Start with a conversation
Call, text or email Nikki. Include your pickup postcode, whether you have driven before and your preferred days or times. If you feel nervous, say so: it helps him understand what support you need.
Get your provisional licence ready
You need a valid provisional licence before learning to drive on the road. Check the official GOV.UK learning-to-drive guidance for the current licence, age and eyesight requirements.
Agree your lesson arrangements
Nikki will confirm availability, the meeting point, vehicle and payment arrangements. Payment is by cash or bank transfer. Choose a one-hour lesson at £45 or a two-hour lesson at £85. Block bookings use two-hour sessions. Ask about cancellation terms and anything you should bring.
Give yourself room to learn
You do not need to know everything before your first lesson. Make time to settle in, ask questions and understand what you are practising. Your starting point helps shape what happens next.
Keep practical and theory learning connected
Use what you notice on the road to guide your theory study. Our short theory-practice quiz gives you a few topics to explore; the Highway Code and official DVSA resources support your wider preparation.
Apply for your
provisional licence.
You can apply for a first provisional licence from 15 years and 9 months, although most people start learning to drive a car at 17. You need the licence before taking lessons on the road. Check the current eligibility requirements, fees and application details on the official service.
Apply for your provisional licence on GOV.UK ↗
A simple first-lesson checklist
- Have your valid provisional licence ready.
- Check the age and eyesight requirements for learning to drive.
- Wear the glasses or contact lenses you need for driving.
- Agree the car, pickup point, session length and payment with Nikki.
- Tell him about previous lessons and anything that makes you nervous.
You must be able to read a modern number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or contact lenses if needed. See the full driving eyesight rules.
Choose someone
you feel comfortable with.
Ask friends about their experience, read learner reviews and speak to the instructor who will teach you. Clear explanations, patient feedback and a useful plan matter alongside the price.
With Think Driving Edinburgh, you speak directly with Nikki. Ask how your lessons will work, what each option includes and which starting point suits you. Our Meet Nikki page brings together his approach and real learners’ experiences.
Check that anyone charging for car instruction is authorised to teach. An approved instructor displays a green badge; a licensed trainee displays a pink badge. The official instructor guidance explains the distinction.
Theory and hazard perception.
Build your road knowledge.
The car theory test has multiple-choice and hazard-perception parts, and you must pass both. The multiple-choice section has 50 questions and 57 minutes; its pass mark is 43. Hazard perception uses 14 video clips and has a pass mark of 44 out of 75.
Study regularly and connect what you learn with the situations you notice during lessons. Nikki supports your theory and practical preparation. Our short original quiz can prompt useful questions, while official resources support full test preparation.
Official theory-test information and booking ↗
Understand hazard perception ↗
Prepare for the
practical driving test.
The practical test checks observation, control and safe decisions. It includes eyesight and vehicle-safety questions, general and independent driving, and a reversing exercise. Prepare to understand the road wherever the examiner takes you.
Nikki offers mock tests and preparation for Musselburgh and Currie. Discuss your progress and his availability before booking your own practical test on GOV.UK. Your theory pass normally lasts two years; you need to pass the practical test within that period.
How often should
you have driving lessons?
A regular schedule helps keep your learning connected. Discuss your week, budget and progress with Nikki before choosing lesson frequency. If you prefer a concentrated plan, ask about intensive tuition. The useful amount of practice varies between learners.
What if I am anxious?
A first lesson can feel like a big step. Nikki’s calm approach gives you space to ask questions and work through new skills. Tell him what worries you and take the next step together.