Your driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you: can drive safely know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving.
What will the test include? Your driving test will include an eyesight test (if you fail this, your test will not continue). After the eyesight test you will be examined on your general driving and on one reversing exercise. You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise.
There is also an Independent Driving section of the test – you will be asked to drive for approximately ten minutes either following signs to a given destination or be given multiple instructions supported by a simple diagram. You may ba asked to follow a Sat Nav provided by the examiner.
A standard driving test takes about 40 minutes.
What happens during your driving test? During your driving test the examiner 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 your driving 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 a negative result [we don’t like the ‘F’ word!]).
However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will have a negative result.
If at any time 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 your driving test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in your driving test.
Driving test standards All examiners are trained to carry out the test to the same standard, 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 problems etc Your driving test will not go ahead in bad light or in adverse weather conditions for the safety of the candidate and the examiner. The final decision is always with the examiner. If the your driving test is not completed for reasons attributable to you, you will have to take another test at your own cost.