Driving Test Nerves

I have been involved in my capacity as a driving instructor with preparing learner drivers for a driving test since 1983. Despite my experience and qualifications (see about us) I still occasionally have clients who for the want of a better phrase "go to pieces on the day of their test".

I now operate a specialist business for nervous drivers and part of this service is helping driving test candidates overcome test nerves and irrational fears. This service involves providing hypnotherapy specifically developed by Nervous Driver and counselling about overcoming driving test nerves.

Finally the client receives up to six hours test preparation driving in my dual controlled vehicle. I have found this combination of hypnotherapy and intensive driving lessons specifically related to the test produce significantly better results than either on its own.

Learners are encouraged to stay with their present instructor and sit the test when their instructor indicates they are ready. This one day course is advisable to clients who are almost at the point of giving up driving or have failed more than two or three driving tests.

Learners or New Drivers

Learners or newly qualified drivers are on occasions so nervous that they have resigned themselves as being unable to drive through lack of experience and/or uncertainty about certain skills.

Clients in this category are often surprised by how quickly they can overcome their difficulty. New drivers who have recently passed their driving test respond very quickly to our one day course and rarely need any more than this.

Nervous learners who believe that they are unable to learn often have inappropriate tuition and give up. Driving instructors work in the service sector, they should be knowledgeable and show you courtesy and respect. If they don't, change your instructor.

I believe the DSA are soon to introduce the publication of driving instructor pass rates. I believe this will result in learners having many more driving lessons prior to their first driving test. Driving instructors presenting clients for test before they are ready will become a thing of the past because the reputation of the instructor will be no greater than their published pass rates.

I anticipate a growth of clients in this area as many learners will find they need to spend many more weeks taking driving lessons. If you are considering learning to drive you may benefit from learning sooner rather than later.

Refresher Courses

This section represents my largest group of clients and the problem is usually caused by the client's partner always driving and the client losing confidence. This situation repeated often over many years results in the client's ability diminishing as well as confidence through lack of use.

I find that these clients respond well to our service as they have been confident and competent drivers in the past. Many would disagree with this statement but if they have previously passed a driving test, the ability is present though it may be dormant.

Clients in this category frequently benefit on a personal level as well as with their driving as they regain a level of independence previously lost. The hypnotherapy session restores confidence and interest and the driving section restores ability.

Nervous or Older Drivers

Nervous and older drivers often feel overwhelmed by high volumes of traffic and faster speeds. Our service seeks to build confidence and restore the maximum level of ability the client is capable of.

Older drivers eventually will be safer not driving as in very old age reactions and perception slows down causing difficulties. However, older drivers can achieve a delay in the onset of the inevitable with restored confidence and driver training skills provided by our service.

Nervous drivers range from clients with a few (often rational) fears to a full scale phobia (irrational fears) and the time taken to resolve their issues will vary. I have not worked with a client yet who has not gained some benefit from our service. The main thing any client needs is the desire to drive and the commitment to try.

Angry Drivers

Drivers suffering from any form of road rage including shouting or swearing at other road users and drivers who become emotionally agitated while driving but repress the emotion can benefit from our course.

Anger or any other emotion is counter productive while driving. Angry drivers whilst being very involved with what everyone else is doing, are unable to focus the correct amount of attention upon what they are doing and are more likely to make mistakes.

When angry drivers make mistakes they frequently blame others and that makes them more angry ad-infinitum. This downward spiral of emotion intimidates other drivers which can make other drivers more likely to make mistakes.

This problem can lead to poor driving, miserable passengers, unhappy other road users in the vicinity amongst other things. I believe that angry drivers may resist enrolling for training but if you have one in the family you may be contributing to saving their life (and yours) if you encourage them to consider it.

Accidents, Illness & PTSD

Drivers who have experienced accidents or illness (physical or psychological) that have led to difficulties with driving can benefit from our service.

Obviously when a driver experiences an accident or illness and is incapacitated, their driving ability may diminish. This may be due to the possibility that they are unable to drive while their injuries or illness heals. However, sometimes drivers associate the pain and suffering caused by their injuries or illness with driving and this can also lead to driving problems.

If a driver is involved in an accident and returns to driving as soon as possible, the likelihood of this happening is reduced. It is as though the fear of driving creates the inability to drive. Also, illness can leave a driver lacking confidence with social and mobility issues. These sort of issues are more easily resolved if they are dealt with in the early stages.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a recognised illness that sometimes follows a trauma (including traffic accidents) and renders sufferers less able or unable to drive. The symptoms include being unable to face situations that remind them of the trauma and frequently becoming upset for little or no apparent reason.

The hypnotherapy element of our course alongside patient driving tuition is designed to help sufferers recover their former driving ability and live a more normal life.