PRACTICAL

 

Before you start the practical part of your test, you’ll have an eyesight check and be asked 2 vehicle safety questions.

EYESIGHT CHECK

 

You will need to read a number plate from a distance of:

 

20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate

 

You can write down what you see if you can’t speak English or have difficulty reading. New-style number plates start with 2 letters followed by 2 numbers, e.g. AB51 ABC.

 

Vehicle safety questions:

‘tell me, show me’

 

The examiner will ask you one:

‘Tell me’ question
where you explain how you would carry out a safety task before you start driving.

‘Show me’ question
where you will carry out a safety task while you are driving.

 

Driving Ability

 

The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

 

Your general driving ability

 

During your test the examiner will give you directions that you should follow. You’ll drive in various road and traffic conditions. You should drive in the way your instructor has trained you. The driving test should include: normal stops, an angle start (pulling out from behind a parked vehicle) a hill start and one reverse manoeuvre also you may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop (controlled stop).

 

Reversing your vehicle safely

 

You’ll have to show how well you can reverse your vehicle. The examiner will ask you to do one of the following exercises:
1. Pull up on the right hand side of the road, reverse back a couple of car lengths then drive away.
2. Reverse park - either into a parking bay or parallel parking at the side of the road.
3. Drive forward into a parking bay and then reverse out.

 

Independent driving section

 

Your driving test will include approximately 20 minutes of independent driving. Most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav. This is designed to assess your ability to drive safely while making decisions on your own. The examiner will provide the sat nav and set it up. You won’t need to set the route the examiner will do this for you.

If you are not asked to follow directions from the sat nav then at some point during the test you will be stopped and asked to follow direction signs to a given destination. You will not necessarily have to arrive at the destination just follow the signs. After 20 minutes the examiner will resume directions. If during the independent drive the signs you are following disappear the examiner will step in and help and give appropriate instructions. If you stray off route, the examiner will get you back on track. You will not fail your test by going off route only by doing something wrong during the missed direction.

 

If you make mistakes

 

Carry on if you make a mistake, if it’s not a serious mistake it might not affect your result. We all make mistakes!! Some things to look out for:

1. Look carefully to judge when best to come out of side roads.

2. Use the controls correctly.

3. Demonstrate good observation when reversing.

4. Use the mirrors effectively well before you signal, change direction or change your speed.

5. Use signals correctly, including how to cancel them and not giving misleading signals.

6. Move away safely from stationary positions, including good observation (blindspot)

7. Use the correct road position, particularly on bends, and show good lane discipline on roundabouts.

8. Have good steering control, for example when making left or right turns make sure you get in the correct position in the road when turning right.

9. Don't hesitate or cause delay. Always pull out promptly and safely at junctions.