Our Intensive Driving Courses in Bristol will no longer use Southmead Test Centre which is closing.
All driving tests in this area will now be conducted from Avonmouth centre.
This will not significantly effect your Bristol Intensive Driving Course as many of the same routes will be used
Enquiries for an intensive driving course in Radstock or Midsomer Norton always increase at this time of year with many university students and 6th formers wishing to get their driving licence over the summer months.
Intensive driving lessons can be a fast way to pass your test in just 1 to 3 weeks depending on experience.
With school and Uni summer holidays on the horizon we are now booking Intensive Driving Courses Bristol and Bath for June, July and August. These are very popular months and early course reservation is advised.
When you take a Intensive Driving Course in Bristol or Bath area from 4th June 2018 you will have the option of Motorway Training.
New rules come into operation in June to allow learners to be trained on a MOTORWAY accompanied by a driving instructor in a car with dual controls.
Be careful to ensure your intensive driving course in Bristol is what it seems.
All courses with Intensive Driver Training are 1 to 1 in car with the full course hours spent in the tuition vehicle. A 40 hour course with us is 40 hours in the car, not a classroom
Your intensive driving course can be arranged over 1 to 3 weeks at times convenient for you. See lour site at www.intensivedrivingcourses.biz
If you have good experience driving an automatic car on a full licence you may well be able to upgrade via a 20 hour Intensive Driving Course with Intensive Driver Training.
Prospective students who have enquired about an Intensive Driving Course in Bristol should contact us again soon at Intensive Driver Training as we are now booking Easter dates and into mid April - www.intensivedrivingcourses.biz - your fast route to gaining your driving licence
After passing your Intensive Driving Course and getting your first car, don't get caught out without a valid MOT certificate.
Get an automatic reminder set up online at https://www.gov.uk/mot-reminder
DVSA have prepared a video on Youtube giving info on the new driving test and what you need to prepare. Our Intensive Driving Course in Bristol or Bath will cover all these points and prepare you for your test in just 1 to 3 weeks depending upon experience and ability
Students at Bath and Bristol universities are now enquiring about intensive driving courses starting in January.
Many are getting settled into their first year at university and planning their driving lessons to start after returning from the Christmas break.
Visit our new Twitter page @Intensivetrain1 and see our website at www.intensivedrivingcourses.biz
Thousands of cars can be effected by manufacturer re-calls for safety checks. If you arrive in such a car for your driving test without the required check your test will not proceed.
Allowing learner drivers to have lessons on motorways will help to make sure more drivers know how to use motorways safely.
At the moment, you can only have driving lessons on motorways after
you’ve passed your driving test. Some newly-qualified drivers take
lessons through the voluntary Pass Plus scheme.
How the change will work
The change will apply to England, Scotland and Wales.
Learner drivers will need to be:
accompanied by an approved driving instructor
driving a car fitted with dual controls
Any motorways lessons will be voluntary. It will be up to the driving
instructor to decide when the learner driver is competent enough to
have a motorway lesson.
Trainee driving instructors won’t be allowed to take learner drivers on the motorway.
Motorway driving will not be included in the driving test changes coming into force on 4 December 2017.
The change will only apply to learner drivers of cars - learner motorcyclists won’t be allowed to have motorway lessons.
For a small addition fee your Intensive Driving Lessons in Bristol or Bath can include this training.
When the change will happen
The exact date in 2018 will be confirmed nearer the time.
The change will be well-publicised so driving instructors and learner
drivers are prepared for the change, and other road users know what to
expect. The Highway Code rules on motorways will also be updated.
Until the law is changed, it’s still illegal for a learner driver to drive on a motorway.
Driving instructor vehicles and training
Driving instructors will be allowed to decide whether or not to keep
their driving school roof-top box on during motorway lessons, based on
the manufacturer’s instructions.
However, the car will still need to display L plates on the front and rear if the rooftop box is removed.
Under the new rules only electric and hydrogen cars will be exempt - and all other cars will pay a flat rate of £140.
The
amount of carbon dioxide in a car’s exhaust gases is calculated using a
standard European test and published in every brochure.
And the results show the average amount of carbon dioxide produced for every kilometre that a car drives.
Carbon dioxide is measured in grams, so the results are written as g/km CO2.
A car emitting 99g/km bought before April 1 will be free of road tax for life.
Those bought after the date will cost £120 in the first year, and £140 a year thereafter.
Cars
emitting 131g/km will be taxed £200 instead of £130, those emitting
151g/km will be charged £500 instead of £180, and cars emitting 171g/km
will be charged £800 instead of £295, while those emitting 191g/km will
be charged £1,200 instead of £490.
The highest possible charge will continue to apply to those emitting over 255g/km, but that will rise from £1,100 to £2,000.
However,
those buying high-polluting cars may even break even, with tax set
higher in the first year and subsequently falling every year after that.
Learning to drive in the UK is a high priority task for most
young people and can be achieved in a variety of ways.
Historically, driving lessons have been booked by the hour
with perhaps one or two sessions per week. Typically learning by this method
might take around 50 or so hours of tuition with a professional driving
instructor and often supplemented by going out with parents. Consequently this
process would be spread over a number of months.
Many learners are now turning to an intensive driving course to
enable them to complete this process and pass the driving test in a couple of
weeks. Pass rates are often substantially higher
Intensive driving courses are conducted in the Bristol and
Bath areas by Intensive
Driver Training who offer a range of intensive driving course formats for
all abilities and aptitudes.
Information can be found on driving course content and prices for all abilities and aptitudes.
Courses are available as a 5 day driving course, one week driving course, or spread over up to 3 weeks
Courses are provided by Intensive Driver Training who can be contacted on 07484 829024
There are different fees if you want to renew, exchange or amend
your driving licence - or get a replacement if yours has been lost,
stolen or damaged.
There are different driving licence fees in Northern Ireland.
Improving the driving test (Quotes from the DVSA Website)
Newly qualified drivers continue to give some cause for concern. Some
tell us that they don’t feel that the driving test prepares them
adequately for driving independently after they’ve passed.
In 2015 to 2016 trials and research will be undertaken to:
determine the need for any changes to the practical car driving test and to support any proposals for change with evidence
evaluate the benefits of any subsequent changes that DVSA may consider making
Any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation.
You must give at least 3 clear working days’ notice to change your test date or you’ll have to pay again.
If your driving test is cancelled
DVSA will book a new test appointment for you automatically if there’s no examiner available for your test.
You’ll be rebooked for the earliest available date, and DVSA will send you the details of the new appointment.
Out-of-pocket expenses
You can claim out-of-pocket expenses
if your test is cancelled, but you must have turned up for your test to
be able to do this. If you don’t turn up, you’ll have to rebook your
own test and won’t be able to claim expenses.
Theory tests
Theory tests aren’t affected by the strike action and will be taking place as planned.
Vehicle examiner strike action
Some vehicle examiners who are members of the PCS union are planning to take strike action at the same time as driving examiners, as listed in the table above.
DVSA is doing everything it can to make sure that vehicle tests will go ahead as planned.
You should follow the usual process and contact your local DVSA network manager if your vehicle examiner doesn’t arrive at your authorised testing facility on the day.
Minimising disruption to customers
Paul Satoor, DVSA’s Interim Chief Executive, said:
We’re doing everything we can to minimise any disruption to customers and we apologise for any inconvenience.
Staff signed up to a new standard employment contract in April 2014
in exchange for a lump-sum payment and a 3-year pay deal. This was
agreed with the trade unions, and applies to all staff in the Department
for Transport and motoring agencies. The pay deal included transitional
arrangements that came to an end on 1 November 2015.
It’s disappointing that the trade unions have now chosen to oppose the contract they agreed in 2014.
Before taking your intensive driving course you should be aware of changes just announced regarding fitness to drive.
Rule change: drugs and medicine
Rule 96 of The Highway Code has been updated 2 March 2015.
New rule 96 wording You MUST NOT drive under the influence of drugs or medicine. For medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist and do not drive if you are advised that you may be impaired. You MUST NOT drive if you have illegal drugs or certain medicines in your blood above specified limits. It is highly dangerous so never take illegal drugs if you intend to drive; the effects are unpredictable, but can be even more severe than alcohol and result in fatal or serious road crashes. Illegal drugs have been specified at very low levels so even small amounts of use could be above the specified limits. The limits for certain medicines have been specified at higher levels, above the levels generally found in the blood of patients who have taken normal therapeutic doses. If you are found to have a concentration of a drug above its specified limit in your blood because you have been prescribed or legitimately supplied a particularly high dose of medicine, then you can raise a statutory medical defence, provided your driving was not impaired by the medicine you are taking. Laws RTA 1988 sect 4 & Law RTA 1988 sect 5A Previous wording Rule 96 used to say: You MUST NOT drive under the influence of drugs or medicine. Check the instructions or ask your doctor or pharmacist. Using illegal drugs is highly dangerous. Never take them if you intend to drive; the effects are unpredictable, but can be even more severe than alcohol and may result in fatal or serious road crashes. Law RTA 1988 sect 4
You can follow The Highway Code on Facebook and Twitter to get regular rule reminders.
Preparation for your intensive driving course in Bristol or Bath involves passing your theory test. See the latest info from DVSA on the new test format
From:
New computer-generated imagery (CGI) clips replaced old filmed
clips in the hazard perception part of the theory test on 12 January
2015.
The test was made up of filmed video clips which showed everyday road scenes.
Those clips were still relevant, but the image quality wasn’t as clear or defined as modern technology allows.
Differences in the new clips
The new clips show the same situations as the previous clips, but they:
look clearer on the screen
include updated vehicles, roads and surroundings so they look modern
An old-style video clip (left) and an updated CGI clip (right)
No change to how the test works
The way that the hazard perception part of the theory test works hasn’t changed. The pass mark has stayed the same.
The clips:
feature everyday road scenes
contain at least one ‘developing hazard’ - but one of the clips will feature 2 ‘developing hazards’
A developing hazard is something that may result in you having to take some action, like changing speed or direction.
Test type
Number of clips
Number of developing hazards
Pass mark
Car and motorcycle
14
15
44 out of 75
Lorry, bus and coach
19
20
67 out of 100
Approved driving instructor part 1
14
15
57 out of 75
Watch this video to see an example of a CGI clip and to find out how the test works.
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The timeline slider below uses WAI ARIA. Please use the documentation for your screen reader to find out more.00:00:00
Any products that you’ve been using to help you practise the hazard perception part of the test are still relevant.
You don’t need to have practised with CGI clips in order to take and pass the test.
DVSA produces official learning materials to help you prepare, and products are also available from other providers.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) trialled the updated clips to make sure that learner drivers could use them without problems.
The trial was successful. It found that candidates who watched the
new introduction clip about how the test works were more likely to spot
the developing hazards.
The research, which was carried out with the University of Nottingham’s Accident Research Unit, found that the updated clips are just as good as the traditional video-based test.
Developing clips in the future
By using CGI clips, DVSA
can introduce clips in the future which show situations with vulnerable
road users - like children, cyclists, and motorcyclists - without risk.
We though we would clarify some info on getting a provisional licence as several parents have enquired recently about an intensive driving course and what need to be done.
When you can apply
You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old.
You can start driving when you’re:
17 if you want to drive a car
16 if you want to ride a moped or light quad bike
Your licence will say when you can start driving different vehicles.
Daniella, From Midsomer Norton, just passed her practical driving test after completing one of our intensive driving courses
Congratulations Tom, from Bath, First time pass on our 40 hour Intensive Driving Course, just a few weeks after his 17th Birthday.
