Practical Driving Test

On your practical driving test, you will need to drive safely and skillfully in various road and traffic conditions. The examiner will give you clear directions and in good time, and you will be asked to carry out set exercises.

Before you can start the driving part of your practical driving test you must complete an eyesight check to ensure that you can read a number plate on a parked vehicle. You will also be asked a vehicle safety check question known as a Show Me, Tell Me question.

Once you begin driving there should be no surprises as we will have thoroughly prepared you for everything you will need to do. Simply keep calm and concentrate on your driving. If you make a mistake, don’t panic! It is more than likely a minor mistake and does not necessarily mean you have failed your test.

You will only be required to complete one manoeuvre on your test from one of the following:

• Forward bay park (in a public car park)
• Reverse bay park (in the driving test centre car park)
• Park on the right-hand side of the road and reverse back in a straight line for approximately two car lengths
• Parallel park

Your test will also include an independent driving section which will last for approximately 20 minutes either following a sat nav or road signs. You will receive step by step instructions from the examiner which you must follow whilst prove that you can drive safely and make decisions independently.

As you perform your practical driving test the examiner will assess your driving and he/she will often be marking something down on the marking sheet. Again, this is nothing to worry about. They are simply making a record of your test and are required to mark down any driving faults you make.

There are three different types of fault:

A Driving Fault: this is not potentially dangerous, however, if you make the same fault throughout your test it could become a serious fault. You are allowed to make up to 15 driving faults in your test and still pass. If you make 16 or more you will fail your test.

A Serious Fault: this is something that could potentially be dangerous. If you make a serious fault on your test you will fail.

A Dangerous Fault: this involves actual danger to either yourself, the examiner, another person or property such as a parked car. If you make a dangerous fault on your test you will fail.

Leading up to your practical driving test we will carry out mock tests. These will include getting familiar with the test routes and independent sections. We will also focus on getting your manoeuvres to test standard. On your last few lessons, we will introduce you to the DL25 or the official Driving Test Report. We will look at it so you are familiar with what the examiner is looking for and the common errors that can occur on the test.