On the road to driver's licence

Dubai: Learning to drive in the UAE is relatively easy. Getting to grips with the traffic and speedy highways, however, is another matter.

To get a Dubai issued driving licence, trainees need to be at least 18 years old to attend a driving school. But before you learn to drive you need a no-objection letter from your sponsor.

The NOC rule was discarded four years ago but now has come back into force apparently to cut down the number of motorists. There are numerous driving schools in Dubai and they will help you with the application process.

If you choose to find an independent instructor from a smaller school you may have to get your paperwork sorted out unassisted.

Depending on your driving skills a driving licence can be obtained in as little as two months.

All applicants must have an eye test which is easily done at any authorised optician and most hospitals and clinics for a small fee.

You need to bring two passport photos and they will issue you with a certificate which can be presented when applying for a licence. Some driving schools can give you an eye test on their premises.

The driving test includes an internal test to assess parking skills which is overseen by the driving school, a highway code test where applicants have to identify road signs, and finally the road test with a Traffic Police officer.

Whether to learn with a manual or an automatic car is up to the student. Learning with a manual car is cheaper than learning with an automatic.

Some driving schools offer a package of pre-booked driving lessons which you must attend every day that last around 40 to 45 minutes.

The package costs approximately Dh1,500 and includes around 35 driving lessons during which the instructor will judge when you are ready for the internal test.

Other schools offer lessons on an hourly rate at times of your choice for anything from Dh30. Private driving instructors are also available and rates vary from Dh40 for a 45 minute lesson, however private instructors are also more flexible and can accommodate you to have two lessons back to back.

Documents you need to register in a school:

• Passport, original and copy
• Residence visa, copy
• Eight passport size photographs
• Eye test certificate
• Fee, depends on schools and number of lessons

Main institutes

• Belhasa Driving Centre - 04 3440276
• Emirates Driving Institute - 04 2631100
• The yellow pages have more than 30 listings of smaller learning schools

Male or female instructors

Women are usually assigned a female driving instructor but can ask to have a male instructor for a higher fee. To apply for male driving instructor, a woman needs to apply for a no objection letter from her sponsor and the Traffic Police.

The letter needs to highlight the name of the instructor and the driving school and has to be handed in at the "Certificates for Women" counter at the Traffic Police for a cost of Dh10. The police will then attest the letter which must be returned to the driving school.

Simulated driving

If you want to be put through your paces before hitting the tarmac with your new wheels, learner drivers can try out the new driving simulators at the Emirates Driving Institute (EDI).

Emirates Driving Institute (EDI) acquired the simulators earlier this year which can recreate authentic real-life driving situations for trainees. These computerised driver training aids from Germany can simulate all sorts of driving situations and weather conditions.

The simulators throw up unexpected situations similar to those that occur in real traffic on the roads such as motorists changing lanes without signalling or braking suddenly.

"Such situations cannot be integrated into conventional training programmes due to the risk factor, but simulator training eliminates all risk," said Amer Ahmad Belhasa, managing director of EDI.