PRACTICAL TEST




The practical driving test is designed to see if you are capable of safely driving a car without supervision. You will be expected to drive around one of the many test routes by following the instructions given by the examiner and perform some of the manoeuvres that you will have been taught during your lessons.

How do I know if I'm ready?
Your instructor will have built up a working relationship with you during your lessons that is based on an open and honest appraisal of your progress. Although nerves can affect how you drive on the day a simple test is 'Can I drive an entire lesson without my instructor needing to tell me what to do ?' If you can honestly answer 'Yes' then you should be ready. There is no point taking a driving test if you know that you are not ready, you will be nervous, make mistakes and dread the experience. Try to remain positive, regard the test as your opportunity to show how well you can put what you have learned into practice.

At the test centre
You will arrive at the test centre around 5 - 10 minutes before your test time and wait for the examiner to call you. You will need to show both parts of your driving licence, asked to confirm that the address on it is still current, then be asked to sign a form of residency and declaration that the car is insured for the purposes of a driving test. If you want them to your instructor may accompany you on your test, you must tell the examiner that you wish this to happen. Your instructor is not allowed to take any part in the test and will sit in the seat behind you and will pay a great deal of attention to the test, the route and how you drive. This may prove helpful in the event that you do not pass as your instructor will know exactly when and where the problems occurred and therefore be in a position to explain to you how things need to be done differently.

Show me, tell me
Before starting the 'test' you will be asked to read a number plate to confirm that your eyesight is of a sufficient standard to drive. You will then be asked 2 of the 'show me, tell me' questions before finally taking to the driving seat

The examiners
The job of the examiner is to assess whether you are safe to drive a car on public roads unsupervised. They understand that you may well be nervous and will make sure that they clearly explain everything that you need to do in plenty of time and will repeat or re-phrase things if you ask them to. The examiner is not looking for, or even expecting a 'perfect' drive, and the test allows for you to make 'minor mistakes'.

Minor, Serious & Dangerous faults
The faults you can make are divided into 'minor', 'serious' and 'dangerous'. A minor fault is one that does not have serious or dangerous implications to either yourself or other road users. An example of this is 'dry steering', where you turn the steering wheel whilst the car is not moving - this damages the road surface, the tyres and ultimately the steering system of the car but poses no risk or danger to other road users.

A serious fault is where you do, or maybe do not do something that could have been dangerous in a different circumstance. An example of this could be if you forget to check over your right shoulder blind spot before pulling away and you were lucky that there was no one there.

A dangerous fault is one that poses an immediate threat to the safety of yourself, another road user or maybe both. Following the example of not checking over your right shoulder if there had been another road user coming up beside or behind you and you pulled out that would clearly be dangerous.

To pass your test you must have less than 16 minor faults on your drive, providing that you do not score more than 3 in any one area. If you do this the examiner has every right to believe that you either don't know what you should be doing or have developed a bad habit and don't care and you will fail your test. You can not make any dangerous or serious faults and still pass.

Back at the test centre
At the end of your test the examiner will tell you if you have passed or failed and in either case will offer you an explanation, called a 'de-brief', during which they will explain ways that could have improved the standard of your drive. Pass or fail it is important that you listen to and understand this de-brief - it is provided to assist you in your development as a driver. After all you have paid for your test and the 'use' of this examiner, so listen to what they have to say.

If I pass
The day you pass your driving test is one of those truly memorable ones. You will naturally be very pleased and will almost certainly find it hard to take in the additional information that the examiner will provide you with. They will provide you with a very useful magazine designed especially for new drivers that contains a wealth of information. You will also be given a pass certificate and given the option to have the examiner forward your provisional licence onto DVLA to be replaced by your new full one.

If I fail
You will be disappointed if you fail but you need to pay attention to what the examiner says as the explanation (called a de-brief) they give will point out the areas that you need to improve on. Most people failing a test initially think that they should have passed, but after a short while, often on the drive back to their home come to agree that mistakes were made and see how to improve. You must remember that the examiner's job is to make sure that you have demonstrated that you are safe to drive a motor vehicle without supervision

After you have passed
Passing your test is the first step to becoming a competent driver. As a new driver you are statistically at a high risk of becoming involved in an accident within your first year of driving so it is up to you to put into practice the training you have had so far and to develop your skill, confidence and understanding. There are many additional courses and qualifications you can now undertake. These include RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and of course Pass Plus. Your instructor will be able to help you with additional training.