The One Week Driving Course: What’s The Deal?

If you're eager to learn to drive and you've been shopping around for the best options on the market, it's likely you've come across the one week driving course. These packages promise to have you test-ready and hitting the road in 7 days or less. It almost sounds too good to be true... At PassMeFast, we're big believers that the road to driving doesn't have to be long. But can you really be done and dusted in the space of a week? Well, “yes and no” is the rather unsatisfying answer.

Completing lessons and passing your tests in the time it takes Craig David to meet, woo and, err, 'familiarise himself' with a new love interest is quite a feat. Even if you meet your driving instructor on the Monday, take the car for a spin on Tuesday and spend Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday learning the ropes, you definitely won't be chilling on the Sunday.

That being said, one week driving courses are not a complete farce. For certain people, they can actually be the most convenient way to go from student driver to qualified driver. It all depends on circumstances and the type of learner you are. Enough of the mystery! We're going to delve into exactly what one week driving courses are and who should take one. Let's get started!

What exactly does a one week driving course entail?

In short: a hell of a lot of work! One week driving courses are designed to do exactly as they say on the tin. You spend 4-6 days learning how to drive and round off the week with the practical test. Passing in such a short amount of time sounds great, but there's no magic formula here. Those taking this kind of course can expect to spend 5-6 hours a day behind the wheel—phew!

As you can imagine, it's not easy going. Hang on a minute, you may be thinking, doesn't PassMeFast offer intensive driving courses? Ahh, yes—a common assumption. While one week driving courses are intensive courses, not all intensive courses are designed to be completed within a week. At PassMeFast we do, in fact, offer both—but they are aimed at different types of learner (more on this later). So, when shopping around, make sure you check the specifics of each crash course you see, as they come in all shapes and sizes.

Is it even possible to learn to drive in just a week?

This is where things get a little... shadier, shall we say. The process of learning to drive isn't exactly kind to those with no time to spare. There are logistical considerations to keep in mind that put a bit of a dampener on any aspirations to pass in 7 days alone. If you're starting from scratch, you need to apply for your provisional licence, revise for and pass the theory test, complete enough lessons to make you a test-ready driver, and pass the practical test.

Also included in this process are DVSA rules that often impose further delays. You can't even book a practical test, for example, until you have your theory test pass certificate number. Once that's available, you then have to contend with hefty practical test waiting times. It's just one thing after another! Even if you take to driving like a duck to water, let's be realistic: getting all of this organised and completed in a week would be a miracle.

That's why, when you read the small print, a lot of one week driving courses are actually aimed at people with a certain amount of experience already under their belt. This shouldn't be a surprise, really. For a beginner to squeeze the DVSA-recommended 40-50 hours of tuition into 7 days would be incredibly stressful (not to mention dangerous!).

Is this kind of course suitable for you?

A good candidate for a one week driving course will already have a solid grasp of the driving basics. It will also be very beneficial if you can take and pass your theory test before the course begins. This will save a huge amount of time and allow you to swerve some potential delays. Keep in mind, though, that companies like PassMeFast will be happy to add your theory test onto any course you book. You just need to accept that this means the entire course will probably take a little more than 7 days to complete.

So, what's the status of your driving journey? If you're already familiar with a car's controls and have mastered things like steering and clutch control, a one week driving course could be just the thing you need to push you over that finish line. On the other hand, if you're a complete newbie who doesn't know the gear stick from the handbrake, you probably require more time. Remember—these crash courses aren't cheap. Do yourself a favour and ensure it's a good fit for you before signing up.

The PassMeFast Approach

PassMeFast's carefully tailored selection of courses are roughly split between those aimed at people who are still in the early stages of their driving journey, and those who are looking for a quick refresher course. The latter is more likely to be a one week driving course (or even less!).

Then again, though, if you are determined to get passed as quickly as possible, most of our courses (excluding the 40 and 48 hour packages, which are designed for beginners) can be completed within a week if circumstances allow.

Just be prepared to work your butt off! While we aim to get people passed as soon as possible, for safety and structural reasons, we don't expect our learners to complete more than 5 hours of tuition in one go. Experience tells us that any more than this actually has a detrimental impact on the learning process. Don't worry, though—intensive courses of all kinds create safe drivers!

How to make it happen

So, you've decided a one week driving course is the way to go—what's next? Well, you can start by cultivating a mindset that will successfully propel you through what is likely to be a tough process. Don't worry, we're not about to don flowing cotton robes and force you to neck a suspicious looking tea. What we mean by this is that you should be prepared to give your all to this course:

• Cancel social plans
• Get plenty of sleep
• Focus on the task at hand: getting that licence

There's nothing part time about a one week driving course. You need to make sure you're available to put in multiple hours a day behind the wheel. Obviously this can be quite draining. Outside of your lessons you'll probably just want to relax and rest up, so that you can be clear-headed and alert for your next session.

Basically, for one week only, you should be eating, sleeping and driving. Repeat. Even though we're hammering home how intense this is going to be, it is only for one week. Don't be put off. If you're a hard-worker with previous driving experience, 7 days of grafting should be no trouble at all. Plus, the end result will hopefully make the whole thing worth it!

The ideal driving course

When it comes to driving courses, there's no one size fits all, and a one week course certainly isn't for everyone. If you're a complete beginner, or someone who prefers an easy-going approach to learning, we'd steer well clear. Alternatively, if you have a bit of driving experience and like the idea of a short period of intensive lessons, dive right in!

No matter your circumstances, we would urge everyone embarking on a driving course to be realistic. Learning complex skills and competing for test slots that are in high demand inevitably takes time. Believe in yourself, but don't be discouraged if things take a little longer than anticipated. Fancy weighing up your options and working out what approach would be best for you?

Give PassMeFast a call on 0333 123 4949. Whether you want to pass in a week or a couple of months, we have a course for that. Our team can point you in the right direction and take care of the logistical side of earning a licence, so that you can focus on the driving. We're no miracle workers, but we work with excellent instructors, who can make learning to drive feel like a walk in the park!