According to official DVSA figures, on average, for a 17 year old with no previous driving experience, it takes approximately 44hrs hours of professional driving tuition, along with an additional 20hrs of private driving practice to reach test standards.

Remember though, that this is only an average, and you shouldn’t compare yourself this, as everyone learns at a different pace. The most important thing is that you pass your driving test comfortably, and your driving instructor will know when you are ready to take the test.

If you are looking to speed up your progress, then the best way to do this is by practicing outside of your lessons, accompanied by another qualified driver.

There’s no doubt that getting in some extra hours of driving practice outside of your lessons will definitely help to speed up your progress. However, it’s important to bear in mind the laws around supervision of learner drivers, so you don’t put yourself at risk when practicing.

Currently, the law is that learner drivers must be accompanied by a qualified driver who is over 21 years of age and has held a drivers license for a minimum of 3 years. To find out more about this, please check the GOV.UK website for the latest information on learning to drive in the UK.

Finding a good driving instructor is the second most important step in your journey to becoming a confident driver and earning your freedom. Here are a few points to keep in mind that will help you choose the right instructor:

• Check if the instructor is properly qualified- To get top quality teaching, it follows that your driving instructor should be properly qualified. At Going2Pass only employ the most experienced instructors with DVSA qualification.

• Make sure that the car they are using suits your needs - for example, if you want to learn in an automatic car, but the instructor only has a manual vehicle, this could present a problem.

• Check their reputation - it takes time to build a good reputation, and an instructor with a record of successful students is sure to have a lot of experience.

• Do you get along? - While you don’t have to be best friends with your instructor, it’s still important that you get along and feel comfortable with each other. After all, you’ll be spending at least one per week in a car with this person!