Photo Credit: Unsplash
Got your driving test coming up? It is understandable if you are feeling stressed and anxious and nerves are perfectly natural (and important), but you want to make sure that you can perform and focus on the day.
It is worth knowing that it takes many people 5 attempts or even more to pass and the pass rate for the practical test is 43%, which should take some pressure off.
Nerves Affecting Your Driving
As mentioned, nerves can serve an important purpose and it is natural to feel nervous when taking your driving test. However, nerves can also have a negative impact on your driving which is why you want to get them under control. Many of the symptoms of anxiety can affect your driving performance, including sweaty hands, shakiness, queasiness, and even your reaction times. You will find that many excellent drivers make silly mistakes during the test due to nerves, which can prove to be costly. To lower your nerves before the test, you should get plenty of sleep, eat well, and avoid caffeine.
Mock Tests
One of the best ways to reduce stress and anxiety is to carry out mock tests. If you treat your lessons as tests, replicate test conditions, and practice tests in your own or your parent’s car then you will feel more prepared. If learning in your own or your parent’s car then be sure to take out provisional insurance so that you are covered; be sure to cover your test centres routes, manoeuvres, and different types of roads.
The Day Before Your Test
You are likely to find that your nerves increase as you get closer to your test date. This means that the day before and hours before the test can be the worst and hard to manage. If your nerves are getting the better of you, it is a good idea to try some breathing exercises that should help you to feel calm.
Preparation is the key to success and also lowering stress, so you should set some time aside to get ready the night before and/or the hours before your test. This can include running through the “show me, tell me” questions, going for a drive so that everything is fresh in your mind, and getting your paperwork, including your provisional license and theory certificate, together.
Hopefully, the advice in this post will be useful and help you to feel less anxious and be more prepared for your practical test. It is perfectly natural to feel anxious and nerves can be useful, but they can also negatively impact your ability to drive if they are not kept under control. Therefore, you want to find effusive ways to control your nerves and make sure that you are fully prepared and know what to expect on the big day.
