Author Archives: bevmin

The Common Mistakes That New Drivers Make

When you pass your test and become a new driver, there are some mistakes that you may make. Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important to identify them and learn from them; for your safety and everyone else’s too. Here at Beverly Slater, we’re dedicated to providing our students with the right skills they need during their driving lessons. If you’re a new driver looking for some guidance on how to prevent mistakes from happening, keep reading.

We understand that not all learner drivers make these mistakes, but it’s important to be aware of the most common errors that drivers, especially new, make. This way you can pay more attention to them and become more aware.

Speeding

Speeding is a very common mistake that drivers of varied experiences make. Many new drivers may be unfamiliar with the limits of their cars, and may accidentally exceed the speed limit which could lead to accidents and of course, speeding tickets. This is why it’s very important to pay attention to your speed at all times, never allow yourself to go over the limit as it can result in dangerous outcomes.

Ignoring road signs

Those with less experience driving tend to disregard some road signs, which can also lead to dangerous outcomes! If you’re unsure of what some road signs mean, or you’ve forgotten, it’s important to re-educate yourself. Alternatively, if it’s been a while since you’ve passed your test, but you have only now got round to driving, our refresher lessons could really benefit you. We can go over everything you may have forgotten, and boost your confidence on the road.

Not checking mirrors

When driving, it’s very important to always check your mirrors, especially when changing lanes or merging. Some newbie drivers may forget the appropriate times to check their mirrors, which can be very dangerous. As a new driver, it’s important to remember to check your mirrors whilst driving.

Not adjusting to weather conditions

New drivers have much less experience on the road, and are used to driving in normal conditions. This means they may not know how to adjust their driving habits for the heavy rain downfall, snow, ice, and fog. At Beverly Slater, we offer just the thing to combat this. Our pass plus course is designed to help not just new drivers, but drivers who aren’t confident in certain situations get over their fears.

Our pass plus driving instructors can help you become much more confident at navigating the roads in adverse weather conditions. For more information feel free to contact our team anytime.

How to Handle Driving Test Nerves: Tips To Stay Calm

For many aspiring drivers, the final driving test can be an anxiety-inducing experience, causing nerves to take the wheel during this crucial assessment of skill! But for others, they breeze by seemingly fine. If you’re nervous for your driving test, then just know that this is completely normal. The important thing is you don’t let these nerves take over and disrupt your test. If you’re worried that this may be the case for you, then keep reading. We’re here to share with you some tricks and tips that may help you feel cool, calm, and collected during your test.

Prepare and practice

When it comes to your driving test, the more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel. Preparation is key to combating the nerves and feeling confident in your abilities. You should practise driving outside of your lessons, with a licensed driver surprising you and guiding you through. This extra practice can really set you up for success and allow you to feel much more calm when taking your driving test.

Arrive early

When you’re feeling nervous for a driving test, exam, presentation, or anything along these lines, it’s always best to arrive early. Showing up early gives you a little time before your driving test to take some deep breaths and mentally prepare yourself. You don’t want the unnecessary stress of being late to add to your nerves!

Take some deep breaths

Before your test you should practise some deep breathing techniques to help calm you down before you start. Deep breaths can help calm your nerves, reduce anxiety, and regulate your breathing. Feeling calm before you get behind the wheel is important.

Think positively

Another important thing to do before your driving test is to think positively and replace your negative thoughts with swift positive affirmations.You should remind yourself of how hard you’ve practised, your driving skills and capabilities, and that you can pass your test if you put your mind to it!

Remember that it’s okay to be nervous

As mentioned before, nerves are a normal and natural part of your driving test. Understanding that you’re nervous and accepting this can help you manage those feelings much better.

Remembering these tips before you start your test should help you remain calm and set you up for success. Remember, if you do not pass the first time, take it as a learning curve and stay positive. You can do this, good luck!

3 Reasons to Start Your Driving Lessons Early

Starting your driving lessons is an incredibly exciting time in a young person’s life. If you’re on the younger side of life and haven’t yet started your lessons, but you’re thinking about it, keep reading. This blog post is about the benefits of starting your driving lessons the younger you are in age. Although there is no upper age limit on driving, we encourage everyone to learn this valuable skill, however, here is why starting earlier is very beneficial.

Here are 3 reasons as to why you should start your driving lessons now if driving is a goal of yours that you want to accomplish.

1. There’s no time like the present

Now really is the best time to begin your driving journey. The younger you are (provided you are at least 17 of course), the bigger advantage you have in picking up this skill quickly and easily. This is because younger people are usually less fearful of getting behind the wheel, and typically have much more confidence than their older counterparts.

Like learning a language, picking up a skill like driving is increasingly easier the younger you are! So there really is no time like the present to start learning how to drive. Our team of experienced driving instructors are located around parts of Greater Manchester to help teach you everything you need to know to pass your driving test.

2. Have a skill for life

Starting to drive earlier also means you gain valuable experience from a young age, meaning you only become better over time. Being an excellent driver is a very valuable life skill that will serve you well into the future. It’s a skill you will have and benefit from, for life!

The earlier you learn to drive, the sooner you can take yourself to new places, take your friends and family out or drive them to where they need to be. Starting your driving lessons early means you gain a new sense of confidence and freedom from a young age. And this brings us on to our final point…

3. Gain a new sense of freedom earlier

There’s no doubt that learning to drive at any age gives a lot more freedom. You suddenly aren’t restricted to relying on public transport or taxi services. You can drive wherever you want at any hour of the day/night. As a younger person, this new skill can bring you freedom like you’ve never known it before!

If you’re interested in beginning your driving lessons then contact our friendly team today, who can help you achieve this goal.

Learning To Drive When You’re Older: What Do You Need to Know?

One of the more frequent questions we get asked here at Beverly Slater is how old is too old to start learning how to drive? The answer is, you’re never too old! That’s right, anyone in the UK can start learning to drive no matter what age you are. Although, if you do have a driving licence, then you will have to renew it every 3 years once you get to the age of 70. Other than that, there aren’t many upper age limits on driving.

In this blog post, we will be discussing what you need to know about being an older learner driver, and addressing the issues surrounding it.

Why do people learn to drive when they’re older?

There are a variety of reasons as to why older people decide to learn how to drive. Some of the main reasons why not everyone learns to drive at 17 is because of the cost, the time, and the anxiety. Some people are very nervous in their late teens/early twenties, and they feel as though they should wait before they take the leap into starting their driving lessons. Other people can’t afford driving lessons and buying a car just yet. And for others, it simply isn’t a priority in their life right now, until one day it is.

When you’re older, you make more life changing decisions which result in needing to change how you do things. If you move to a more rural area, or start a new job, then you may need to start driving.

Is it more difficult for older people to learn to drive?

Unfortunately, yes. It is a little harder for older people to pass their driving test than their younger counterparts. However, this shouldn’t put you off trying. Here at Beverly Slater, our professional and friendly team of driving instructors are dedicated to teaching you what you need to know to pass your test, and will help you every step along the way. We teach students of all ages, varying from 17, 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond.

If you’re passionate about learning to drive, and you’re of an older age, we can help you. We teach in a number of South Greater Manchester locations such as Didsbury, Cheadle Hulme, Wilmslow, Knutsford, and more. If you’re interested in learning to drive no matter what your age, contact our team today.