Driving Test

Advice for Learner Drivers

Pass Your Driving Test

Driving Courses To Help You Pass Your Driving Test

The letters DSA stand for Driving Standards Agency & that is the agency responsible for overseeing all tests of vehicles including both the theory test & practical driving tests. The driving examiner on your practical driving test is employed by the DSA and all professional driving instructors have to be registered with the DSA. .

Driving tests can be taken anytime after you have passed your theory test by law. In reality though you should not take your practical test until you are ready to pass it. Students get very excited when they pass their theory test, & quite rightly so, it is one step closer to a full driving licence. But most are a long way off passing their driving test, especially if the theory test has been taken to early. Learner drivers are recommended by the DSA to complete enough driving lessons first in order to be confident about their standard of driving before take a theory test. You should not take your theory to early for two main reasons.

1. The theory test certificate has only a 2 year validation
2. The driving test is a test to see if you have understood the theory

You may think that 2 years is plenty of time to pass the practical test, but not necessarily so. I know personally of a few learner drivers who's theory has expired more than once, or is about to expire and have not taken a practical test. The DSA have on an average received £25,000 in fees from students who have passed their theory test, but have never booked a driving test within the 2 year period.
The practical test in driving examines your skills at car control & also your knowledge of the Highway Code which you should have studied for your theory. If you are a learner driver who has studied for the theory test by using only the CD's and question bank you are in for a big surprise on your driving test.
TIP: Do not take your practical test until you can drive safely & independently of your driving instructor

Your practical driving test is in 4 parts

1. Show me tell me questions
2. Road & traffic driving
3. 10 minutes Independent Driving
4. 1 manoeuvre

The practical test show me tell me questions are the first part of your test. You will be asked by the examiner two questions about the vehicle checks that you should carry out on a regular basis.
In the next part of your practical test you will be asked to start your car engine and move away safely. You can be asked in this move away process to either park your car into one of the test centre parking bays [if any exisit] or parallel park alongside a car parked on the road. That then would constitute the one manoeuvre requirement.
If the test centre you are using has a car park then there are 4 possible manoeuvres that the examiner can choose one from.

1. Bay parking
2. Parallel parking
3. Corner reverse
4. Turn in the road

The independent driving section was introduced on the driving test October 4th 2010. At some point during your test you will be asked to continue driving for around 10 minutes without directions from the examiner. You may be shown a route diagram or asked to follow signs to a chosen destination, or a combination of both.
The road & traffic driving forms the largest part of your practical test, including possibly an emergency stop [1 in 3 students will be asked to carry out an emergency stop].
At the end of your test you will be told the result and asked if you would like to know your driving faults, whether you pass or fail. Your instructor is allowed to be with you on your test, or at the end to listen to the examiners comments. But it's your choice, you cannot be forced to include your instructor.
Find out when courses are available to help you pass your test.