Hello,
a friend's daughter is afraid that she will never be a safe driver because she has failed her first driving test.
I'm sure I read somewhere that people who pass their test second time around have a lower subsequent accident rate than those who pass first time - does anyone know whether this is (or ever was) true ? I've had a pretty thorough trawl about online but haven't turned-up any accident stats set against number of driving tests taken.
I'd really appreciate any help anyone can give on this as it might help to restore her confidence.
Thanks
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PDP,
Take it from me that the quickest learners have the biggest accidents. The person who takes five tests and numerous lessons before they pass will have built up a sounder knowledge than the one who got it all quickly. The fast learners may look impressive, but their skills are only skin deep, whereas the student who finds everything difficult at first and takes a longer time will actually have built up a deeper understanding of car skills and roadcraft by the time they drive unsupervised. The best lessons are the hardest learned.
One of my young pupils passed his test first time in October after very few lessons, and within two weeks rolled his dad's Peugeot 406, fortunately walking away unhurt. I've seen that so many times over the years, and it is rarely the one's who struggled to learn involved.
Tell your friends daughter that in any case, Stirling Moss took a demonstration driving test at Hornchurch a few years ago and failed, so she is in good company.
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Thanks very much for that Tom, I'll pass on your message complete.
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PDP -
the arrow you keep in your quiver - for the moment -
is PASS PLUS.
I am sure that Tom would agree with that.
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I would indeed, Trevor. But while it remains voluntary the ones who would benifit the most don't take it.
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I really don't want to say this, because it's bound to tempt fate - but I failed my test first time around, and took a lot of lessons before passing second time around - and, so far (fingers crossed and touching wood and hoping fate isn't listening at the moment!) have not yet had an accident.
Watch here for my tomorrow's post on how I had my first accident!
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Sorry to confuse the issue, chaps and chapesses, but my former wife took several attempts to pass her test.
She then
Side-swiped a parked car (lack of space between said car and bus)
Did the classic rear-end-entering-the-roundabout-from-a-standing-start (car in front driven by minor celebrity)
Drove the car into a brick wall (said brick wall attached to own house)
Denied all knowledge of sundry small scratches/dents
Or are we just talking big shunts here?
We also lost her in Dovey forest at 3.30am, mid-November, then found her down a hole, 2 foot square, 7 feet deep, filled with 2 feet of water.
Does this count? (we were walking at the time).
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The person who takes five tests and numerous lessons before they pass will have built up a sounder knowledge than the one who got it all quickly.
Which might lead to a dangerous level of overconfidence, only removed after they cause their first accident.
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Other way round, GJD. The ones who had to slog appreciate the dangers, they've experienced most situations during training. Those who learn with the least effort are the ones who become overconfident, and unfortunately after that "first" accident the overconfidence joins them in the box.
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Other way round, GJD.
Not in my case it wasn't Tom. Maybe its unusual, but because I'd had loads more lessons than my mates, and got fewer minor faults in 6 tests (the 5 I failed were all on a single serious fault late in the test) than many of them did in one, I "knew" I was a far better driver. By remembering only the almost fault-free standard I'd managed for *most* (but not enough) of the test, and forgetting the serious faults, I convinced myself I was invulnerable. Only after causing a not very serious rear end shunt did I realise I wasn't.
I think it is because of this experience that I strongly believe that adopting the right attitude is the biggest single step you can take towards becoming a safer driver.
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Grrr. I cut-and-pasted my point into oblivion in that last post.
I think it is because of this experience that I strongly believe that adopting the right attitude is the biggest single step you can take towards becoming a safer driver.
What I meant to add was that there are exceptions to most generalisations. I think PDP's friend's daughter need not worry at all about failing her first test. Simply understanding that the test is the start, not the end, of learning will have far more bearing on how good a driver she is/becomes than the number of tests she takes.
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I am sorry but I have to disagree with the above. Both myself and Mrs Etchells passed first time, taking what I believe is the average number of lessons - an hour for each year of age. That we both passed first time probably makes us no better or worse than the person who takes four or five tries. There are too many variables involved, nerves, how strict the examiner is and even how good the driving instructor. I firmly believe that you learn more in a practical situation, so the belief that a shaky learner who has a 100 lessons under close supervision makes for a better driver than somebody who passes after 25 lessons and can then experience the road under their own tutelage, does not hold water IMHO.
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1) Practice makes perfect.
2) Once you've passed your test, you still continue learning until it's time for you to collect your bus pass.
Tell your friends daughter not to give up hope. Not sure how true this is, but I have heard that test centres have to fail a certain percentage of drivers daily anyway. Maybe she was just one of those unlucky percentage figures this time around.
ps, what did she fail on?
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Driving Examiners DO NOT have to fail a certain percentage of test candidates every day. A common complaint among examiners is that it can be difficult to find anyone good enough to pass on some days.
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Many thanks for your helpful posts. Paul, not *quite* the sort of feedback i was expecting, but it did crease me up! Dave, not sure what the failure point(s) were, but you will all be glad to hear that your posts have helped to give the young lady the confidence to get back behind the wheel and try again.
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PDP,
I passed my test on the first attempt - but shouldn't have. (Going to Mr X's driving school helped - he was the ex-chief traffic officer of the town.)
After that, it was a case of learn-as-you go, and after a few weeks of bravado, and some near scrapes, I started to realise my shortcomings.
I recently 'passed' again - during a journo's day out with the local traffic dept as part of an article I was writing.
Top of the Class - as well! (60% failure rate amongst those who have held a license for over 10 years. They told us what/where we went wrong - some of the stuff was downright criminal - no safety belt, no use of rearview mirrors, indicators, speeding, etc.)
A bit of an eye-opener for some - especially those who failed the eye test! Everybody else was "let off with a warning" - they were given a 7-days-to-retest. Some silly people claimed 4th estate immunity "f I wasn't invited here, you wouldn't have known!" - dumb $#%#$%^&'s!!!
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Never being a safe driver because you've failed your first driving test is just a lot of nonsense!
Passing a driving test is just simply the first step in a lifelong process of learning how to drive. It doesn't mean that you know all about how to drive; far from it!
Also, there are so many unaccountable variables that can happen during a driving test. My own teenage niece failed her first test a few years ago. She managed to get into the wrong lane to follow her examiners last instruction, something about another vehicle being in the way. I don't remember the exact details, but it was something on those lines.
Unfortunately for her, she couldn't get anyone to let her out, which would have allowed her to enter the correct lane, so she rightly failed. However, I also have to say that she was unlucky. Things could have been very different if other road users had responded differently.
So, amongst other factors, luck also pays a part in passing a driving test. As with any type of exam, don't give up!
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When I passed my test at 17 my dad told me something that I didn't believe at the time. He was, of course, right.
When you are 21 you will look back at the way you drove at 17 with horror. When you are 25 you will look back at the way you drove at 21 with horror.
The jist is that the learning process continues for a long time. When I am 30 I will let you know how I feel about my driving at the age of 25, but the early estimate is not good.
I passed my test first time and had 3 accidents in my first year (but none since). My other half passed her test third time and has never had a accident.
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I like that! It holds true as well. At 30 now, I can still remember things I got up to when I was 25 (involving falling asleep at the wheel, with fiancee already asleep in car)(missed lamp post by inches at 70mph), 21 (involving some truly frightening overtaking manoeuvres) and 17 (everything really, esp. T-boning the local vicar!)
And now I drive for a living...
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Good luck Dave :)
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Anyone remember the old saying:-
First you learn to pass your test.
Then you learn to drive properly.
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Me mum passed first time over 50 years ago. She reckons that the result was not unrelated to the fact that the previous candidate had driven into a shop window and the examiner was still visibly shaking after what had happened. She has had (to the best of my knowledge) no accidents of her own causing, though several people have shunted her while she was waiting to turn right.
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She has had (to the best of my knowledge) no accidents of her own causing, though several people have shunted her while she was waiting to turn right.
That'll be code for "She has a habit of purposefully edging forward then braking hard!".
;-)
(Don't tell her I said that!)
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
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>>That'll be code for "She has a habit of purposefully edging >>forward then braking hard!".
;-)
(Don't tell her I said that!)
Not sure but I don't think so.
But she did once reverse on a motorway in order to get to a missed exit. I almost wet meself.
(Don't tell her I said that!)
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You learn to drive properly IN ORDER to pass your test, and then you use the further experience you gain to become a better driver....or not, as is often the case.
Nothing more dangerous than an experienced fool.
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I'll let you know how good my driving is now, in 5 years' time when I can look back on it!!! Xo)
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