Driver passes test after 15 years trying

A determined driver from South Norwood, has more reason than most for celebrating passing her driving test, after taking more than 15 years to pass. Since taking her first lesson in 1994, Andrea Whyte, of Westgate Road, has witnessed Labour come into power, the channel tunnel opening, The National Lottery launching in the UK and the world’s first cloning experiment produce Dolly the sheep.

Andrea has spent approximately £1,600 and over 85 hours on driving lessons over the years, in a bid to have more freedom to visit her family, who live a 100 mile round-trip away, without having to rely on public transport with – at the time – a young baby in tow. After years of “poor driving instruction,” as Andrea recalls it, experiencing driving instructors who would, “talk incessantly about home life and family issues, or regularly cancel lessons at the last minute,” she made the call to RED Driving School for help. RED Driving School, one of the UK’s fastest growing national driving schools, immediately introduced Andrea to a local RED driving instructor, Andrew Bare, who got Andrea to test standard within six months, resulting in a pass. Andrew said: “The moment Andrea got in the car with me she told me about her previous experience. I asked her to show me her driving and I identified the main issue was with her confidence in her driving ability due to so many years of instruction yet never being put forward for her test.” Andrea, who is currently studying for a degree in criminology, recommends finding a driving instructor who takes pride in their job to ensure you get the most out of the learning to drive process. Andrea said: “The moment I got into the car with Andrew I knew where I stood; he was the instructor and I was the pupil. There were no gimmicks with Andrew. He was polite, consistent and reliable. He structured my learning to ensure my manoeuvres and road safety were up to scratch, which helped me to regain my lost confidence. “I am so pleased I decided to give RED a call and had Andrew as my instructor. I told him in the beginning that I needed the freedom to visit my sick grandmother, and now thanks to his expert tuition, I can. I couldn’t be happier.” To find an approved driving instructor in your area, visit www.go-red.co.uk or phone 0800 840 4200.

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