Driving Lessons - What order do i do things in?

[palfreyman18]

Hey everyone.

I am going to start driving soon and i was wondering what order to do things in e.g. Sending application for a licence , choosing the driving school, buying a car, buying insurance etc.

Thanks in advance

Palfreyman18

[Sammy Snake]

Well the first thing I would do is send for your provisional license.  I don't know how long these take (it is a while since I learned to drive!!), there may be a few weeks before you get it.

While you are waiting for this you could choose a driving school.  Ask your friends for their experiences and who they have used, ring around for prices and then when you've decided, book some lessons.

As for the other two parts, obviously until you've got a car you don't need insurance. Saying that, the cost of the insurance could be a factor in what type of car you choose.  If you have a model in mind, ring around a few insurance companies for a quote and get an idea of how much it may cost you. 

Personally I didn't buy a car until after I had passed my test but then my dad was very good and let me practice in his. So really, buying a car before or after your test depends on whether you have someone who will take you out in their car to practice in.  Or if you buy one first, have you got someone who is old enough to sit in it with you while you drive it?  There is no point buying a car first if it will sit in the driveway for 12mths unused until you pass your test.

[morg_monster]

Apply for provisional licence first. You can do that a couple of months in advance I think. Then start asking around about driving schools; word of mouth in the local area is definitely the way to go I think. Book your first few lessons at least a fortnight in advance of the first one, preferably even a month as the most popular will be very busy, especially if you can only do lessons after school or college.
Only after you've started learning would I start looking for a car. Once you've got an idea of what car you are going to get and how much you're going to spend then start looking for the best insurance deals. I don't think you can be the primary driver on an insurance policy if you haven't passed your test yet so there's no real point buying a car until you have passed. (I'm sure someone will correct me if this is wrong.)

[milly143]

Without being picky, you can be the primary driver on your insurance if you are a learner but you need to do your homework. If you insure your car as a learner it will cost a small fortune and you need to make sure that you know how much excess you will pay. Most companies will add something like a �500 young persons/new drivers excess on top of your selected amount.

[Grunty]

I agree that recommendation is the best way to choose a driving schol.  Another is to see how the car is driven when there is only one person in it.

[palfreyman18]

Ok now i know what i am doing and the order i do things in. Thanks everyone for your help!!

[L-Trainer]

Don't know if I'm allowed to advertise websites here...  but it isn't my site, if that helps!

An excellent site for Learner Drivers is at www.2pass.co.uk

There is also a fantastic forum for all these types of question...

[PaulNixon7]

If you start driving soon and looking for the process of purchasing car, license, and insurance. As I also start driving before sometime. According to me, this is the best order for doing this:-
1. Choosing the driving school.
2. Buying a car.
3. Buying an insurance.
4. Send application for the license.
As I hired an instructor from Andy1st driving school, they helped me a lot and provide the best tips for doing all of these easily. You can also contact them at https://www.andy1st.co.uk They also provide some videos through which you can learn driving easily.

[bhg481]

Just bear in mind when you buy your car insurance that you MUST be honest and say that you are the main driver. If you do get the car before you pass your test and will be practising driving with a friend/relative, that person will legally be in charge of the car so the car insurance MUST cover him to drive it. Not only that the qualified driver must be sober, not under the influence of drugs or use a cellphone etc whilst they are supervising you.