The Driving Test for car drivers is about 40 minutes long. During this time the examiner will:
- Check your eyesight by getting you to read a number plate at the required distance.
- Ask you to show or tell them how to conduct certain vehicle safety checks
- Direct you to drive around a test route while incorporating two of the following set manoeuvres and optionally the emergency stop.
Set manoeuvres:
- Reverse parking behind a parked car or into a parking bay.
- Reversing round a corner.
- Turn in the road
1. eyesight test
Before you can start the driving test you must demonstrate that your eyesight is good enough to be able to drive safely. You do this by reading a clean number plate of the old style from a minimum distance of 20.5 metres (approximately 67 feet or 5 car lengths). If reading a new style number plate (these letters are narrower) you must be able to read it from a minimum distance of 20 metres (approximately 66 feet).
If you have difficulty with spoken English you are permitted to write down what you see. If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to achieve this, you will be required to wear them throughout the test and whenever you drive normally. If you cannot read the number plate the examiner will ask you to read a second number plate and if necessary take you a little closer to just over the required distance.
If you still have a problem the examiner will then measure the exact distance and check your ability to read a third number plate. If you cannot read this third plate correctly you will fail your driving test and the test will go no further.
2. Vehicle Safety Checks “Show me - Tell me”
After you have successfully completed the eyesight test and shown the examiner to the vehicle he or she will ask two questions, one ‘show me’ and one ‘tell me’. One or both questions answered incorrectly will result in one driving fault (i.e. minor fault) being recorded.Questions can be found by clicking show me tell me at top of page.
3. Driving
During the driving part of the practical test the examiner will ask you to drive on a route with a variety of different road conditions. At certain points the examiner will get you to undertake two of the set manoeuvres and optionally the emergency stop. The examiner will tell you in good time which way to go. If you go the wrong way do not panic the examiner is testing your ability to drive not your ability to follow directions. It is better to go the wrong way correctly than to go the right way incorrectly.
If at any time you are unsure what the examiner requires do not hesitate to check what he or she wants; the examiner appreciates that you may be nervous and will be happy to repeat any instructions or clarify any instructions given.
4. The Marking System
During the practical test the examiner will note any driving faults on the driving test report form. The driving faults are categorised into minor, serious and dangerous and are recorded against the appropriate headings shown below. Each fault is denoted by a slash ‘/’ in the appropriate box. At the end of the test the examiner will total up the number of minor driving faults under each heading and overall.
If you commit 16 or more minor driving faults you will unfortunately fail the driving test. If you commit one or more serious or dangerous driving faults you will also fail the test. Even if you feel you have failed the test you should continue to try, as the test will help you to identify where you need more practice.
The degree of seriousness of each individual fault will be totally dependent on the prevailing conditions at the time. When other road users are affected, a minor fault can immediately become a serious one. Dangerous faults will only be recorded when either the driving examiner or when another road user has been forced to take evasive action to avoid danger.
Below is some guidence of what the examiner will mark you on during you test :
1. Precautions before starting the engine
Here the examiner is looking for you to check that the car is in neutral and that the handbrake is applied before you start the engine
This routine should form part of your cockpit drill, and you should do it each and every time you intend to start a car
2. Use of the Controls
Accelerator - Uncontrolled use / Excessive engine revs
Clutch - Not depressing the clutch pedal before stopping / Uncontrolled engagement after changing gear
Gears - Clutch Coasting / Looking down when changing gear resulting loss of steering control / Selecting the wrong gear for the road and traffic conditions
Footbrake - Uncontrolled use resulting in pulling up to early or too late / Late or harsh braking / Missing the brake pedal completely
Handbrake - Applying whilst in motion / Not applying where necessary resulting in rolling forwards or backwards / Allowing the vehicle to 'creep' with an automatic / Unable to release fully
Steering - Unable to maintain a steady course in normal driving / `Swan Neck' turns when turning right / At a normal stop, mounting and dismounting the kerb / Not following the contour of the kerb at a bell mouth junction / Late steering to avoid an obstruction / Failing to correct the steering soon enough after left-right turns / Under and over steering on turns
4. Move away Safely
No blind spot checks / incorrectly timed checks / Moving away unsafely / Blind spot check only over the left shoulder / Pulling away with the left signal on Under Control - Stalling / Repeated stalling / Moving off with the handbrake applied / Rolling backwards when attempting to move off / Not engaging a gear and attempting to move off / Attempting to pull away in too higher gear
5. Emergency Stop
Promptness - Late or slow reaction to the signal
Control - Applying the handbrake before stopping / Skidding out of control / Missing the foot pedal / Letting go of the steering wheel
6. Reverse to the Left or to the Right
Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Stalling / Mounting the pavement or kerb / Turning the steering wheel the wrong way / Going wide after the corner / Finishing at an acute angle / Scrubbing-brushing-touching the kerb / Taking an excessive amount of time to complete the manoeuvre
Observation - No blind spot checks / No observation at or before the point of turn / Excessive use of the door mirrors / Not looking directly behind / Not responding to passing or approaching vehicles / Not reacting to pedestrians / Waiting unnecessarily for other roads users
7. Turn in the Road
Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Mounting the pavement or kerb / Stalling / Turning the wheel the wrong way / Taking an excessively long time to complete the manoeuvre
Observation - No blind spot checks / Not looking to the left or right before reversing or pulling forwards / Not looking directly behind / Not responding to passing or approaching vehicles / Not reacting to pedestrians / Waiting unnecessarily for other road users
8. Reverse Parking
Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Scrubbing-brushing the kerb / Unnecessary shunting backwards and forwards / Getting too close to the object car / Mounting the pavement Turning the steering wheel the wrong way / Parking too far from the kerb / Stalling / Not completing within two car lengths / Finishing at an acute angle to the kerb Car Park - Poor co-ordination of controls / Ending up straddling two bays / Unnecessary shunting forwards and backwards / Turning the steering wheel the wrong way / Stalling
Observation - No blind spot checks / Relying too much or entirely on the mirrors / Ineffective observation / Looking but not responding to other vehicles or pedestrians / Waiting too long for other users in the car park
9. Use of Mirrors
Use well before Signalling - Changing direction-Stopping / Not using the exterior mirror's when essential / Using the mirrors but not responding to the information / Not using the mirrors at all / Pulling up with no mirror checks / Increasing speed with no mirror checks / Late use of mirrors
10. Giving Appropriate Signals
Where necessary - Omitting to re-apply when it self cancels / Omitting to give a signal where necessary - Signalling unnecessarily / Wrong arm signals / Omitting to cancel after use Incorrect (i.e. left for right, right for left) / Flashing the headlights at another driver to proceed or turn / Having the hazard lights on whilst on the move / Unnecessary use of the horn / Beckoning pedestrians / Misleading signal before intended left and right turn Properly
Timed - Giving late exit signals at roundabouts / Arriving at a junction and then signalling / Signalling after starting the manoeuvre / Signalling far too early or too late
11. Response to Signs and Signals
Traffic signs - Going to the wrong side of a keep left sign / Non-compliance with a Stop sign / Non-compliance with a No Entry sign / Driving in a Bus Lane when times on the sign prohibit its use / Not complying with Mandatory signs
Road markings - Unnecessarily crossing the solid white centre lines / Not conforming to directional arrows / Stopping in a yellow box junction when the exit is not clear
Traffic lights - Waiting at a green filter light when safe to proceed / Not conforming to a red light / Late reaction to the amber traffic light / Remaining at the stop line when safe to move forwards
Traffic controller - Police / Traffic warden / School crossing patrol / Other persons directing traffic Other road users - Not reacting appropriately to the signals given by other road users
12. Use of Speed
Driving too fast for prevailing road, traffic and weather conditions / Breaking the speed limit
13. Following Distance
Getting too close to moving vehicles / Pulling up too close to vehicle ahead
14. Maintain Progress
Driving at an appropriate speed for the road and traffic conditions - Holding up following traffic Avoiding undue hesitation - Stopping unnecessarily at junctions and other hazards / Not proceeding when it is safe to do so at junctions
15 Junctions
Approach speed - Approaching too fast / Approaching too slow
Observation - Not taking effective observation before emerging / Looking both ways but still emerging to effect other road users Turning right
Positioning - too far to the left / Positioning too far to the right / On major to minor stopping short of the turning point / Incorrect position before turning right Turning left - Positioning too far to the right or too close to the kerb / Swinging out prior to reaching the corner / Positioning in an inappropriate lane to turn left
Cutting Right Corners - Cutting corners, from major to minor roads
16. Judgement when:
Overtaking - Cutting in after overtaking / Attempting to overtake in a hazardous place / Unsafe overtaking
Meeting Traffic - Failure to show proper judgement when meeting approaching traffic
Crossing Traffic - Turning right across the path of oncoming road users
17 Positioning
Normal driving - Too close to the kerb / Too far from the kerb / Not using bus or cycle lanes when the times allow its use / On dual carriageways driving in the right hand lane / Cutting across the normal road position when going ahead at roundabouts
Lane discipline - Straddling lanes marked on roundabouts when going ahead or when turning / Straddling a bus lane
18 Clearance to Obstructions
Driving too close to stationary vehicles and obstructions
19 Pedestrian Crossings
Approaching too fast / Not reacting the lights at a pedestrian controlled crossing / Pulling away well before the crossing is clear of pedestrians / Not stopping when necessary / Beckoning pedestrians to cross
20 Position for Normal Stops
Normal stop not made in a safe position / Both nearside wheels on the kerb-pavement / Over a driveway / At a bus stop / Too far from the kerb / Too near to a junction / Opposite other parked vehicles
21 Awareness and Planning
Failure to judge what other road users are going to do and react accordingly
22 Ancilliary Controls
Failure to use ancillary controls when necessary / Unable to operate controls / Not able to locate or operate essential ancillary controls / Loss of control whilst operating ancillary controls
