Need Before Your First Driving Lesson
There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding what you need to be prepared for your first driving lesson. The most important thing you need is your provisional driving licence – which you need to apply for online. Without it, you cannot drive at all. We recommend not booking a lesson until you have physically received your provisional licence as there could be issues that slow down post or your application.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have passed your theory test before you can take practical driving lessons. In fact, we wholeheartedly recommend having a few lessons before booking your theory, as many of our learners remember more information and learn to recognise hazards better once they have actually been out on the road a few times. As long as your theory test is passed before your driving test, you can put that concern aside.
Finally, consider whether or not this is truly the right time to begin driving lessons. As a lot of new learners are fairly young, money can sometimes be an issue and it’s important to be consistent with your driving lessons to make the most of your money and learning. Stopping and starting lessons can lead to slower progress and more spending over a longer period. With those points covered, let’s explore some of the basics that will be covered during your first driving lesson.
Moving Off
Getting started on the road means learning how to actually navigate your vehicle. In your first lesson, you will learn how to start your engine, how to check for hazards, and how to move off, which is done on a quiet estate with not a lot of traffic. These techniques differ between manual and automatic vehicles – of which we offer both types of driving lessons, but with manual you will also learn how to change gears and use the clutch.
Getting a Feel For It
Once you have effectively moved off, one of our expert driving instructors will guide you through the quiet estate. Learner cars come equipped with dual controls, so you don’t have to worry about being a perfect driver. Your instructor will be able to jump in at any time to take over should you need help while navigating the roads, so you can focus completely on getting used to how the vehicle feels.
Stopping and Starting
Now that you’ve learned how to move off, another basic thing every learner should know is how to safely stop. On your first lesson, don’t be surprised if you stall while getting used to stopping and starting, it’s all part of the process and getting used to handling the vehicle itself. If you stall, safely and calmly restart the vehicle and move off again, your instructor will jump in if you need help.
Important Checks
Finally, your instructor will go over the checks you should be doing while driving, including mirror checks, looking over the shoulder when moving lanes, and hazard checks when turning corners. These are essential skills you will need to learn as it keeps you and other road users safe, and failure to take these checks into consideration can lead to failing your driving test later down the line.
Get in touch with Aram Driving School to arrange your first lesson now!
Whether you’re interested in automatic or manual driving lessons, the team at Aram Driving School are here to help! We offer driving lessons throughout East London, including in Romford, Dagenham, Barking, Goodmayes, Ilford, and more! Our instructors are experts when it comes to helping our learners get confident and capable on the road, so reach out today to secure your slot with our team!
