The Driving Test
The Driving Test
THEORY TEST
The Theory Test is made up of two parts.
The first part is a multiple choice examination that you'll complete on a touch screen computer in the theory test centre. There are 50 questions, including a 'case study', and the pass mark is 43. You will be allowed 57 minutes and can return to any question that you were unsure of. The 14 subjects (or key study areas) are as follows:
- Alertness
- Attitude
- Safety and your vehicle
- Safety margins
- Hazard Awareness
- Vulnerable road users
- Other types of vehicle
- Vehicle handling
- Motorway rules
- Rules of the road
- Road and traffic signs
- Documents
- Accidents
- Vehicle loading
Once you have completed this part of the Test, you may take a short break before moving on to the Hazard Perception Test, which is also completed on the computer. You will see a series of 14 video clips and 'should' click your mouse to indicate any hazard that appears. Each clip will contain a developing hazard and one clip will feature two such situations. You are allowed to click the mouse for all other potential hazards during each clip BUT not in any regular pattern, simply when something new appears. For instance any pedestrian can be regarded as a potential hazard but only becomes THE DEVELOPING HAZARD if they decide to leave the pavement!
Each of the 15 hazards can score a max. 5 points if you click your mouse promptly but too early or too late could score zero, as can using the mouse too much! You must achieve at least 44 points out of a possible 75 i.e. an average of 3 points per clip.
I can enrol new pupils into Drive iQ Pro or Theory Test Pro (no cost to you for either) or I can supply the top-selling CD-Rom (just £8) that are available. As of January 2012 the DSA are no longer publishing the revised questions but have produced a new book to help with preparation for the Theory Test - I will also be able to obtain these at a discount.
To book your Theory Test go to www.direct.gov.uk/booktheorytest and if you need to change it to www.direct.gov.uk/changetheorytest
You need to pass both parts at the same time, following which you can book for your practical test www.direct.gov.uk/bookpracticaltest or to change it www.direct.gov.uk/changepracticaltest
PRACTICAL TEST
All the test routes will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions and probably you will be very familiar with the area by the time you take your test. Occasionally in a lesson closer to your test you may do a 'mock test' which will be using an exact route.
The test should last no longer than 40 minutes, which includes the licence and eyesight checks, as well as the 2 'show & tell' questions and a short explanation of what might be included on the drive itself.
Examiners are not to be feared, even if they do not say much during the drive as they won't want to distract you. None of them should want to make you feel uneasy and they will easily recognise if you are feeling nervous. If at any moment during the test you want to stop in a normal place to stop your leg shaking uncontrollably they will not object at all!
You will be asked to "...follow the road ahead, unless road signs or markings tell you otherwise, or if I give you any other directions, which I shall give in plenty of time. If you haven't heard clearly or properly understood please ask me to repeat or clarify...."
At the start of October 2010 the test changed so that there is now only one reversing manoeuvre - but a new section 'Independent Driving'. This may be at the very start of the Test, or after you've driven a few roads from the test centre, or a later time during your test route.
You could be asked to follow a signposted route i.e. at Ashford recently the route initially followed signs to Knowle Green then after taking a right turn at a set of traffic lights the signs to Stanwell, followed by a final sign to Central London. Alternatively you could be asked to follow a route that will be shown to you on 1,2 or 3 simple maps (no more than 3 junctions per map) - but you will only be shown one map at a time. Or you may have a combination of both styles i.e. 3 junctions on a map then continue to follow the signs to wherever.
So far, in the first 15 months of the new style test, the independent driving has caused very few problems and those who have failed have done so for other normal (sometimes strange or uncharacteristic) reasons.
The examiner will be assessing the following:
- Whether you are competent at controlling the car;
- Whether you are maintaining normal progress for the route;
- How you react to any hazards that occur during the test;
- Whether you take proper notice of all traffic signs, signals and road markings, and are reacting to them in the correct manner;
- Whether you complete the reversing manoeuvre fairly tidily with the necessary observations;
You are allowed to 'commit' up to 15 driving errors and must avoid committing any serious or dangerous errors to achieve a pass. Many pupils worry themselves too much if they think they might have made a bad mistake, but examiners quite often will view the mistake as only a driving fault if the pupil copes well and recovers and has not caused a problem to any other road user.
Obviously not stopping at a red light; or when a pedestrian is ON a zebra crossing; or emerging onto a main road without looking properly are very obviously going to regarded as a fail, but certain other situations can sometimes be assessed differently.
For more information on both the theory and practical tests use the following, in particular look at the DSAs YouTube videos:
- www.driveiq.co.uk
- www.theaa.com
- www.directgov.uk/drivingtest
- www.2pass.co.uk
- www.driving-test-success.com
- www.learnstuff.co.uk
- www.youtube.com/dsagov
- www.facebook.com/mydrivingtest