We are often asked when is the best time for taking a driving test. Experience has taught us that summer is typically the best time – here is why.
Why Summer is the Best Time for Taking a Driving Test
One of the main reasons summer is the best time for taking a driving test is there are more daylight hours for a learner driver to be able to learn in the correct manner. As the days are somewhat ‘longer’ in summer, more tests are carried out on any given day. The downside is that the waiting times for test centres becomes significantly longer because more people are doing their driving lessons in the summer.
In addition, poor weather conditions (ice, snow, fog, etc.) during the winter months not only make driving and subsequently taking a driving test much harder, they also frequently result in tests being cancelled. This, of course, means if your test is cancelled, you will again have to wait for another free date to become available. If you need to get your driving licence fast, this can be a real problem.
During the summer holidays, traffic also tends to be much calmer, especially during the morning hours and the afternoon, when people would normally be rushing to get their children to and from school.
There are, however, some drawbacks to taking a driving test in summer.
The Cons of Taking a Driving Test in Summer
Taking a driving test? Pros and Cons of taking your Driving Test in Summer
While summer weather is generally better, occasional thunderstorms and accompanying torrential rain can cause driving conditions to deteriorate rapidly and unexpectedly. In early summer, falling blossom can also become a real problem when wet due to early morning dew or rain, as it can make a road extremely slippery.
As a rule, rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon means the best time to take a test is between 10 AM and 1 PM. Unfortunately, this tends to be the hottest time of the day in summer. This can make driving extremely uncomfortable, especially if humidity is high as well. While using the in-car air-conditioning system or opening the window may help with this, both options can be problematic.
Air-conditioning could, for instance, become an issue if you are wearing contact lenses. Opening the windows, on the other hand, increases the risk of insects getting into the car and distracting you.
How to Book your Driving Test this Summer
You can book your Driving Test directly with the GOV.UK website. Or we can book it for you if you choose to go with one of our driving courses.
Summary
While there are some drawbacks to summer driving tests, summer is the best time to take a driving test because:
- Weather and subsequently road conditions are generally better (and safer)
- Traffic is much calmer. especially during the school holidays
If you want to get your driving licence fast, now is the time to do it – book your Intensive Driving Course now and we will book your test for you as soon as possible.
Last updated: 09/11/2022