Practical Driving Test – What To Expect
Posted by Admin at 31 October 2021, at 08 : 35 AM
The Practical Driving Test has been designed to work out if you’re able to drive carefully and to make sure that you know The Road Code and can demonstrate this through your driving.
You must bring the following items with you:
If you don’t, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) may refuse to perform the test and you’ll lose your charge.
* Your appointment letter
* Both parts of your photograph card license. If you do not take both parts of your license, your test will not take place and you will lose your fee!
* If you have an old-style paper license, you must take your signed driver license and a legit passport. No other form of photographic identification will be accepted
If you have misplaced your license, you have to make an application for a replacement from the Driver and Auto Licensing Agency (DVLA), which could take as much as 15 days. If this happens, you may have to rearrange your test and you will lose your fee!
The test starts with a visual acuity test (if you’re unable to read a vehicle number plate from 67 ft (20.5 metres) your driving test won’t continue). However, If you get this wrong you’ll be asked to read another number plate a little closer.
After the eyesight test, the examiner will ask one “show me” and one “tell me” question relating to mechanical safety and maintenance, before the driving starts. You won’t get asked to physically check tyre pressures, oil levels etc., though you may be asked how you would do these things. All of the queries and answers are available on the DSA website at Driving Standards Agency.
The test should last between 35 “40 minutes and test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a variety of common road and traffic conditions. Across the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it, it may be a less serious driving fault and may not influence 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 threatening fault you’ll fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a hazard to other road users your test will be stopped. Remember, the main cause of failure is just absence of preparation!
You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and can’t take any part in the test.
DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or in harsh weather conditions for the safeness of the candidate and the examiner so if such conditions should exist, they will arrange another appointment at no further cost, but compensation isn’t payable.
You will be given the result at the end of the test, and if you pass, you will be given a pass certificate. 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 thru your performance in the test.