5 things to get right as a new driver
Published 29 July 2026
Last updated 29 July 2026
Wondering what to know when you first pass your driving test? Our friends at Zixty walk you through 5 things to get right as a new driver.
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Passing your driving test is a major milestone, but it’s also only the start of your driving life. Once you pass, there’s no instructor beside you, no examiner giving you directions and every decision is yours.
That can feel exciting, but it can also be challenging. As a new driver, you’ve still got lots to learn. You may find yourself
- on unfamiliar roads
- driving at different times of day
- carrying passengers for the first time
- parking in busier places than you practised in
- dealing with situations you did not meet during your lessons.
Awareness of the roads around you is very different as a driver, even if you’ve travelled the same routes as a passenger.
1. Reading the road
Experienced drivers often talk about “reading the road” – the ability to spot potential hazards before they develop. This might mean noticing a pedestrian who could step into the road, a vehicle preparing to change lanes, a cyclist approaching a junction or traffic conditions that suggest congestion ahead. Your instructor may have called it anticipating, hazard perception or hazard prediction.
Your judgement will improve with exposure. As a newly qualified driver, you may have limited experience of
- rural roads
- poor weather
- night driving
- busy city centres
- longer journeys
- motorway driving
- carrying passengers.
The key to building confidence and learning to ‘read the road’ in these situations is to practice as much as possible – even after passing the test. Do not be afraid to ask your instructor for extra lessons or an experienced driver for more supervised practice. If you want to learn more about post-test supervised driving, check out our How parents and guardians can support safer young drivers blog.
2. Effective observations
Ineffective observations are one of the main causes of crashes. When it’s time to move off, it’s not enough to simply look. You need to assess the speed and position of other road users, then decide whether it’s safe to go.
Ineffective observations are one of the main causes of crashes. When it’s time to move off, it’s not enough to simply look. You need to assess the speed and position of other road users, then decide whether it’s safe to go.
You’ll have learnt this skill before taking your test but need to keep practising it. The aim is to build a reliable routine: choose an appropriate speed, look carefully, judge what other road users are doing and only move when there’s enough time and space. You should not cause other road users to slow down or swerve to avoid you.
Remember that checking your mirrors too late, too quickly or without acting on what you see can have dangerous consequences. Good mirror use helps you understand what’s happening behind and around the car before you change speed, direction or position. When appropriate, check your blind spots — it’s not something you only do to pass your test!
Head over to the Safe Driving for Life advice section for a refresher on the basics of the mirror-signal-manouevre (MSM) routine and keep practising so it becomes second nature.
3. Judging speed
Safe driving is not just about staying within the speed limit. For example, a road may have a 30 mph limit, but
- parked cars
- pedestrians
- poor weather
- bends
- limited visibility
mean that you need to drive at less than 30 mph to be at a safe speed for the conditions.
A useful question to ask yourself is: “Could I stop safely if something changed?” If the answer is no, you’re travelling too fast. Practising in different road, traffic and weather conditions will help you improve your judgement and choose a safe speed.
4. Parking and manoeuvres
Parking can feel very different after the test. Spaces may be tighter, car parks may be busy and other drivers may be waiting.
If it’s something you’re not confident doing, practise bay parking, parallel parking and reversing in different locations, starting in quiet areas before building up to busier places. Your aim should be to stay calm, keep control of the car and use proper observation.
5. Mood and attitude
Drivers who’ve recently passed their test are more likely to feel stressed and frustrated when they’re on the road. This means it becomes more difficult to deal with other demands — like concentrating on what’s happening on the road ahead, responding to hazards and making quick decisions.
Fortunately, there are a couple of simple remedies. The first is to think about whether you need to drive at all. If you feel angry or stressed, it’s probably not the time to put yourself in charge of a fast-moving metal machine! Take a step back, put the car keys back on the rack and wait until you feel calmer. If you absolutely must be somewhere, it’s worth exploring other options like public transport or asking someone else to give you a lift.
The same principle applies when you’re driving. You should look for a safe place to stop and recover before you continue rather than continuing and potentially putting yourself (and others) in danger.
As you can imagine, mood and attitude are complex subjects and it’s impossible to cover everything worth knowing about them here. The good news is that help is at hand: The Official DVSA Guide to Better Driving is packed full of great advice about the mental side of driving, and it’s available in book and e-learning formats from the Safe Driving for Life Shop.
What can learners do?
So far, we’ve talked about newly qualified drivers. But how can learners prepare to face these challenges? Well, the answer is the same: good, structured practice is the key.
Sometimes it will not be possible to book extra lessons – maybe because of time constraints or cost – but extra private practice can support professional instruction.
Discuss what you’re going to practice before you set off. You should know from talking to your instructor where you need to improve. Agree on 1 or 2 things to practise, such as
- junctions
- mirrors
- roundabouts
- parking
- independent driving
- driving in different conditions.
Keep the session calm, choose an appropriate route and review what went well afterwards. Use feedback from the Instructor from the Zixty app to help inform your activity.
Remember that before practising privately, learners and supervising drivers should make sure they meet the legal requirements, that the vehicle is suitable and that the learner is properly insured. GOV.UK has guidance on supervising a learner driver and displaying L plates.
Temporary learner driver insurance can be useful when a learner is practising in a parent’s, friend’s or family member’s car. Zixty offers flexible temporary learner driver insurance from 1 hour to 28 days. This helps learners get extra practice without being added to the car owner’s annual policy. Depending on the policy, separate temporary cover may also help protect the vehicle owner’s No Claims Discount if the learner has an accident while practising.
The driving test matters, but the bigger goal is safe driving for life. Learners who practise properly can build experience while they still have someone beside them to help, and that extra practice can make test day less stressful and independent driving less daunting.