Learning to drive is a journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and a healthy dose of nerves. Making mistakes is a natural and essential part of the process—it’s how we learn. However, being aware of the most common pitfalls can dramatically accelerate your progress and help you develop safe habits from the very beginning.
This list covers the ten most frequent errors learner drivers make, explains why they’re problematic, and offers practical advice on how to correct them. Forewarned is forearmed!
1. Poor Steering Control: The “Wheel Shuffle”
The Mistake: Many learners develop a habit of “shuffling” the steering wheel hand-over-hand through their palms, rather than using a fixed, controlled “pull-push” technique. This method offers less control, especially when needing to make sudden adjustments.
The Fix: Practice the pull-push technique (sometimes called fixed-input steering). When turning right, your left hand pulls the wheel down while your right hand slides up. To straighten up, the right hand pulls down and the left hand slides up. This ensures you always have a firm, controlled grip on the wheel. The UK Driving Test](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzLd4Q-gzZk) channel has a great visual guide on this essential skill.
2. Riding the Clutch
The Mistake: Resting your foot on the clutch pedal while driving. Even slight pressure can cause the clutch to partially engage, leading to premature and expensive wear and tear known as “clutch burn.”
The Fix: Develop the muscle memory to always return your left foot to the footrest (or “dead pedal”) to the left of the clutch immediately after changing gear. Your foot should only touch the clutch pedal when you are actively using it.
3. Observation at Junctions: The “Look But Don’t See”
The Mistake: Learners often make a quick glance at a junction but fail to properly process what they see. They might miss a cyclist, a pedestrian stepping out, or an approaching car because their observation wasn’t thorough enough.
The Fix: Practice systematic, lively observation. Don’t just move your head; truly take in the entire scene. Look right, left, and right again. Check your mirrors early and remember the crucial lifesaver glance—a final over-the-shoulder check into your blind spot just before you move off. This is the number one reason for test failures.
4. Incorrect Road Positioning
The Mistake: Drifting too close to the curb, risking scraping the alloys or startling a pedestrian, or staying too far out towards the centre of the road, oncoming traffic, or parked cars.
The Fix: Aim to position your car in the centre of your lane. A good reference point is to keep roughly a metre away from the curb. When passing parked cars, maintain a safe, consistent distance—if you can’t without oncoming traffic, be prepared to slow down and give way.
5. Hesitation and Lack of Confidence
The Mistake: Excessive hesitation, particularly at busy roundabouts and junctions. While caution is good, being overly hesitant can confuse other drivers, disrupt traffic flow, and become dangerous.
The Fix: Build your confidence through practice. Learn to identify safe gaps in traffic. Trust your judgement. If you have a clear opportunity to go, take it decisively. A smooth, committed manoeuvre is safer than a last-minute panic.
6. Not Planning Ahead
The Mistake: Reacting to hazards as they happen instead of anticipating them early. This leads to harsh braking, rushed decisions, and a less smooth drive.
The Fix: Constantly scan the road far ahead. Look for clues: brake lights in the distance, a ball rolling into the street (which could be followed by a child), pedestrians waiting at a curb, or queues forming. This gives you ample time to adjust your speed and position smoothly.
7. Over-reliance on the Brakes
The Mistake: Using the brakes to control speed when simply easing off the accelerator would suffice. This is inefficient and can wear your brakes faster.
The Fix: Master the art of engine braking. When you see a hazard or need to slow down well in advance (e.g., a red light ahead), simply take your foot off the gas early. Let the natural resistance of the engine slow the car down before you even touch the brake pedal.
8. Poor Use of Mirrors
The Mistake: Checking mirrors too late or as an afterthought just before signalling or turning. Mirrors should inform your decisions, not just justify them.
The Fix: Integrate the MSM (Mirror – Signal – Manoeuvre) routine into everything you do. Your mirrors are your information-gathering tool. Check them before you change speed or direction. A good rule is to glance at your interior mirror every 5-8 seconds to maintain constant awareness.
9. Signalling Errors
The Mistake: Signalling too early, too late, or not cancelling the signal after a turn. An incorrect signal is dangerously misleading to other road users.
The Fix: Signal in good time to be useful—usually just after the last exit you are not taking on a roundabout, or as you approach the turn on a road. Make sure your signal is clear and correct for your intended manoeuvre. And always listen for the click that confirms it has cancelled after a turn.
10. Nerves Taking Over
The Mistake: Letting anxiety dictate your actions. Nerves can cause rushed decisions, missed observations, and forgetting basic checks.
The Fix: Preparation is the best antidote to nerves. The more you practice, the more automatic the skills become. Get a good night’s sleep before your test, have a light meal, and remember that the examiner is not looking for perfection—they are looking for a safe and competent driver. Breathe, take your time, and focus on one step at a time.
Learn from the Experts
Watching these common mistakes and their corrections can be incredibly helpful. The YouTube channel **Conquer Driving is an exceptional resource. Their video, 10 Common Mistakes Learner Drivers Make – And How To Avoid Them!, provides clear, in-car demonstrations of each error and the correct technique, making it an invaluable visual aid.
Remember: Mistakes Are Lessons
Every driver on the road today has made these errors. The key is to recognise them, understand why they are unsafe, and consciously work on building better habits. Discuss these points with your instructor, practice diligently, and be patient with yourself. You’re not just learning to pass a test; you’re learning a skill for life. Safe driving
