You passed your driving test! What’s next?
Congratulations! You passed your driving test. No more lessons, no more revising and no more waiting for the day you can take to the open road by yourself. Passing your driving test is a huge moment in everyone’s life and gives you a very exciting sense of achievement and freedom. But, now those ‘L’ plates are a thing of the past, what comes next? Passing your driving test is actually just one step towards becoming a great driver, and so much more can be learned once you go out on your own. It’s all about confidence, safety, awareness and preparation.
So, let’s get to it!
When you pass, you will usually receive your full driving license within three weeks, but don’t worry! You can legally drive before it arrives once you’ve passed your test. However, don’t forget you’ll need to have your insurance sorted beforehand. We also recommend not taking to the road straight from the test centre. That adrenalin from your post-test high can be somewhat of a distraction when you head out on your first journey, so it’s often best to take some time to relax and celebrate. Then, head out once you’ve let the great news sink in.
Get your motor ready!
Besides insurance, you’ll also need to ensure that your car is ready for the road and you have everything you need for journeys long or short. So, are you and your car prepared?
P Plates
P Plates indicate that the driver of the vehicle is a probationary driver (indicating you are a fairly new qualified driver). Although they are not compulsory, you are strongly recommended to use these once you have passed your driving test as they help to warn other road users that you are a new driver and to be more patient. Although you are clearly a capable driver (or you wouldn’t have passed your test after all!), getting full confidence can take some weeks or months, so ensuring other road users give you time and patience can really help ease any worries you have. Once you feel confident enough and that ‘new driver’ feeling has passed, you can take them away! Check out our set of magnetic P plates here.
Breakdowns
Hopefully you won’t need to worry about a breakdown any time soon, but it’s always good to be prepared! A great way to do this is to keep a small box in your boot filled with any essentials you might need should you break down. Some essentials you can keep in the box include:
A warning triangle – to warn other road users your car is stationary and to take caution.
Foot Pump – Thanks to potholes and other small yet unavoidable obstacles in the road, tyres can become less inflated or flat, so a handy foot pump is great!
Battery Charger – You may not need this if you’re not going far from home, but you never want to get caught out with a flat battery! These are particularly useful if you have an older vehicle which are more prone to battery problems.
For you – Make sure that you also have a small selection of items for you. This is extremely important for winter journeys to make sure you stay safe. A blanket or jacket, or even snacks can not only come in handy, but become very important if you need them.
Phone Charger
Always handy to have on the move, make sure you have a spare phone charger in your car should you get caught out with a low battery! These are so useful, whether you’re dealing with a breakdown or not. Our range of Simply Power chargers work with a great range of phones and mean that you can charge your phone on the move.
Browse more items in the Simply Power range.
Personalise it
If you’re lucky enough to have your very own vehicle, it’s such a sense of freedom. And there are so many ways you can personalise your car to make it your own. From car mats and quirky gear shifters to drinks holders and storage, this is your way to make your car not only work well for you, but be a great reflection of you and your personality! Check out our range of interior accessories here to see how you can get creative.
If you’re new to driving, or you’re learning to drive and your test is so close, welcome to the world of driving! There’s now no limit to what you can do or where you can go and it opens up so many opportunities for your work and social life. Good luck, and enjoy! And be sure to check out our full auto range to make sure you’re always prepared.
