Learning to drive when older

[BeenChangedForGood]

I’m well aware this is a “how long is a piece of string” question but just looking to see if there’s a rough ballpark to be honest…

How many hours of paid tuition did you have before passing your test?

I’m in my 30s and I’m just about to finally begin driving lessons after many failed attempts to start over the years. It’s painfully expensive and not something that’s easy to afford in our family budget but I know it will benefit us hugely in the long run so I’m trying to make it work.

I don’t have the opportunity of any practice with anyone else outwith paid lessons.

Obviously everyone is different and it will vary massively but hoping there might at least be an average ballpark number of hours that I can expect to need to try and find the budget for 🫠

I think the average is about 60 hours of driving to pass test. I have had one child pass and one learning and nearly but not quite test ready and I'd say thats about right.

Obviously some will take to it easily and pass much quicker.

Congratulations getting going again! I just learned and passed at the tender age of 39. I had a hard deadline because we were relocating which helped motivate me. I think I had 20 lessons (8 with a rubbish instructor, then 12 with an excellent one) , plus regular practice with family members in between, and then I did another lesson on the morning of the test which was really helpful. Passed first time! It will change your life. Best thing I've ever done. My advice: ask around for someone who has helped another mature driver pass their test so you're not wasting time with somebody crap.

I started learning at 37 and needed 60 hours

I passed my test at 34 after 14 months of 2 hour lessons per week. That's a give or take number - I had the odd week off if I was on holiday, or my instructor was on holiday, plus a couple of weeks break when I had to get a new instructor. So all in all, It probably could have been a year. I passed first time. I did have to book my test a very long time in advance as it was so hard to get one, so who knows, maybe it would've taken less hours if I could have got a test sooner!
Honestly, it will be the best thing you ever do, I don't know how we ever managed without me driving now! I just absolutely love it. Good luck with it!

No advice, OP, but here to benefit from other people's wisdom. And am much older than you, and have a complete phobia of it.

Good luck with it all!

I learned at 49, in an automatic. I did a 30 hour intense course, 3 hours a day for 10 days. I'd really recommend doing it that way if you can, weekly you just lose momentum if can't have any practice inbetween

I learned and passed in my 30s. I think I had about 20 hours.

@pinkpedi Intensive would be ideal but it’s just not possible with work/childcare. I’ve been waiting a year to get the only timeslot that I can manage 🥲

I learned in my 30s and it definitely took a while but I'm a confident driver now. I'm slightly worried about my brother who is mid40s but can't find any instructors to teach around his working pattern... maybe I'll suggest this, if he can manage it with work and childcare... when did you do the theory test?

I also learnt in my 30s - I did about 30 hours paid lessons, mostly in 2 hours blocks and then did a lot of practice with DH. I passed first time.

Thank you all so much ☺️ I know it’ll make a huge difference to our lives. Fingers crossed things go well and I can get through it quickly 🤞🏼
Instructor seems fab and comes highly recommended by various ages!

Exactly same issue here with DB. Since covid all instructors are booked up and he can't even get on a waiting list. I'm worried he'll get too old to learn a new skill to the extent he needs to!

My children have learned to drive recently. There are driving instructors on YouTube you can learn a lot from about positioning, meeting situations, roundabouts etc. Off the top of my head, Conquer Driving, DGN, Clearview. My sons learned a lot before even getting into a car, Covid cause massive issues for my eldest being able to get lessons in the first place.

The instructors on YouTube also show mock tests with their students and narrate over the top what they do right and what they do incorrectly. This massively helps you understand. I would say Richard on Conquer Driving has the best videos on understanding things, perfect example

I learned in my 30s and it took 7 weeks but I was having 2 x 2hr lessons per week. So 30hrs total as I had a final 2hr lesson which was 1hr of driving and then my test.

Passed first time with no minors.

I passed my test this year and I was 47.
It took me about 7 months doing an hour and a half lesson a week.
There were a few lessons missed because my instructor was ill and over Christmas.
I didn't have anyone to practice with in between lessons either.

Well done for giving it a go. Good luck!

I didn’t do my driving till I was 34, I had 40 hours of professional lessons but I did all the driving at home like to the supermarket or days out with my fiance sat beside me with L plates on aswell and I passed first time. It’s very expensive though 😬

I passed in my mid-30s, first time, but in the early-90s. About 35-ish lessons. I had no other lessons.

What made the difference for me was I'd been cycling for some years in London by then so was far more confident on the road.

Good luck, OP.

I had fifty hours of lessons when I was 17/18, but failed my test three times and gave up. I started learning again when I was 38, had about 30 hours of lessons and passed first time. (Well, fourth, but I don’t count the three I did as a teen!)

I was 35 and hadn't had any lessons, 8 weeks post partum and very sleep deprived 😅 like you I didn't have anyone to practise with outside of lessons, I'd say I spent about £700-£900 on lessons. I started in October and passed 1st time in February doing one 2 hour lesson a week on a Sunday and then in the week of my test did an extra few.

Some might do less hours, for me it was completely unknown as I was I'm London before but moved rurally so really needed to drive. I found YouTube videos really helpful to supplement my knowledge around the lessons. Conquer driving YouTube channel was ace.

Try not to let aiming for first time pass to save money worry you, I found it helped me focus as we were on a tight budget being on maternity leave.

I learnt when i was 30, about 4 months of 2 hour lessons a fortnight but my DP bought me a car and got me to drive us everywhere at the same time so I had a lot of practice. Best thing i ever did.

I failed 3 tes ts in my 20s/30s Started again at 55 and passed after 3 months of lessons in a manual car

I had 4 hours of lessons and passed first time. People didn’t do so many hours of lessons back when I was learning. Less traffic on the roads I guess! I didn’t practice at all as I had no car available to practice in.

Passed at 41.took me a year.

I passed at 37. It took me almost 2 years with lockdown and not finding it easy. It’s very difficult to get a test now also. I have a manual licence. I know most cars will be electric/automatic going forward but I’m glad I didn’t limit myself.

I learned in my early 30s and it took about 18 months of lessons most weeks. I was terrified of driving and found it incredibly hard. I did have a couple of breaks, but basically 18 months. Passed third time.

What I should have done is given up on the manual license and learned in an automatic. I never felt comfortable driving a manual even after I passed, but am happy driving an automatic.