Pass plus is a scheme designed by the DSA to make newly qualified car drivers become better drivers. It's much more than just a few extra lessons.
The Pass Plus was set up by the DSA to encourage newly qualified drivers to undergo further training with an ADI.
The Pass Plus will not only give newly qualified drivers further driving experience and enhance their skills, it will allow them to reduce the cost of their car insurance as many car insurance companies offer a substantial discount to drivers who have successfully completed the Pass Plus Course.
The Pass Plus consists of the following modules:
Town Driving, which includes:
- Observations, judgment and awareness
- Eye contact
- Consideration for vulnerable road users
- Keeping space around your car
All-Weather Driving, which includes:
- Correct speed
- Safe stopping distances
- Seeing and being seen in rain, sleet, snow and ice
- Skidding, cause and prevention, correcting slow-speed skids, braking on poor surfaces, aquaplaning
Driving out Of Town, which includes:
- Observation of the road ahead
- Making progress safely
- Bends, hills, uneven roads, dead ground
- Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead
- Overtaking safely
- Being aware of and showing consideration for pedestrians, horse riders, animals in the road, farm entrances and slow-moving vehicles.
Night Time Driving, which includes:
- The importance of the correct use of headlights
- Adjusting to dark conditions
- Judging speed and distances
- Correct use and care of lights
- Dealing with dazzle
- Road users who can be difficult to see
- Parking
Driving on Dual Carriageways, which includes:
- Effective observation
- Use of mirrors and checking blind areas
- Judgment and planning well ahead
- Safe separation distances
- Joining and leaving dual carriageways
- Lane discipline
- Overtaking
- Correct use of speed
Driving on Motorways, which includes:
- Planning journeys in advance
- Joining and leaving motorways
- Using slip roads properly and effectively
- Safe speeds for varying circumstances
- Effective all-round observation
- Signs, signals and markings
- Overtaking and lane discipline
- Courtesy towards other road users
- Motorway fatigue
- Breakdown procedures
- Use of lights and hazard warning lights
- Debris on the carriageway
- Crosswinds
You do not pass the Pass Plus by taking a final exam/test. Your driving instructor monitors and assesses your performance as you go through and complete the six modules.
Each Pass Plus Course must consist of at least six hours training. During the course your driving instructor will record your progress on a training report form. When the instructor is satisfied you have successfully completed the course you will be issued with a Certificate of Completion.
Only driving instructors who are registered as Pass Plus Instructors can give the course.
Refresher Driving Lessons: are ideal for people who want to improve their driving skills to drive safely and with confidence. Refresher courses are ideal if you have passed your test but still feel you need to brush up on your skills after a period of absence. It's also a good way to gain confidence back if you've passed but had a scare on your own and have been put off driving because of it.
There are many circumstances in which people return to driving but aren't fully confident of their abilities and refresher courses are of great benefit. All Refresher lessons are designed to suit your needs. During the first lesson our instructor will first take you for an assessment lesson to appraise your ability and knowledge gaps, after which you can then both decide the training plan that bests suits you.
There is no set amount of hours needed for Refresher lessons; it's really down to how confident you are feeling in your own ability. No one will put any pressure on you to take further lessons if you don't feel they are necessary but the instructor will be there to give you his professional opinion on the level of your driving. Areas of training can include, but not limited to, maneuvers, motorway driving, night driving, eco driving and much more.