I won’t lie to you; learning to drive is probably going to be one of the most stressful experiences in your life that you will ever have to endure!
A lot of people will tell you that driving can be fun.
But if you are simultaneously trying to negotiate difficult roads during rush-hour traffic, and losing confidence on your clutch control abilities (much to the anger of other road users), travelling everywhere by public transport can suddenly seem so appealing again!
Of course, how you deal with the stresses of learning to drive is up to you, as everyone has their own stress management and coping mechanisms. Whether it is displaying frequent examples of colourful vocabulary or telling your mind to go to a “happy place”, we all seem to find a way to get through it.
After reading all that, you might be thinking twice about learning to drive. But the good news is that most learners will take any road-related stresses in their stride, and you might be one of those people too!
Here are some reasons why you should seriously consider learning to drive.
Independence
Perhaps the most important benefit of learning to drive is the fact that you will achieve more independence in your life once you are a fully-licensed driver!
I remember feeling ecstatic when I passed my theory and practical driving tests, because I immediately had the freedom to drive my car whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted.
Job opportunities
You might not realise this now, but once you have a full UK driving licence, you will open up a whole world of job opportunities.
Growing numbers of employers are only considering candidates that have full and clean driving licences, as many professions require employees to go out on the road and visit clients, suppliers or even other company offices through Britain on a regular basis.
Some people even have a dream of becoming a lorry driver, for example. If you don’t have a driving licence, there is no way that you can fulfil such ambitions, and would instead have to settle for some other job that you probably secretly hate!
Convenience
Another important benefit of learning to drive and subsequently passing your driving tests is that you will be able to get behind the wheel of your car whenever you like!
With public transport, you are restricted to the days and times of operation, and everyone knows how unreliable public transport can be.
Another point about public transport to bear in mind is that if you live in a remote village that no-one has ever heard of before, it could even be vital that you know how to drive a car!
Pleasure
Finally, there is the pleasure aspect of learning to drive and getting that all-important driving licence in the post! Sometimes it’s nice to just get out of the house and go for a random drive or road trip somewhere.
I enjoy going for drives out with no particular destination in mind, as it helps me to clear my mind of any thoughts that are bothering me at the time, and helps me to approach any problems from a different perspective.
