Tel: 01454 615444
Practical Test
The driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you:
- can drive safely
- know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving
What will the test include?
The test will include an eyesight test (if you fail this, your test will not continue).
After the eyesight test you will be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises. The reversing exercises will be chosen from:
- reversing around a corner
- turning in the road
- reverse parking
You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise, this happens with 1 in every 3 tests.
A standard driving test takes about 40 minutes.
What happens during the test?
During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set exercises.
Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger to other road users your test will be stopped.
You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test.
You should continue with the test, even if you think that you may have failed. This is because you may not have actually failed but it is also good experience to see the test through, in preparation for the next attempt.
Driving test standards
All examiners are trained to carry out the test to the same standard, they do not have pass or fail quotas. So as long as you demonstrate the standard required you will pass your driving test.
At the end of test when you return to the test centre, you will be given a de-brief by the examiner. You will be asked whether or not you want your instructor to attend the de-brief, we recommend that you let us here the briefing so that we can fully understand what happened during the test.
Weather conditions/ mechanical problems etc
DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or in adverse weather conditions for the safety of the candidate and the examiner. The DSA will arrange another appointment at no further cost, but compensation is not payable. Candidates should call the telephone number quoted on the appointment letter to check whether their test will go ahead.
If the driving test is not completed for reasons attributable to you or your vehicle, you will have to take another test at your own cost.
