In order to book your practical driving test, you must have first passed your theory test.
In order to book your practical driving test, you must have first passed your theory test.
To pass the practical driving test, you must be able to:
Drive safely in different road and traffic conditions
Learn how to drive safely for life and pass your practical driving test
Show that you know The Highway Code by the way that you drive
We can help you with the Highway Code to pass the practical driving test
There is no minimum number of lessons that you must have taken before you can take your practical driving test. We will tell you when we think you are ready – by which time we would be confident that you can complete everything required by the national standard for driving cars without instruction.
What happens during the test?
The practical test contains five parts:
The examiner will check your eyesight by asking you to read a number plate from 20.5 metres
In order to book your practical driving test, you must have first passed your theory test.
You will be asked two ‘show me, tell me’ vehicle safety questions to test that you know how to carry out basic safety checks
Your general driving ability will be assessed under direction from the examiner
You will be asked to complete a reversing manoeuvre
You will complete a period of independent driving in order to reach a destination without turn-by-turn directions from the examiner
In total, the test should take around 40 minutes
Driving test faults?
During the test, the examiner will be checking to see if you commit any of the three types of driving test faults:
A ‘Dangerous Fault’ would be noted if you put yourself, the examiner, the public or any property in danger
A ‘Serious Fault’ is something that could be potentially dangerous
A ‘Driving Fault’ isn’t potentially dangerous but, if you make the same mistake throughout the test, they could mark it as a serious fault
You will pass your test is you make no more than 15 Driving faults (minors) and zero Serious or Dangerous faults (majors).
What they will be looking for on a driving test
During the independent driving part of the test, 4 out of 5 candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav which will be provided by the examiner (you can’t use your own).
You won’t need to set the route – the examiner will do this for you. You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way, as long as you don’t make a fault while doing it.
You’ll be asked to do one of three possible reversing manoeuvres:
Parallel park at the side of the road
Park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out
Pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic
The ‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) will now be carried out while you’re driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers.
The ‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) will still be asked at the start of your test, before you start driving.
