Is The Time Right For You To Start Learning To Drive?

When I turned 17 I didn’t see the point in learning to drive, mainly because I didn’t need to. I went to college and had a part-time waitressing job within a stone’s throw of each another. However, I started university at the age of 18 and at the age of 19 decided to learn to drive over the summer; maybe the university independence got to my head or maybe I was just fed up of getting lifts from other people. After thinking about the pros and the cons I came to the conclusion that after I graduate I didn’t know where I would be, where I’d be working or what my lifestyle would be like, so I thought it would be a good idea to pass my test. That way I knew my driving licence was ready and waiting for when I needed it. It took me much longer than I expected to get my licence and after three tests I finally passed. Looking back, this was the right time for me to learn, as I was able to use the savings that I had accumulated from my part-time job – rather than delving even deeper into my overdraft after being a student for four years.

So if you are undecided on whether to start learning to drive now or leave it later, read on…

Learning to drive is a big commitment; so think carefully before you start. Make sure that you are aware of each step throughout learning to drive and how much time and money each one will cost you. It is common for some learners to underestimate the costs of learning to drive and as a result have to pause their learning and pick it up another time when funds are higher. However, having a break in-between practising can affect the speed of your learning and in turn, cost you more. So think strategically about whether now is the right time for you. You may also have to consider dependencies that may affect if it is the right time, for example, do you have a friend or family member who can supervise you and allow you to gain extra practice in their car? You might know someone who is almost 25 and you know would be ideal to supervise you. In this case it may be worth waiting until they reach the required age in order to help you gain extra practice and save money. But overall, the key question to ask when learning how to drive is, what is the reason for you choosing to learn to drive? Is it going to be a worthwhile skill that you need at the present time or are you thinking about the benefits it will hold in the future? If learning to drive is something you have the time and money to do at present, then why not? Knowing how to drive is a life skill that you can hold forever, so even if it is something which you can’t see as being 100% valuable to you at the moment, who knows how essential it may be a few years down the line. Good luck!