Driving test nerves

Funkyfarmgirl

Can anyone help me my daughter has terible nerves when it comes to her test i think were just had test number 9 in last number of years shes drives well but its the test we have tried beta blockers off dr we tried a woman examiner shes so bad they wont let her in the car to do the test any ideas.....were isolated in the middle of nowhere so we need her to drive

McKneff

Youre putting too much pressure on her.

'WE need her to drive' says it all.

heretolearn_2

I sympathise. It took me 5 attempts - the first I know I failed as I wasn't ready, but the rest were due to nerves and my driving instructor didn't know what to do as I always failed on something different each time, and there weren't any real problems for him to tackle.

I ended up switching instructors and passed on the 5th attempt - but it was the first with him. My first instructor was lovely but too nice to me, although that sounds weird. My second instructor was a rather crusty type of older gent who ran me through some really strict 'drill' type approaches to everything and I passed ok. So maybe a switch of instructor is in order - although it's nerves someone else might have the approach that suits her better and keeps her calmer.

Also - can she try a different area to break the cycle? If she keeps trying at the same centre she'll already be going in thinking 'here we go again, another fail' whereas she could make a fresh start elsewhere. And I'm not convinced that all areas are equal, some do seem to be easier than others. They will also be a fresh batch of examiners who haven't seen her before.

And of course she could always go for the automatic option for now. Even if she is ok with clutch/gears etc, they are still just generally easier and less stressful to drive, and it's one less thing to go wrong during the test. She can always go back to do the manual test later on.

System

took me 6 times. stricter instructor helped but mostly down to luck and time of day and what route you get. And I would disagree with the automatic advice, manual all the way.

rachbc

hypnotherapy cd? Surely Paul McKenna has done a 'I can make you drive' book?

pinkclouds

I sympathise. My sister has never passed the practical, although she has always aced the theory. The family would like to persuade her to try sitting an automatic transmission test as stick-shift/manual seems to be too difficult. So far... she's not listening. Maybe your daughter will? OTOH, maybe your daughter will move to a more urban location in the future and she won't need to drive... In the meantime, she will doubtlessly appreciate the "mom and dad taxi service" all the more.

Peater

I've never bought into the whole 'automatic is easier' thing. I learnt to drive a manual when i was 11yrs old (on private land of course). The driving of the car is the easy bit, it's the observation and awareness that is the key.

I would echo that she feels pressure. You may think she is being irrational and that you are not turning the screws too much, but pressure is a funny thing, it effects people in different ways. Perhaps a change of instructor may help, if her current instructor is too 'nice', it may scramble her head when she has an examiner with little patience barks instructions at her.

All the best.

lostinrates

Is she nervous driving at other times? Or in life generally?

Funkyfarmgirl

She does get nervous at exams and the more tests she fails the worse she gets we now are going to see someone whos going to try some therpy on her. and hypnotherpy is the next thing to try .......thank u all for your views

Final_Days

The fact is that some people who will always respond badly to stressful situations like driving tests, job interviews and the like, and with the best will in the world this can only be remedied up to a point.

However well your daughter drives during lessons is essentially immaterial since she sees the test as 'D Day' and instinctively responds to that stress with the extreme anxiety that you describe. She needs to be reassured that passing her driving test is not the be all and end all that people consider it to be and downplay the importance in an attempt to quell her anxiety a little.

Scotty1.7

Do you take her out on practice sessions?

Might be worth trying that and asking her what chills her out? I found that having a few songs on that I liked and gently humming/singing them I was really relaxed and passed easier?