The Practical Driving Test

The DRIVING TEST approx last 35 to 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass you test. (16 or more result in a failure.) However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test.

The practical test is straight forward and designed to see if you can drive safely, know the highway code and can demonstrate this through your driving. At the beginning of the test you will need to read a number plate a certain distance away,this will be approx 20 metres (66 feet).if you need glasses or contact lenses to read the number plate, that's fine. However you must wear them whenever you drive. After that, you will be asked two( safety check) questions about the car itself. You will then be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises.

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

You are allowed to take your driving instructor with you on your test as a observer only. Your instructor CAN NOT help you in any way on the day.

If you were taught by your parents and want your parent with you on your test again thats fine but only as an observer they can not have any part in your test.

If you make a mistake during your test DON'T WORRY about it, it might not be as serious as you think and not affect your result.However, if at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger to other road users your test WILL be stopped.

From october this year 2010 independent driving will be introduced as part of your practical test.during the test you will have to drive for about 10 minutes either following a series of directions following traffic signs, or a combination of both.To help you understand where you are going, the examiner may show you a diagram. It doesn't matter if you don't remember every direction, or if you go the wrong way that can happen to the most experienced driver.

The Theory Test:

The theory test is a computer based test, and consists of two parts. multiple choice and hazard perception.

You must pass both the theory and hazard perception to recieve a pass. If you fail one part you will need to re book and take both again.

The pass mark for the multiple choice ( theory ) is 43 out of 50 and the time you are allowed to complete the test is 57 minutes.

Some questions may ask for two or more correct answers from a selection of four.

Multiple Choice:

Before the test starts you'll be given instructions on how it works, you can also choose to have a practise session of the multiple choice questions before you begin. I would advise you to have a practise. Read every question very carefully, and read every answer very carefully, dont skip words, or jump to conclusions and dont assume the question say's something it doesn't.

Answer the questions that you can do easily, and flag the ones you are not sure about.once you have covered the easy ones go back to the flagged questions by doing this it takes off some pressure.

The Hazard Perception:

The hazard perception is a serious of video clips which shows every day road scenes. In each clip there'll be at least one developing hazard.

The pass mark for this is 44 out of 75. You are shown 14 clips  one of the clips have two developing hazards.

You can score up to 5 marks for each hazard it just depends on how early you recognise them. You need to click as soon as you see a hazard, Watch that you dont click to many times it can be classed as cheating. Also not clicking enough might not score you anything.You should be ok with several clicks per hazard if the first click is to early the others will be noted within the scoring window.

A hazard could be a number of things e.g a parked car some one opens the door as you go passed, or drives away without signalling. A pedestrian walking towards the crossing are they about to cross?

A side road a car might pull out. On a dual carriageway there will be an exit OFF that means an entrance ON do you need to change lanes?A country lane and a blind bend ! What is round the other side of the bend ! ?

Anything that is going to make you Slow down Swerve or Stop is a ! HAZARD !