Driving Lessons in Singapore

Despite most cars being automatic these days, most people choose to learn manual as you get a manual and auto car license. If you learn auto only, you get the auto license only. I've been taking lessons at the Bukit Batok Driving Center, so I'll write about what happens there.

1. Sign up at a driving centre to take lessons. You must go down in person to do so. Bring your IC, money, and visual aids (you must pass an eyesight check with or without spectacles). Make sure you spectacles are updated and you can see colors properly, thats all. When you sign up you get an online account so you can book lessons virtually.
2. Add money into your account. You can only use the driving center's machines if you use nets or cashcard. There's internet banking also, but it looks troublesome. You can add as much money as you like since the extra will be refunded when you terminate your account.

3. Book for two Basic Theory Lessons (BTL). Take the lessons. Don’t be late or you may not be admitted into the classroom. They are all about road signs and road safety.
4. Book for Basic Theory Evaluation (BTE). A driving centre based test similar to the real Basic Theory test. Pass it by getting 90% or better. Its harder than the real test - same reason why schools make their mock exams harder than the real thing.
5. Book for Basic Theory Test (BTT). Pass by getting 90% or better. You MUST pass this to apply to learn to drive.

6. Apply for Provisional Driving License at a counter in the driving school. Pay. Take the eyesight test again. You can now learn to drive under a person qualified to teach driving (not just any Tom, Dick or Harry with a valid driving license). It used to be this way around the time I was born, just hang a Learner plate and drive with your mother/ father/ brother/ sister/ bf at your side, but no longer.

8. Make sure you book 2 Final Theory Lessons (FTL), pass your Final Theory Evaluation (FTE), and pass your Final Theory Test (FTT). This may be done simultaneously with your practical training. Mostly about what you learnt in your practical lessons. Passing rate again is 90% (not 50% unfortunately).

7. Book for practical lessons. There are five stages to it. You must pass each stage to process to the next stange, or you repeat the stage at every lesson till you pass.
8. Stage 1 (10 subjects) teaches you to move the car safely.
9. Stage 2 (10 subjects + driving simulator) teaches you to drive on the road properly. You can book for your driving test after completing this stage, if you have finished your FTT as well.
10. Stage 3 (10 subjects + 1 automatic car lessons) shows you how to park, reverse, and U-turn. Genenerally the hardest stage for people.
10. Stage 4 (3 subjects) teaches how to avoid hazards on the road and reviews what you have learnt. Nothing new is taught, its just revision.
11. Stage 5 is a mock driving test (1 subject). You need to pass this to qualify for the driving test.

9. Take your driving test. Tester is a policeman, not a driving instructor. Don’t screw up by beating the red light, stopping too close to another car, rushing when you see a green light, moving off on the wrong gear, rolling down a slope, shifting gear too abruptly, etc. Pass.
10. Apply for your license.

Notes:
1. Don't drive at night if possible. Visibility reduces, so probability of passing your stage reduces too.
2. Its really a lot easier to learn the auto car. Will really significatly cut down your learning time if you start with it. I didn't realize until I took an auto car lesson. Just like a toy car.
3. Learning from a private instructor is cheaper but I heard its easier to fail.
4. Waiting time for the BTT, FTT, and drivng test is 2 months on average. Try to sign up for classes the moment you turn 18 and clear the theoretical tests first in your last high school year. They aren't too time consuming. Then you can take the practical lessons in your own sweet time once you finish high school, and get your licence before entering uni. There's even leeway time to retake in the event you fail. You probably don't want to learn while studying cause you'll be too busy and put driving lessons on lower priority.
5. Theory lessons have nothing to do with the real test. They are essentially briefings on safety.
6. Thinking safety helps you pass.
7. Don't fail the theoretical tests. Driving test results may be due to luck or Murphy's Law, but to pass the test do what you do best: MUG. The theoretical tests are all about common sense, but you know what they say about common sense.
8. Most people pass two stages in one lesson. Parallel parking takes one whole lesson on average.
9. Lessons are about $60 on weekdays and $68 on weekends and nighttime for each 1 hr 40 min lesson.
10. Book practical lesson slots either weeks in advance, the day before, or on the day itself to avoid disappointment. If you can't get the time you want, keep checking continuously until you do; someone's bound to cancel.
11. Some other driving schools want you to finish every single lesson before you can book your driving tests. That means you might need to take extra lessons to keep up your skills before you take the test.
12. Driving instructors say not to book the practical test during peak hours. There will be more cars and more chance to make errors during those times. Chance of failing increases.
13. Don't take too long to learn as your membership with the Driving School must be renewed every one year or so. This means money.
14. If you book a practical lessons but decide to cancel it, cancel it more than 48 hours before the lesson starts to ensure a refund. Otherwise you have to try and sell it and pray someone decides to take your slot. If no one does, no refund and you turn up anyway or lose your money.
15. Weekend slots are more unpopular as they are more expensive. Try-sell on weekends usually fails. Be careful when you book your slots! Most people learning to drive are high school graduates who hold part time jobs and can thus rush down on weekdays to learn.
16. Its very easy to fail the test. You can accumulate 18 points at maximum during the test and you get points for doing even minor things wrongly.