Getting my driving license

This year, I decided to get a driving license. Although the public system here is very reliable, I decided that with a driving license, I am able to drive out of Stockholm or anywhere in Europe. I have heard how expensive it is to get a driving license here. Some paid close to SEK60K or some as low as SEK20K, so I decided to be financially secured before I could invest in a driving license.

Here is a summarised version of a driving license application:

1) Decide if you want a driving instructor from a driving school or your personal instructor (family of friends that have to go to a Tutor Course for 3 hours and be approved)

2) If go for driving school's instructor --> buy the driving course package. Very easy. 

3) If personal instructor:

a) Go for Introduction (tutor course) with personal instructor. If instructor has taken the course, you go alone. A registered personal instructor has a 5 year validity to teach students. 

b) School registers your name and personal instructor's name in Swedish Traffic Administration (Trafikverket) system 

c) Do eyesight test in a traffic school or optician. Get the eyesight results. Post to Trafikverket. 

d) Do health declaration on the same system 

e) Personal instructor includes your ID number in Trafikverket system that you are the student

f) Wait for approval letter from Trafikverket (for both student and personal instructor) 

g) Obtain approval letter  after about a week. Student has 5 years of driving probation period.  

h) Start driving lessons  

i) Do Riskettan (Risk 1) course. Compulsory to pass.

j) Do Halkbana - Risk 2 (Skid pad) i.e. driving on slippery roads. The tyres of the car are specially made to stimulate slippery roads. Compulsory to pass.

k) Register for driving test - Theory and Practical

l) Obtain driving license.

I googled up a few traffic schools and chose St. Göran Trafikskola as it is close by. 

The school offers a driving course that costs SEK13 200 that include 10 driving lessons (1 hour and 40 minutes each), driving books and an eyesight test. Or you can buy them individually which I did. 

For individual options, a driving lesson costs SEK1 290 (if you choose to have a private instructor, you can take this when you are confident enough to drive and would like to ensure that you are in line with the driving rules here), an eyesight tests costs SEK100 (this is the cheapest. Optical shops offer this service for at least SEK150), 2 driving books (theory test and for practical driving) for SEK500 (I bought 6 books (theory, questions for students, road signs) from Blockett for SEK300 - scroll down to see the photo. They are not the same books but they have the same function. There are a few publishers with different types of driving books.)

In this school, I bought the handledarkurs (tutor course) for SEK400, riskettan (risk 1 - compulsory) for SEK500 and the eyesight test for SEK100. This school accepts only cash which is very odd in Sweden as card payments are usually preferred.

Introduction Course - paid SEK400 per person

I called the school the day before I attended my first course and I was lucky that there is a spot for the Introduction (Tutor) Course. The course is necessary for those who choose to have private lessons i.e. with an approved personal instructor (family or friends). The personal instructor has to join the course too and pay SEK400 too. It was advertised as a 3-hour course but it lasted from 6.15pm to 8.20pm. I thought it was very expensive (other schools offer different prices) because this introductory course is an introduction to driving and a few questions to gauge our understanding of the driving rules. Most of them could answer as they are locals. Half of the attendees were parents.

We got a simple sandwich and coffee or tea during a 15-minute break.

Health Declaration

I did a health declaration online from Trafikverket's website. My health declaration has to be accompanied by the results of my eyesight test. 

Eyesight Test - Paid SEK100

I took the eyesight test from the same traffic school the following day (after my Introduction Course), as it is drop-in. The have a small equipment where I looked through the lenses and say out the numbers or letters that I see. It took me about 15 minutes. The staff filled up the form and I got 10 for all. I posted the form on the staff's behalf as I was passing by a mailbox. I thought it was weird that this is done manually, as everything is often done online. 

Risk 1 course - Paid SEK500

Although I have a period of 5 years to take Risk 1, I decided to take it now because there is a spot available in the course (from the same traffic school that I registered for the Introduction Course). I got my certificate after the completion of the course. It is from 6.15-8.30pm. This course talks about risk and consequences of drunk-driving, having insufficient rest, taking drugs, and the impact on another person's life in an accident. We saw a video of an actual incident where the victim of an accident was paralysed and could not communicate. In another accident, the victim died. Both of the drivers were drunk. They interviewed the parents of the victims and the parents said that they are aware that their children knew that the drivers were drunk but chose to enter into the vehicle. The drivers were interviewed too and they had a lot of regret and remorse for killing and paralaysing their friends.

We got a bun and coffee for break.

Books - paid SEK300 from Blockett

It was necessary for the students to get the books to read for the theory test. I bought my books from Blockett and the edition is year 2018. I thought that there can't be much that is changed within the last 2 years in the driving rules. My books include Road Signage, Road Signage Test, Road Marks, Tutor Book, Driving Book and Students' Driving Book.

Driving Lessons

Now, I am ready to start my driving lessons! I was so nervous because I was driving a manual and everything is on the right side. In Malaysia, we drive on the left side and I drive auto gear. So, it was troubling for me to learn manual again. I drove 1 hour each time. I am glad that I did not take a driving school's driving course. The school that I took the Introductory Course offered 100 minutes of driving lessons and I realised that 1 hour was stressful enough for me. And not to mention, I am taking everything in Swedish - more new words to remember! Yes, one can take this in English but somehow, I like to make my life difficult for myself. Haha!