Driving Lessons in Edgware

Your complete guide to driving lessons and learning to drive in Edgware

How to choose a driving instructor in Edgware

When looking for a driving instructor in Edgware, make sure you find someone you deserve! Your driving instructor should be someone who:

  • Encourages you
  • Makes learning fun
  • Won’t rip you off!

To make sure you find yourself the perfect driving instructor in Edgware, follow these tips

1. Compare reviews

When you start looking for driving lessons in Edgware, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices! To help make the process easier, make sure you have a look at the reviews for the driving schools in Edgware you are considering.

2. Beware of terms and conditions

It’s important to check out the terms and conditions before purchasing any hours. Some driving schools in Edgware make their terms and conditions quite difficult to find, and their refund policies even harder! We recommend making sure that you know exactly what your driving school is offering before paying to avoid any difficult situations.

3. Check that you can switch your instructors

There is a chance that you won’t like the first instructor you find, and that’s okay! What’s not okay is finding out that the driving school you’re with can’t find you a new instructor. We recommend making sure that the driving school in Edgware you pick is able to find you new instructors at no extra cost.

4. Avoid long waiting lists

If you’re excited to start learning how to drive, and want to get started with no delay, make sure you keep an eye out for pesky waiting lists. Some driving schools in Edgware can have waiting lists that are months long, so it’s important that you know whether the school you pick has enough availability before you purchase your hours.

Tips for learning to drive in Edgware

In order to make sure you’re definitely test ready, practising outside of lessons is key! In fact, the DVSA suggests you do at least 22 hours of practise outside of your lessons to make sure you’re in the best position to take your test.

To help you out with this, we have asked local driving instructors in Edgware for their advice on where’s best to practise.

  • Hale Lane: On Hale Lane you’ll find a few really great roundabouts to practise on. The roundabouts here aren’t too busy, so you can allow yourself time to get your head around them without the pressure of busy traffic. After practising on the Heather Walk roundabout, drive on down toward the Penshurst Garden roundabout for a slightly bigger challenge. Once you’re feeling confident on those, you’ll be driving round the big roundabouts in no time!

  • Francklyn gardens: Local driving instructors in Edgware suggest Francklyn Gardens as a great place to practise pedestrian awareness and parallel parking. With wide streets combined with the quiet area, Francklyn Gardens provides a perfect spot to focus on your manoeuvres and MSM/PSL.

  • Barnet way/ A1: Barnet way is a great place to do some nearby A road driving practice. Local instructors love to take learners down here as it’s a great place to start focusing on gear changes. While busy traffic can provide good opportunities for clutch control, on Barnet Way you will find yourself changing gears above third and this will really help with understanding how the vehicle works holistically.

  • Taunton way: Taunton way is a bustling road with plenty of opportunities to improve your hazard awareness. Driving instructors in Edgware find that this is a great place to take learners when it’s time to learn road markings. Head down this street and remember to think ahead and stay aware of your surroundings to really nail it!

  • Station way: Part of learning to drive in London is getting used to traffic. Station Way is a perfect place to start getting a feel for this. As a main road, there are plenty of road markings and traffic lights which are important to take into account when it comes to practising road awareness and clutch control. Our driving instructors in Edgware recommend heading over late morning or early afternoon to avoid busy times for optimal practice times.

Choosing your test centre

When you’re test ready, your driving instructor in Edgware will help you pick the test centre best suited for the both of you. Once you’ve picked, you can start getting used to the routes and areas nearby so you’re totally prepared for the big day!

Test centre pass rates

Hendon
42.1%
Mill Hill
41.1%
Greenford (Whitton Ave East)
38.2%
Greenford (London)
37.6%

DVSA practical car test pass rates, 2018-19.

Hendon Test Centre | Pass rate: 42.1%

Hendon Test Centre has a high pass rate for a London test centre, although it’s still below the national average of 45.7%. While the test centre is located in a quiet area, don’t let that fool you! You can expect to find some busy roads and urban areas on a test here.

Address: 3 Aviation Drive, Beaufort Park, Hendon, Greater London, NW9 5TZ

Mill Hill Test Centre | Pass rate: 41.1%

You’ll find Mill Hill Test Centre just a stone’s throw away from the M1. Although you won’t get examined on the motorway, be prepared to be examined on both main roads and quieter streets. You’ll find that Mill Hill Test Centre generally has fairly quiet test routes, but you should still keep an eye out for potential hazards!

Address: Unit 9, Grannard Business Centre, Bunns Lane, Mill Hill, Greater London, NW7 2DQ

Greenford (Whitton Ave East) Test Centre | Pass rate: 38.2%

It’s important to note that if you book your test at Greenford Test Centre that there are no waiting facilities, parking or toilets. So if you choose to do your test here, come prepared and no more than 10 minutes early. You’ll find space to park on Sherwood Avenue nearby.

Address: 8th Greenford Scout Group The Lodge, Whitton Avenue East, Greenford, Greater London, UB6 0JU

Greenford (London) Test Centre | Pass rate: 37.6%

As if one Greenford Test Centre wasn’t enough, you’ll find another one just around the corner. Again, with limited facilities you won’t want to show up more than 10 minutes early. Greenford is situated near the bustling A4127, so you’ll find on the test you’ll have to manage driving on both busy streets and quieter residential areas.

Address: 96 Horsenden Lane North, Greenford, Greater London, UB6 7QH

To see a full list of test centres near you, go to the DVSA website.

Test tips from driving instructors in Edgware

Here are some handy tips from driving instructors in Edgware to prepare for the big day.

1. Check out the available parking

One of the key things driving instructors in Edgware suggest is to research the parking before your test day. Lots of test centres local to Edgware have limited facilities, so it’s important to research the location of your test centre before the big day so you don’t run into last-minute stress. But don’t worry too much! If your driving instructor is taking you to your test, they’ll be familiar with good places to park.

2. Have a lesson before

Having a short lesson (no more than one hour) prior to your test is the best way to calm your nerves, according to local driving instructors in Edgware. Consider it like a warm up before the test, a chance to go through any last minute manoeuvres and ease those test day nerves. Just remember, this lesson isn’t the time to learn anything new, just to refresh yourself on the basics.

3. Check your mirrors!

Common among most test centres based in the city, your test route will be going through urban areas with lots of people. This means that examiners have a keen eye making sure you’re checking your mirrors regularly, especially when performing manoeuvres. However, make sure you don’t fall into the habit of checking without looking, the point of checking is to be safe! Not just to pass your test.

Choosing between manual and automatic

One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make when you decide to start learning to drive, is what transmission you want to learn in. You have the choice of either having manual or automatic driving lessons.

If you see yourself jumping on the M1 regularly for adventures, you may prefer to drive a manual transmission, as manual cars tend to give the driver a better sense of control over the vehicle. However, an automatic car may better suit driving in Edgware as they are easier to drive, especially in the city.

Another thing to consider when deciding your transmission is cost. On the one hand, manual lessons are cheaper, but if you decide to have automatic driving lessons you could end up passing faster as they are considered easier to drive.

A definite benefit to driving manual, is that once you pass your test you are licensed to drive both manual and automatic cars. However, an automatic licence will only let you drive an automatic car. Make sure you consider which cars you’ll likely be driving in the future before you make your decision!

Driving lessons in Edgware

Some popular areas to learn to drive in Edgware are:

Alperton, Barnet, Belmont, Brent, Burnt Oak, Canons Park, Ealing, Harrow on the Hill, Harrow, Hillingdon, Kenton, Mill Hill, North Harrow, Northwick Park, Northwood, Pinner, Queensbury, Rayners Lane, Ruislip, Stanmore, Sudbury, Wealdstone and Wembley.