What do I need to take with me on test day?
If you
require any information on documents. Contact the DSA on :- 0300 200 11
22
How long will my
test last?
The test will last about 40 minutes. Your
driving for about 30-35 minutes.
What car Do I Use?
You will take the test in your driving school
school car or take the test in your own car as long as it meets
the legal requirement.
What happens on the
day of my test?
You will be picked up by your driving instructor
an hour or half hour before your test appointment time. They will ask
to see your documents. you will then drive to the test centre having a
run through your manoeuvres to help you calm down & reinforce your
confidence you will arrive outside the test centre about 20
minutes before your test. The first 10 minutes is used to run
through see me tell me then need to be parked in the car park (if
provided) 10 minutes before the test which will allow you time to go to
the rest room if needed & be ready when the examiner comes out for
you.
At the test centre
You will wait in the waiting room with your
instructor or person that has accompanied you. There will be others
just like yourself. You will need to have your documents with you.
The examiner will come into the waiting room and call your name.
They will ask you to sign the top of the driving test report form. This
is to say that you still live at the same address (if not you should
have filled in the bottom of the licence). And that the car is insured
for the purpose of the test. They will ask to see your licence
(both parts), check the signature and your theory
certificate. You may ask for your instructor to sit in the back at this
time. They will then lead you outside introducing themselves &
lead you to a suitable place to carry out the eyesight check, read a
number from 20.5 metres. If you have a problem reading the plate
with this the examiner will get a tape measure for the distance
& ask you to read it again, if you can't the test will be marked as
failed. So make sure your optician appointments are up to date.
Having
passed the eyesight check you will be asked 2 Show Me Tell
Me questions
Having
completed these the examiner will inform you to follow the road
ahead unless told otherwise or road signs or tell you
otherwise. They will give you directions in good time.
During the test
You will be examined on your general driving + 2 reversing
exercises. The reversing exercises will be chosen from:
You may
also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise. You will be
informed of this just before they ask you to carry it out.
What If I make A
mistake?
During the driving test the examier will give you directions which
you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as
possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic
conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set
exercises.
Throughout
the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If
you make a mistake, don't worry about it, it might be a less serious
driving fault and may not affect your result. The
examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
You can
make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more
results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous
fault you will fail the test. If at anytime your examiner
considers you to be a danger to other road users your test will be
stopped.
You are
allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be
over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test.
After the practical
test
When the driving test is over, the examiner will tell you whether you
passed or failed. You can request feedback on your test from the
examiner, who will then go through your performance during the test.
When you pass...
When you pass and have a photocard driving licence
issued after 1 March 2004 the examiner will ask you if you want your
full driving licence issued to you automatically. If you want to use
this service, the examiner will take your old licence off you, scan the
details and send them electronically to driver and vehicle Licensing
Agency (DVLA). You will then be given a pass certificate to prove you
passed your test. DVLA will then send you your new full licence by post
within four weeks of you passing your practical test. If you pass your
test but do not want to use this automatic service, or have a licence
issued before 1 march 2004, you will be given a pass certificate by the
examiner. On the back of the pass certificate it tells you what to do
next. This involves sending your licence and appropriate fee to DVLA
who will then check your application and issue you with a new full
licence.
If you fail...
If you fail the test you should ask the
examiner for some feedback to help prepare yourself for your next test.
Your driving report form will also show you where you made any
mistakes. You can take another practical test 10 working days after
your car or motorcycle test.
Driving test standards
All examiner are trained to carry out the test to
the same standards, they do not have pass or fail quotas. So as long as
you demonstrate the standard required you will pass your driving test.
Weather
Conditions/ Mechanical Problem
DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or in adverse weather conditions
for the safety of the candidate and the examiner, we will arrange
another appointment at no futher cost, but compensation is not payable.
Candidates should call the telephone number quoted on the appointment
letter to check whether their test will go ahead.
If the driving test is not completed for reasons attributable to you or
your vehicle, you will have to take another test at your own cost.
More
info you may like to take a look at
Serious
faults: these are things you have done
that could affect another road user if they had been there. Serious
faults
could be cutting a right hand corner or not looking behind when
reversing. One
of these on your test and you will fail.
Dangerous
faults: These are faults that actually
cause another road user to brake or swerve. One of these on your test
and you
will fail.
Examiners are
trained to watch you until you look in the
mirror after giving a direction.
Your
examiner
has probably already made an assessment of
your ability before you pull away by looking at the way you do the
pre-start
checks.
Examiners
don't
like boy/girl racers - keep your driving smooth,
gentle and predictable. Remember what I said about a cup of coffee on
the dash.
If
you can't
read a chosen number plate by the third
attempt, the examiner will go back in and get a tape measure to measure
out the
exact distance required. If you can't read it then you will fail your
test.
Taking the
wrong
direction and going off route is not a fail
as long as you have MSM for the direction you are going.
You
will only
ever be asked to reverse into a parking bay
at the driving test centre. If a test centre does not have its own car
park
then you will not have to do the bay park manoeuvre.
People who
fail
on emerging usually do so because they haven't
looked both
ways
sufficiently before crossing
the line
The
emergency
stop is only performed on one in three tests
- most people fail on the emergency stop because either they don't
brake hard
enough or they don't react quickly enough or do not check the blind
spots when
moving off again.
If you get
stuck
in a traffic jam you will still have drive
the whole test route - you will just have a longer test (lucky you).
Getting
both
show me tell me questions wrong will not fail
you - you will just get one minor fault.
It is very
difficult to fail on a manoeuvre if you have the
confidence to stop, take your time look all around and shuffle forwards
and
backwards if necessary.
Stalling
the
car
on test is usually only a minor fault unless
it is somewhere dangerous.
You
can be on
the lines on a bay park manoeuvre and still
pass. You can finish at an angle as long as you are not over the line
either
side. As long as you are not 100% in the bay you can shuffle forward
and
backward to correct your position.
Hitting
the
kerb lightly
on a turn-in-the-road will not fail you, and the turn doesn't have to
be done
in 3 movements
When reversing
around a corner you can stop as often as you
like.
If
you reach
the
end of a one way street and are supposed
to turn right, and you suddenly realise you are in the left lane: You
can
salvage your test by checking mirrors and changing your indicator to
left, and
then turning left. This should only give you a minor fault if done
safely.
Four minor
faults within the same category will normally
fail you. .
Examiners
like
confident drivers - show him/her that you
know what you are doing
You
can fail
for
not using the windscreen wipers, lights
screen de mister if they are needed.
Mounting
the
kerb with your back wheel when turning left is
usually only a minor fault.
If
a manoeuvre
is going wrong, or you don't like the way it
is going, don’t panic you can shunt forwards to correct it. BUT check
all
around before you do.
On
the
parallel
parking manoeuvre you can finish with the
wheels on full lock right. You don't have to straighten them.
Your examiner
will tell you which lane to get into at a
roundabout by the direction he gives - “take the third exit right”
means get in
the right lane and indicate right.
If
your
examiner
mentions a direction (left or right) then
indicate that way.
Examiners
should
allow you to cross your hands on the
steering wheel.
You
can change
from 3rd gear directly to 5th gear when
accelerating.
You can fail
for
not driving up to the speed limit (
eg.driving at 45mph in a 60mph limit)
Steering
whilst
stationary (dry steering) is not a fault but it is bad
driving
practice as it’s not good for the steering rack or your tyres.
Your
instructor
(me) is assessed by the
standard and
ability of his pupils that he takes to the test centre.
Some Top Driving Tips
Someone flashing their lights? they may
not be flashing you check for yourself then go.
Do your Manoeuvres
slowly and stop if you need to, to make effective observations.
Know all the car
controls lights wipers AC so that you are
able to use
them.
Remember mirror,
signal, Manoeuvre.
Remember handbrake,
neutral, cancel, indicator.
At junctions always look
both ways before crossing the give way line. If its a bad view wait a
few seconds and look and look again.
If you’re in the wrong
lane carry on, unless you can change lanes safely and in plenty of time.
Drive over
mini-roundabouts when it is impractical to go around them.
When reversing, look out
of the back window over your left shoulder most of the time checking
front and sides every car length you travel.
Look
well ahead anticipation is the key to becoming a good driver.
You can overtake on a
roundabout in the right-hand lane unless the road markings say
otherwise.
The right hand lane on a
DC is for overtaking or turning right .
Indicate to do the
unpredictable - not the predictable.
When doing the
Manoeuvres you can
always shuffle backwards or forwards to tidy up the Manoeuvre, but do
keep
checking its clear before each shuffle. You must end the reverse Manoeuvres in
reverse gear.
Concentrate on your
overall objective - where you are going, worry about the detail later
You can overtake a
cyclist on the zig-zags of a pedestrian crossing.
Meeting other traffic -
Take control and give way that way you know whats going to happen.
Parallel parking - one
turn left, full-lock right, stop with your wheels turned if you find it
easier to.
At STOP junctions you
must
stop completely. If you need to creep forward to get a better view make
sure you STOP again before going. Dont roll out.
In a one way street, if asked to
turn right at
the end of the road you must use
the right hand
lane.
Never be the 3rd car
waiting in the middle of a traffic light junction when you are turning
right.
When doing the
Manoeuvres stop
before the other road users inc pedestrians are close enough to have to
react to you.
Approaching
traffic? First reaction is to check your mirrors then slow down,
before changing position
Children near the
road? mirror and cover your brake. Remember how many times you ran
out into the road playing.
Indicate before changing
lanes on a dual-carriageway if there are cars bikes people near
by.
Dont
drive in another
vehicle's blind spot on a dual-carriageway.
Never approach a
roundabout with another vehicle next to you on your right-hand side, it
will block your view. Hold back slightly remember if
you cant see you cant go!
Accelerate
in your lane
to stay ahead of the vehicle behind before you move out - when changing
lanes.
Do not pull out if
another vehicle is moving fast enough or is close enough to hit you -
they may not go where you think. If you cant match there speed
stay put.
Remember “slow
in fast
out” for bends and roundabouts.
Approach a roundabout slowly
to work out what’s going on and where your exit is.
Double check everything
- one look is never enough look and look again.
You can bring the clutch
up whilst braking. It wont stall.
To pull away fast use
loads of gas and stay in the first gear a bit longer than normal.
At blind junctions
slowly edge out and stop a bit at a time - give other people a chance
to see your bonnet.
Abridge
- Althorne - Ardleigh - Arkesden - Aveley - Barking - Basildon
- Battlesbridge - Belchamp St Paul - Benfleet - Billericay - Bishops
Stortford - Blackmore End - Boreham - Bradwell-on-Sea - Braintree -
Brantham - Brentwood - Brightlingsea - Broxted - Buckhurst Hill -
Bulphan - Burnham on Crouch - Burnham-on-Crouch - Canewdon - Canvey
Island - Castle Hedingham - Cattawade - Chafford Hundred - Chappel -
Chelmsford - Chigwell - Chingford - Clacton on Sea - Clacton-on-Sea -
Clavering - Coggeshall - Colchester - Countywide - Crays Hill -
Dagenham - Danbury - Debden - Dedham - Doddinghurst - Dovercourt -
Earls Colne - Elm Park - Elmdon - Elmstead - Elsenham - Epping -
Feering - Felsted - Finchingfield - Fingringhoe - Flatford -
Frinton-On-Sea - Fyfield - Gestingthorpe - Gosfield - Grays - Great
Baddow - Great Bardfield - Great Braxted - Great Chesterford - Great
Dunmow - Great Easton - Great Saling - Great Totham - Great Wakering -
Great Waltham - Great Yeldham - Halstead - Harlow - Harwich - Hatfield
Peverel - Herongate - Heybridge - Heybridge Basin - High Roding -
Hinxton - Hockley - Holland on Sea - Hornchurch - Horndon on the Hill -
Horsley Cross - Ickleton - Ilford - Ingatestone - Ingrave - Kelvedon -
Kelvedon Hatch - Laindon - Langham - Latchingdon - Leigh-on-Sea -
Little Braxted - Little Canfield - Little Clacton - Little Dunmow -
Little Easton - Little Hallingbury - Little Maplestead - Little Waltham
- Little Warley - Loughton - Maldon - Manningtree - Margaretting -
Matching Green - Mersea Island - Mistley - Moreton - Mountnessing -
Mundon - Navestockside - Nazeing - North Fambridge - Old Harlow - Ongar
- Orsett - Ovington - Paglesham - Panfield - Pattiswick - Pebmarsh -
Pitsea - Purfleet - Purleigh - Quendon - Radwinter - Rainham - Rayleigh
- Rettendon - Rickling Green - Rochford - Romford - Rowhedge - Roxwell
- Roydon - Saffron Walden - Shalford - Shenfield - South Benfleet -
South Hanningfield - South Ockendon - South Woodham Ferrers - Southend
on Sea - Southend-on-Sea - Southminster - St Osyth - Stanford Le Hope -
Stanford-le-Hope - Stansted - Stansted Airport - Stapleford Abbotts -
Stock - Takeley - Thaxted - Theydon Bois - Thornwood - Thorpe le Soken
- Thurrock - Tilbury - Tillingham - Tollesbury - Toot Hill - Upminster
- Vange - Waltham Abbey - Walton-on-the-Naze - Warley - Weeley -
Wendens Ambo - West Thurrock - Westcliff On Sea - Westcliff-On-Sea -
Wethersfield - White Notley - Wickford - Wickham Bishops - Witham -
Wivenhoe - Woodford - Woodford Bridge - Woodford Green - Woodham
Mortimer - Woodham Walter - Youngs End
