Prior to the first recording session for Help! that afternoon, John Lennon passed his driving test in Weybridge, the town where he lived.

Lennon was a notoriously bad driver, and rarely drove himself after passing his test. The other Beatles had learnt to drive previously, and were keen drivers, but Lennon’s confidence was knocked after crashing his car shortly after this date.

He was normally chauffeured to recording sessions and appointments by his driver, Les Anthony, and on the occasions when Lennon did drive, he was often inattentive to other cars and navigated roads poorly.