Your Practical Test

This consists of three parts, Eyesight check, Vehicle safety questions and the driving ability test.

Before you start the driving ability part of your test the examiner will look at your driving licence and ask you to read and sign the insurance and residency declaration. The examiner will then ask you if you wish your instructor to accompany you on the test

 

You will then make your way to the car.

 

The eyesight check

 

The examiner will ask you to read the number plate on a parked vehicle to test your eyesight. If you fail the check, your driving test won't continue.

 

Vehicle safety questions: 'show me, tell me'

 

You'll be asked two vehicle safety questions.

The examiner will ask you one 'show me' question, where you'll have to show them how you'd carry out a vehicle safety check. You'll also be asked one 'tell me' question, where you'll have to explain to the examiner how you'd carry out the check.

If you give the wrong answer for one or both questions, you'll be marked with one driving fault.

 

The driving ability part of your driving test

 

The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. Throughout the test the examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving assesing you on the following areas :-

• Your general driving ability
  

During your test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. You'll drive in various road and traffic conditions. You should drive in the way your instructor has trained you.

You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.

• Your ability to reverse your vehicle safely

You'll be asked to complete an exercise to show how well you can reverse your vehicle.
The examiner will choose one exercise from:

• - Reversing around a corner
• - Turning in the road
• - Reverse parking - either into a parking bay, or parallel parking at the side of the road

 

• Independent driving section of the driving test

Your driving test will include around ten minutes of independent driving. This is designed to assess your ability to drive safely while making decisions independently.

 

If you make a mistake during your test

If you make a mistake, don't worry about it as it might be a less serious driving fault and might not affect your result. However, if at any time your examiner considers your driving to be a danger to other road users they will stop your test.

 

Your Driving Test Result

You'll pass your test if you make:

• - 15 or less driving faults
• - No serious or dangerous faults
  
  

When the driving test has ended, you can call your instructor over if they didn't go with you on your test. This is so they can listen to the result and feedback with you.

The examiner will:

• - Tell you whether you passed or not and explain how you did during the test.
  
  

The different types of faults that can be marked

There are three types of faults that can be marked:

• - A dangerous fault - involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property
• - A serious fault - could potentially be dangerous
• - A driving fault - not potentially dangerous, but if you make the same fault throughout your test it could become a serious fault

 

The pass mark for the driving test

 

You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test. If you make 16 or more driving faults, you won't pass your test.

If you make one serious or dangerous fault, you won't pass your test.

 

If you pass your test

 

If you pass your test the examiner will give you a pass certificate. They will also ask you if you want your full licence to be sent to you automatically.