Learning how to drive does not only give you a sense of freedom, but it also makes you more responsible and can also transform your career life. However, most folks find the driving criteria a bit complicated with one of the common questions being, how long does it take to drive?
In your circle of friends, you’ll always have this person who claims they were able to drive perfectly after only three lessons, but that’s only an exception.
The DMV recommends all learners to have 50 hours minimum of supervised practice driving prior to taking a driving test, with a minimum of 15 hours of driving at night. Besides, while undergoing supervised practice driving, 10 hours should be used to drive in moderate or heavy traffic.
These, therefore, seem to be the number of hours you need to learn driving, at least from DMV’s perspective.
But it goes beyond that.
To answer the question how long does it take to drive, there are other factors that come into play:
A Driving Instructor Determines How Long It Takes to Drive
Almost every good driver you meet will sing praises of a particular driving school that trained him or her. In fact, most people prefer to learn from an instructor rather rely on family or friends.
And that makes sense for most adults because your relationships and friendships can be too valuable to engage them in something stressful like that. But, professional schools can give you an immeasurably better experience, as they focus on what you want or need to learn.
Thus, learning to drive from a neutral third party makes a huge difference because:
- Getting driving lessons from a family member or friend can be stressful. Besides, you risk inheriting bad driving habits, such as your cousin’s driving while texting behavior.
- A driving instructor is typically patient and calm, and can teach you safe driving techniques effectively.
- Most instructors will teach you to pass the driving test,and can customize the lessons for particular areas of interest, such as highway driving or parallel parking.
- Paying for driving lessons increases the chances that you’ll be committed to learn and follow through.
- Driving instructors have handled different students and turned even the most nervous people into the best and most confident drivers. So, you aren’t the worst they’ve taught yet.
Choosing Your Driving Instructor
There’s no shortage of companies and individuals ready to help you master driving a car. Here’s what you should keep in mind when choosing an instructor.
1. Qualifications
A driving instructor should have professional qualifications and be DMV-certified.
2. Reputation
You may want to find out from your friends and family about their driving trainers to establish whether the instructor is a good fit for you.
3. Reliability
If the instructor often shows up late, keeps canceling at a short notice or does something else that makes you question their reliability, you may want to switch instructors.
4. Do You Feel Confident Studying under the Instructor?
While undertaking your driving lessons, it’s crucial that you feel safe, confident and supported. Thus, if after a couple of lessons, you feel uncomfortable with your teacher, you probably want to learn under a different one.
Be sure to make the right choice as choosing a wrong instructor could cost you money and time. So, choose well and don’t forget to check out the reviews of the company or individual that’ll be training you.
How Long Does It Really Take to Learn to Drive?
The short answer is, it depends!
Driving, like any other professional skill, requires that we take adequate time to learn and practice. In other words, every person may require varying durations to master driving.
After selecting a suitable instructor for your needs, keep in mind that the following five factors determine how fast you learn to drive:
Factors That Determine How Fast You Learn To Drive
1. The Number of Lessons per Week
If you schedule your time accordingly, you’d have several lessons a week, as it’s a great investment. When, as a beginner, you’ve plenty of time between your lessons, you may have relearn most of the things again and again.
Thus, try to schedule at least 2 lessons per week for your first month. Afterward, once you are able to multi-task on your car, you can lower the number of lessons if you like.
2. How Much Driving Practice You Get
Once you’re a couple of weeks into driver education and after taking a theoretical driving test, you may want to talk to your trainer about the possibility of undergoing practical driving lessons. Most driving instructors have such lessons in place, you may not even need to ask.
Acquiring enough practice increases your odds of passing the driving test. Additionally, it means, you can control the car in various weather conditions.
Obviously, the more driving practice you acquire, the sooner you’ll become a proficient driver.
3. The Number of Road Situations You Encounter
Driving in different road or weather conditions will shape your driving skills considerably. As a result, you’ll be able to handle many situations in real life.
Not to mention, you’ll also encounter road works, school letting out, large trucks, heavy traffic, different road signs, and more. These are the things you’ll likely face after passing the driving test.
4. Your Level of Hazard Perception
The driving test is mostly about evaluating your ability to cope with various hazards with main element being safety.
This means your hazard perception should be excellent. Checking your mirrors, using signals, and keeping a safe distance with the vehicle in front of you, are some of the ways to keep yourself and other road users safe.
5. Your Highway Driving Knowledge
In your driver’s permit test, you’ll be asked many questions regarding the road rules, which may sound familiar but can be confusing during the actual test.
For instance, you may be asked to explain the meaning of a specific sign or how to react in a certain situation. Not answering any of these questions correctly could cost you.
That’s why it’s important to check out the driver’s manual and other apps or resources to help you revise most of these questions. You can also discuss the questions with fellow students or your instructor where necessary.
Once your highway driving knowledge is spot on, the question of how long does it take to drive won’t be a puzzle anymore.
Looking for an experienced, DMV-approved instructor walk you through driving lessons and help you to learn driving? Call us today at 718-576-6277 or shoot us a message and one of our associates will point you in the right direction.