It is no secret that the process to finally gain the driver's licence is never cheap - it requires both investing one's time and finances. It is interesting that a specific connection can be seen between the two - the less time is needed to gain the licence, the lower the cost of the training. But if things are postponed over again and again, also the whole process of gaining the licence takes more resources than it would on an occasion when the future driver chooses to get the licence at the pace of a sprint. In cooperation with driving school Presto, we offer a summary about 5 main aspects that will help save money and obtain the licence for a better price.

So that the lack of knowledge and information does not become the reason for wasting the money, first of all, it is important to gain understanding about the training process and get acquainted with requirements for passing the exam. By making informed decisions, the result will be not only a licence that is obtained sooner, but also the money will be invested wisely and the financial resources will be saved.

Tip Nr. 1 - study on your own!

During theoretical classes the professor will introduce all the topics that must be covered to pass the exam. However, it is not possible to learn everything by heart just by listening to lectures a few hours a week - road traffic regulations must be known as good as the second grader knows the multiplication table. After each theory class each topic should be studied independently - by doing thematic exercises and getting acquainted with Road Traffic Regulations in the theory book issued by CSDD in which all the regulations and definitions are explained.

These books can also be obtained for a better price - all you need to know is where to look for them. Exercise books and theory/road signs' books can be ordered on website presto.lv - this is where they are offered with a discount that bookstores do not offer. After each class the corresponding topic should be found in the book of thematic exercises, those exercises should be done and the answers compared with the right ones. In this book, the examples of questions that await also in the CSDD exam are summarized. It is important to get to know the format of the exam beforehand and make sure that the theory learnt during the classes is also understood correctly. If something has not been mastered fully, this can be solved by doing the exercises.

In addition to that, Presto invites you to actively keep doing the CSDD theoretical exam - it can be found on presto.lv. After completing the test, all the correct answers can be seen, as well as an explanatory section is added with the corresponding regulations. By authorizing and then doing the test, each registered user automatically joins a competition - every month it is possible to win a gift card from the driving school. For the winners it means decreasing the cost of driving classes! But each one that regularly does the test on his own, does himself an enormous favor - the serious attitude and hard work pays off as it truly allows to prepare for the theoretical exam. It is impossible for the invested time not to pay off.

Tip Nr. 2 - do everything on time!

Sometimes the process of work gets prolonged only because there is no understanding what actually must be done - there is not a full picture. However, there are 3 things that can be done even before the 1st theoretical class: getting medical certificate and driver's permit for training period as well as completing first aid training. Why is it important?

Theory exam can be taken only by those students that have the certificate of first aid training - the exam will include questions from this course. First aid training takes 2 days in a row - 15 academic hours. But if the student has chosen the intensive theory course 3 times a week, how could he possibly find time also for 1st aid training? Therefore, it is wiser to pass first aid training first. It would be the most correct order so that the final test can be taken sooner and the results would be better. It is best to pass the exam straighly after the end of the course, no more than 1-3 days later, because the knowledge is then still fresh. But if it is necessary to wait one more week or even a longer time to get done with the first aid training, the process gets prolonged as a result. And the more everything gets prolonged, the duller the memories about what was learnt during the theoretical training.

Medical certificate is needed to be allowed to drive a car. It is impossible to obtain a driving permit in CSDD without it. It must be taken along with the student in every driving class so that the instructor has the right to teach driving to the student. Not to wait in rows, the medical certificate can also be received by signing up on the website presto.lv. Presto offers the widest network of medical commissions in Latvia - the branches are located in Riga, Daugavpils and Liepāja. Besides, it will be an opportunity not only to save time, but also money as better prices are offered than even in a clinic.

Tip Nr. 3 - drive daily!

Driving a car is something practical. Just as in the first computer class, finding certain functions or keys took more time and concentration, the same way the brain learns the new study material step by step also when starting to learn how to drive a car. The new driver has to get used to switching gears and using the parking brake. But if the driving skills get sharpened intensively by driving daily in the traffic, the technical part soon becomes as automatic as using the computer keyboard. The student should learn to drive without looking at the gearbox - the movements should be done automatically, so that the sight would not have to be turned away from the road.

The statistics confirm that the motivation level significantly drops and the possibilities of gaining the licence decrease after a period of 3 month training. Therefore, it is best to plan the driving schedule so that within 3 months time it was possible to attend 30-40 classes which is the average number of classes needed to successfully pass the exam. It means that the student should drive at least 3-4 times a week. If it is not possible to drive under the guidance of an instructor each day, then it is recommended to use the opportunity to drive together with some family member or a friend! This way the student may drive once again to the same places in the traffic in which some mistakes were made when driving with the instructor. The more intense and often the driving schedule, the faster you will be prepared for the exam! But if you keep on postponing - it may turn out that you have to pay for one more year in the driving school!

Tip Nr. 4 - change cars!

To increase chances to successfully pass the exam on the 1st attempt and thus evade paying once again for retaking the exam, book classes with different instructors and make sure what car brand one is driving! It is important for the students to know that 1 of the following car models may be allotted by the computer system by lottery on the day of the CSDD exam: BMW, Volkswagen Golf or Audi.

Even though the car is still a car, some technical nuances that must be taken into account to complete figures at the maneuverability area to some car models differ. If you do not get to know the differences between Audi, BMW and Golf, unfortunately, once so graciously done parking in the garage or parallel parking may be failed, but an even worse scenario may mean that you do not manage to get even out of the CSDD parking lot. Not to experience confusion on the day of exam, it is important to try out practically such things as the technique for changing gears, regulating mirrors and turning on wipers for different cars. If it is not possible to drive with every model, it is important that the instructor explains at least in theory what reference points should be noted for each car in the maneuverability training area.

The wider driving experience gained by the student, the easier it is to feel comfortable when driving different cars. If the student has driven quite a number of different cars, it can be noticed - the driver appears more confident and gets accustomed to the new car faster even if drives it for the 1st time. Such practice can help develop abilities needed to pass the exam convincingly on the 1st attempt. It results in saving money for the training.

Tip Nr. 5 - don't be afraid to change instructors!

Sometimes all that it takes to decrease the cost of the training is to change the current instructor. Of course, that no one finds common language with everybody, as well as not everyone is found agreeable. If the training seems to be stagnating, it is time to try out a different approach - amongst all instructors there surely can be found the one whose tactic and personality will meet the needs of the student.

During the first classes it is especially recommended to go to different instructors to evaluate which one has the greatest potential to form a successful cooperation. The most important is for the student to become more convinced and technically knowledgeable on the road. And if something seems off - silently, without doing any paperwork or providing explanations to someone - the student can book a class with another instructor. Unlike many other driving schools, Presto does not make such restrictions as driving under guidance of only 1 specific instructor. This way the path is cleared of all the obstacles that may make the training more expensive.

Haven't we heard so many negative stories from students whose instructors prolong the training process on purpose, this way getting more money from the students? The golden key to evade such a disagreeable situation which causes a significant gap in the budget, is the use of the option to drive with other instructors. If your instructor tells you that you are not yet ready for the exam, but you yourself feel very confident about your abilities - why not gain another opinion and demonstrate your driving skills to some other instructor?

Driver's licence within hand's reach

Training model of Presto and the experience of students shows that also those that have no prior knowledge about driving a car, can obtain the licence successfully just within 3 months. Hundreds of authorized reviews on the website of the driving school is proof of that.

Not to allow the finances to get in the way and become the reason for the training to be prolonged, it is important to be aware of the benefits that the driving school ensures. If the training at the driving school is started with understanding about the whole process, the requirements for exams and possibilities to prepare for them successfully, the dream of the driver's licence will turn into a well-considered plan.

Take a look at the agreement remotely and sign it already today on presto.lv! The driver's licence really is just within hand's reach!