How long did it take your teenagers to learn to drive?

[LarkDescending]

DD is newly 17 and starting practical driving lessons (manual) in the next couple of weeks. She has already passed her theory test just after her birthday, and has had a couple of hours’ professional tuition with Young Driver before she turned 17, which she enjoyed and seemed to do well at.

The plan is that she will start with a 2-hour lesson, straight after school, one day a week. Once her instructor says she is ready for practice with us then obviously we will do that too.

We have booked a local test date just so that she is in the system, but it’s almost certainly too soon (Jan 2025) so will need to be rescheduled in due course. We are in London where, like in much of the country, test dates are hard to come by.

Any thoughts on when she’s realistically likely to be looking at being ready for a test? I know it’s a bit of a “piece of string” question but would welcome your wisdom!

Don’t book outside of London, she needs to be where she is familiar with. It isn’t more difficult to pass in London than anywhere else if you’re familiar with the area and have had enough practice. It took both of mine about a year from starting to passing, which isn’t bad going as they were both learning during lockdowns and the lessons were stop start stop start. In the end we bought them a Toyota Aygo of their own and DH took them out every day, this is what made the difference, they passed easily once they’d actually got the test through. So glad they did as it seems much harder to get tests now. I’d say if she’s got a car to practice in with you, January isn’t too soon at all.

Both my DS’s passed second test, so did around 30 hours learning each, in the end. If you can get in 2 hours each week, then keep the January test. They both failed on silly things, so were better prepared by the time of the second test.

9 months.

Lessons once a week going to two after a couple of months.

We also took her our regularly

About 10 months but lockdown made it longer.

I took 7 months , failed my first test after about 5 to 6 months.

The driving instructor, if they have one - usually have good idea when they're ready.

Agree route familiarity is important.

DC1 started lessons at 17 and finally passed after 9 tests and £££££'s spent on lessons, a car, insurance at 24.

Hard to say. Dh took ds to a big empty place and taught him all the basics, clutch control, parking. Then he drove on the roads, hill starts. Then took a few lessons, whilst still driving with Dh and also me quite a bit weekly, and we looked up all the test routes and drove those. Got a test. Instructor said he was ready. He was quite quick, only took a few months.

DD started learning in mid May, was forced to take a 6 week break between Sept/Oct due to spinal surgery but still managed to pass first time in early December. 1 hour per week with a very good driving instructor, no private practice as we didn’t have a car suitable for her to drive at that point.

Around 5 months of weekly tuition. I also bought her a few more lessons after she had passed her test to solidify things and do motorways, work on confidence, perfect her parking etc.

Ds had lessons with Young Driver several times so knew how to bite point the car and change gear, park, reverse etc. What helped was watching YouTube videos by driving instructors on clutch control, hill starts etc so understanding the car. The same online instructors also talk over mock tests so understanding lane discipline and meeting situations. Watching dash cam compilations to know what to watch out for and what mistakes drivers who have passed their tests are making all the time and luckily just near misses caught on dash cam, it makes you wonder how many people do this and are not caught on dash cam.

Ds was driving in my car after 14 hours of lessons, each lesson was 2 hours long. He was doing 2 a week minimum. His driving instructor made that decision that he was safe enough without dual control. Because of test wait times he probably did about 45 hours (which is the recommended amount) but he also drove my car for hundreds of miles, practised shitty blind junctions in our local area, massive 5 lane roundabouts and anything that we thought would help him navigate the roads. Lots can be learned online from driving instructors which help them for free.

My DD has failed her theory 4 times and had 9 months of lessons but couldn't grasp it at all. We have had to stop lessons as we can't afford it anymore and the first driving instructor told her she was a lost cause and the second one said he had never come across anyone that had no idea before!! DH refuses to take her out as he says she is a liability. Funnily enough I had 300 plus lessons over about 2 years but my dad just kept paying until i finally passed the test. Money completely wasted because I went out once after passing my test and felt so overwhelmed I didn't get back in a driving seat since.

All her friends have passed first time after about 6 months of lessons. Don't know why we can't do it - I think she may try again when she can afford it but has lost her confidence really - she perhaps needs an instructor who may be believes in her a bit more but my instructor phoned my parents and told them i was a lost cause. Or we just both need to except that we can't drive !!!!

18 months and counting, but he started in his first year at uni and could only have lessons and practice in the holidays, this year he has been working a lot over summer and hasn’t had a lesson every week. He is dyspraxic which really doesn’t help, even with learning in an auto. He practices with me and is pretty good on the open road but still struggles with manoeuvres.

I’m a driving instructor.

It really is a piece of string question,I’ve got an absolute superstar at the moment who if she can get a test will easily pass under 20 hours of tuition. She’s at 12 hours now and I reckon she could do it even with that. She driving most nights with her parents and they are literally taking her everywhere and she’s 100% committed. If we could grab a test fast I’d have no hesitation in taking her.

I have another lovely learner who is neurodiverse and will take probably double the average amount. It is going to take her way longer. It just takes longer to coordinate all that she needs to do, we will get there though.

Average amount of hours is 45 with additional practice outside lessons, to give you an idea for a middling student.

What you can do to help is to get your child interested in driving. If they’re watching what you do and they’re great at theory then they’ll be faster.

All 3 of mine took between a year and eighteen months