Learning to drive

5 things that will immediately happen when you pass your driving test

Woop! How good are you?

You're the 8th wonder of the world. You're the coolest thing since that yodelling Walmart kid performed at coachella. You're GREASED LIGHTNING, BABY.

Here's what will happen to you next:

1. You'll be ITCHING to drive straight away - and you can't

   Even though you REALLY want to. Unfortunately, until you have the right insurance you can't actually drive anywhere.

   That means calling your insurer to tell them you're now a qualified driver and then waiting for your insurance to be updated, or arranging new cover from another insurer. Either way, it won't be instant.

   Bummer. Take a look at the other things you need to do right after you pass your driving test.

   (And did we mention we do awesome insurance ourselves? We didn't? Yeah, we do awesome insurance. Check out how you can get discounts of up to 21% over the year.)

2. You'll be more popular than you've ever been

   Your mates will suddenly be all up in your grill, laughing at every one of your (poor at best) jokes. Sure, pick them up if you like. Just make sure they know who's boss of this ride. You.

   Oh, and make sure they put on their seatbelts too. Over 14s are legally responsible for themselves but imagine how bad you'd feel if one of your passengers got hurt because you didn't bother telling them to belt up.

   Get the low down on being the designated driver.

3. You'll develop an unhealthy urge to visit Halfords

   It's entirely possible that in the weeks after you pass your driving test, you will go to Halfords more than Subway, Urban Outfitters and Tiger Tiger combined.

   Oooh, go-faster stripes! Number plate trims! Fluffy dice! Just watch it with the modifications - going mad in the DIY section could lead you to invalidating your car insurance.

   Get the facts on vehicle modifications and how they can affect your insurance.

4. You'll drive to the corner shop, which is 500 yards away

   If you could drive to the kitchen, you would. Once you've got over the initial shock of driving alone, it's all you'll want to do and your mum will be worried by how keen you are to fetch things for her from Tesco.

   There are a few things that might seem daunting though, like driving on the motorway for the first time. Just remember you can always ask your driving instructor for a post-test lesson or go with a (knowledgeable) buddy - an older sibling or a parent rather than a mate.

   Just remember: you're not expected to be cool with everything right away and rushing is not the one. Take a look at our tips for tackling motorway driving.

5. You'll get asked for ID and suddenly realise you're a DRIVER

   Whipping out that pink card will be a great feeling, much like the first time you buy a pint as a legal adult.

   You might even find yourself ASKING if people need to see your ID. Just be careful not to over-share here: posting pictures of your driving licence online can lead to serious grief.