What happens on your first driving lesson

Your first driving lesson feels much more daunting beforehand than it turns out to be. Almost everyone is nervous. Almost everyone does better than they expected. Your instructor teaches complete beginners as part of the job and knows how to ease you in.

Here's what to expect, what to bring, and what you'll actually learn in that first hour or two.

Before the lesson

What to bring

You need very little:

Your provisional driving licence. You need one to take lessons, and your instructor will want to see it before you drive. If you haven't got one yet, apply on GOV.UK. It costs £34 online and should arrive within a week, though it can take longer if DVLA needs to make extra checks
Glasses or contact lenses, if you need them to see distances. You must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, and you can wear your glasses or lenses to do it
Comfortable shoes. Flat shoes with a thin sole work best, so you can feel the pedals. Avoid heels, flip-flops, heavy boots and chunky trainers
Water. Concentrating for an hour or two is tiring, thirsty work

That's it. No notebook, no textbook.

What to wear

Comfortable clothes that don't restrict your arms or make it hard to turn your head to check over your shoulder. Layers help, because you might want to adjust the car's heating.

Do you need to do theory first?

No. You don't need to have passed your theory test before your first practical lesson. You do need to pass it before you can book your driving test. Knowing some road signs and markings helps, and if you've started revising for the theory test, the practical lessons will make more sense.

Plenty of people start both at the same time. Your instructor will explain things as you go. To start on the theory side now, Orbit's free theory test app gives you 10 practice questions a day, so you can learn the signs and rules between lessons.

When your instructor arrives

Your instructor will usually pick you up from home or another place you've agreed. The first few minutes are spent parked up before you drive anywhere.

The introduction

Your instructor will introduce themselves, check your provisional licence and ask a few questions:

Have you driven before? Be honest. Even a go in a car park helps them know where to start
Do you have any medical conditions they should know about?
What are your goals? Passing your test, getting confident, a particular timescale?

This is your chance to ask questions too. If you're nervous, say so. Instructors hear it all the time, and it helps them pitch the lesson.

The cockpit drill

Before you touch the steering wheel, your instructor will take you through the cockpit drill: the checks you do every time you get into the driving seat. It usually covers:

Doors: properly closed
Seat: positioned so you can reach the pedals comfortably and see over the bonnet
Steering wheel: height and reach adjusted, if the car allows it
Mirrors: the interior mirror and both door mirrors set correctly
Seatbelt: fastened and not twisted

Your instructor will explain each adjustment and why it matters. It takes five to ten minutes and it's time well spent, because your seating position affects everything that follows.

Understanding the controls

Before you start the engine, your instructor will run through the main controls:

Accelerator (right pedal): makes the car go faster
Brake (middle pedal): slows and stops the car
Clutch (left pedal, manual cars only): connects and disconnects the engine from the wheels
Gear stick: changes gear in a manual, or selects drive and reverse in an automatic
Handbrake: holds the car still when parked
Indicators: tell other road users what you're about to do

In an automatic there's no clutch and no gear changes, which makes the early lessons simpler.

Driving for the first time

Where you'll drive

Most instructors start somewhere quiet, such as a residential street or an industrial estate with little traffic. The idea is to get a feel for the car without busy roads, junctions or roundabouts to deal with.

If you live on a busy road, your instructor may drive you to a quieter area first. That's normal.

Moving off

In a manual car the sequence usually goes like this:

Press the clutch fully down
Select first gear
Press the accelerator gently (your instructor will help you judge how much)
Slowly raise the clutch to the biting point, where you feel the car start to pull slightly
Check all your mirrors and look over your shoulder to check your blind spot, and signal if needed
Release the handbrake
Slowly raise the clutch further while gently pressing the accelerator

In an automatic it's simpler: foot on the brake, select drive, do your mirror and blind-spot checks, release the handbrake and gently press the accelerator.

Those checks come from Highway Code rule 159: use your mirrors, look round to check your blind spots, signal if necessary, and move off only when it's safe.

If you're in a manual, expect to stall at least once. Nearly everyone does. Your instructor won't judge you for it and will calmly talk you through restarting.

What you'll practise

A first lesson usually covers some or all of:

Moving off and stopping: getting the car moving and bringing it to a controlled stop
Steering: keeping straight, gentle bends and where to put your hands
Changing gear (manual): first to second and back again
Mirrors: checking them before you signal or change direction
Looking ahead: watching the road and what's around you

You won't be doing roundabouts, dual carriageways or reversing manoeuvres. First lessons are about getting comfortable with the controls.

Dual controls

Your instructor's car has dual controls: a second brake pedal on the passenger side, and sometimes a second clutch. If something goes wrong, your instructor can stop the car. Knowing that safety net is there helps most people relax.

Instructors only use the dual controls when they have to. They'd much rather talk you through it.

Common worries

"I'll be terrible"

You won't be as bad as you think. Your instructor expects a complete beginner and has planned the lesson that way. Nobody drives perfectly the first time. A good first lesson means you moved the car, stopped it, and started to get a feel for the controls.

"What if I stall in traffic?"

Your instructor will usually keep you on quiet roads to begin with, where a stall is no big deal. Experienced drivers stall now and then too.

"I mix up left and right under pressure"

More common than you'd think, and your instructor will be patient about it. Some put a small sticker on the dashboard as a reminder. It gets easier quickly.

"Should I learn in a manual or an automatic?"

It's worth deciding before your first lesson:

If you pass your test in an automatic, you can only drive automatic cars. Passing in a manual lets you drive both
Automatics have no clutch control or gear changes to learn, which many learners find makes the early stages easier
Electric cars are automatic, so an automatic licence covers them
If you're struggling with clutch control, switching to automatic is a perfectly valid choice

There's a fuller comparison in manual vs automatic driving lessons.

After the lesson

What your instructor will go over

At the end of the lesson a good instructor will:

Recap what you covered
Tell you what you did well
Explain what you'll work on next time
Suggest practice between lessons, if you have a car and someone to supervise you

How often to have lessons

Many instructors suggest one or two lessons a week. With longer gaps, more of each lesson goes on relearning what you did last time. Some learners do intensive courses successfully, but more than two a week can feel like a lot to take in.

Practising between lessons

If you can practise with family or friends, it helps. The rules on GOV.UK say the person supervising you must be over 21, qualified to drive the type of car you're learning in (a manual licence to supervise you in a manual), and have held their full licence for 3 years. You'll also need insurance that covers you as a learner in that car. Even 30 minutes on a quiet road reinforces what you learned in your lesson.

Finding the right instructor

Your instructor matters more than most learners realise. A good one:

Stays patient and calm, especially in the early lessons
Explains things in a way that makes sense to you
Adapts to how you learn
Is honest about your progress and when you're ready for your test
Has a well-maintained dual-control car

If after two or three lessons they're not right for you, whether they're impatient, unclear or you simply don't click, it's fine to try someone else. You're not obliged to stick with your first choice.

Browse local instructors on Orbit to find someone near you with availability that suits you.