Diane Hall is back with more nerve-battling hacks! Here are her best ways on combating your Driving Test nerves.

Should you be nervous?

This may seem like an odd question, but your emotions are there for a reason! You may feel nervous because you aren’t ready for your test, and your emotions are trying to warn you of this.

It’s essential therefore that you feel confident in your ability before you take your test. DVSA says ‘If you’re not getting it right with your instructor, then you’re not ready for your test’.

Driving Test Tip: ask your instructor if you can do a Mock Test, to see if you can do everything required for your test without your instructor’s help.

Remember though, your instructor wouldn’t have advised you to book your test if they didn’t think you were ready or good enough!

Practise makes perfect

Make sure that you have practised all the manoeuvres and driving routines that you could be tested on. This will reduce nerves associated with a particular manoeuvre, or junction.

The worst thing that can happen is that you start your driving test thinking something like: ‘I hope I don’t get parallel park’, or ‘I hate such and such a roundabout’. If this is how you feel, then it’s essential to get more practice in these areas.

Simply by knowing that you are at the required standard for your test, you can be sure that any nerves or anxiety that you feel is NOT related to your ability to drive and pass your test, but is more to do with other factors such as feeling intimidated by the examiner, pressure to perform, fear of failure, and many other reasons.

If you are at the required standard for your test, then by using a few simple techniques, you will be able to control your emotions, rather than your emotions controlling you.

Are you feeling unsure as to whether you are ready for your test or not? Diane offers a quick and easy course that will help you decide if you’re ready to take your Practical Driving Test. To find out more, click here.