Pelican
School of Motoring

I have an International Driving Licence. What do I do?
An international licence is valid for a year from when you come into this country. However, you cannot take your theory or practical tests without a UK provisional licence so you should apply for this as soon as you start taking lessons.

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What is Pass Plus?
Statistics show that new drivers are more likely to have an accident in the first two years of passing their test than at any other time in their driving career. In the first year of driving, one driver in five is involved in an accident. This is mainly down to a lack of driving experience, and this is where Pass Plus comes in.

Very often serious accidents occur when one driver makes a dangerous error and the other road users have not been paying attention, and have been caught by total surprise. An accident may well be someone else’s fault, but you can still be the person that is hurt.

If you had been driving defensively, with a margin for error, it may have been a near miss, or a less severe accident. Pass Plus is a training course specifically aimed at new drivers, designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA)with the help of insurers and the driving instruction industry.

Pass Plus will build upon your existing skills and knowledge, will teach you how to anticipate, plan for and deal with all kinds of hazards, and can help you to become more confident on the roads. A Pass Plus certificate will usually qualify you for cheaper insurance too, sometimes to the extent of covering the cost of the course.

Pass Plus is made up of six practical modules which include driving:

• in town
• in all weather conditions
• on rural roads
• at night
• on dual carriageways
• on motorways.

Anyone who holds a full UK licence is eligible to take part in the scheme.

It is a DSA requirement that the course must be for a minimum of six hours, but fortunately you will not have to take a test at the end of it! In addition, if you learned to drive with Pelican, then you will qualify for a £2 per hour discount, saving you a total of £12 over a six hour course.

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Why do most new drivers take driving lessons with an Instructor?
Recent surveys indicate that nine in ten learners who passed both theory and practical tests first time were taught by an instructor. A fully qualified approved driving instructor (ADI) must display a green certificate on the windscreen of the car while teaching you. Also it is risky teaching a new driver in a vehicle not fitted with dual controls. Driving instructors have these fitted in their cars as a requirement of their insurance. The learner may then be allowed to make mistakes without endangering themselves or others and they may drive in traffic without disturbing other road users. Driving Instructors have passed examinations and are periodically assessed and graded.

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Does an Instructor know how good he is?
Good driving instructors like to prove their abilities by taking additional driving qualifications and achieving successful driving test results for their students. Each year Instructors receive analysis of the faults committed by their candidates and a comparison of their pass rate with others in their profession. The Instructor may then know if he is achieving his objectives and indicates where improvements may be made in his tuition. This is a confidential document so that Driving Instructors are not pressurised into taking on only easy people to teach. He is also graded from time to time by a supervising examiner. It is very useful to the Instructor who has an independent professional judging his abilities.

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What cars do you use for your tuition?
We use Vauxhall Corsas, which have 'He-Man' dual controls, ABS, power steering and fully adjustable drivers' seats, making the cars suitable for most heights of driver.

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Do you do motorway lessons?
Yes. We are also Pass Plus registered for their advanced courses which will give you advanced driving experience, and can help reduce your insurance premiums.

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Will you help me with the Theory / Hazard Perception Test?
Yes. We can give help and advice during practical lessons and we can obviously discuss any problems that you find along the way. The theory and practical sides of driving are taught side-by-side. If required, separate theory-based lessons can be arranged.

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How do I know when I am ready for my driving test?
You will be ready for the test when you show that you have reached the standards set in The Official Driving Test. Learners who pass first time do so because they have been well instructed. They pass because they wait until they are ready. We have the knowledge and experience to advise you when this is. It is our responsibility to ensure that you are capable and safe to drive independently, without supervision. If you book your test without our prior agreement, we may not be able to take you for your test as we may already have a previous booking or another test arranged.

Nationally, most people fail their driving test first time. The pass rate for the practical car test is 43%, and for first time candidates it's even lower. The reason for such a low success rate is because candidates are not properly prepared. (Our pass rate is currently 72%).  You must be able to drive consistently well, with confidence and without help or guidance from your instructor. If you can't then you are not ready for your test. If the examiner has to intervene then you will have failed the test. Those who pass have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training.

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