Introduction
You now have agreed with your driving instructor that you both feel confident to sit your driving test.
Before you take the test it’s important that you understand how the test works so that you do not get any unnecessary surprises on the day.
So your instructor will of already of taken you around quite a few test routes areas and give you a couple of mock driving tests with verbal instruction and sat nav (this might not be possible if you haven’t been with 1st choice from day one) and worked on your driving weaknesses.
Lesson aim
Your aim on driving lesson's leading up to your test is to drive independently with no help from your instructor, your instructor is there to work on your minor mistakes when you are going around test areas.
Lesson objectives
Your objective is to drive around any area your instructor takes you making no very little mistakes leading up to your driving test. If you are unable to do this you need to ask yourself are your really ready to pass your practical test.
Show me tell me question
Once you have successfully read a number plate you will make your way to your vehicle and your examiner will ask you one show me question and on your general drive you will get one show me question. Please remember if you get one or both questions incorrect will result in a minor driving fault being recorded for each one.
If the show me question requires you to open the bonnet this question will be asked before you get into the vehicle.
Demonstration of your driving ability
Once you and your examiner are in your vehicle your examiner will ask you to start the engine and explain clearly tell you to "FOLLOW THE ROAD AHEAD UNLESS I, ROAD MARKINGS OR SIGNS DICTATEOTHER WISE".
You will then start the driving test
While still in the car park your examiner may ask you to pull forward and complete the reverse bay park exercise or to drive out of the DVSA carpark and start your driving test and leave the DVSA carpark.
9 out of 10 times
As soon as you have left the carpark and turned left you are normally immediately asked to pull up on the left hand side of the road (please note on your driving test you will be asked to pull up on the left hand side of the road at lest 5/6 times). The examiners do this to ensure you drive on safe (6 point checks).
Examiners instruction
On your driving test your examiner will tell you in good time which way to go (just like a driving lesson). If you go the wrong way do not panic the examiner is testing your ability to drive not your ability to follow directions. It is better to go the wrong way correctly than to go the right way incorrectly.
If at any time you are unsure what the examiner requires do not hesitate to check what he or she wants, the examiner appreciates that you may be nervous and will be happy to repeat or clarify any instructions given. At certain points on the route the examiner may ask you to complete a set manoeuvre, as soon you are asked to move off the examiner will start to assess your driving ability noting any driving manoeuvre.
Here is a breakdown of how your test will go:-
1. Independent driving (following signs) or follow a sat nav
a. Ether a 20 minute independent drive (roughly half of the test you follow road signs). During this part of the test you have to drive following road signs and without directions from the driving examiner.
b. Following directions from a sat nav (TomTom Start 52), during the independent driving part of the test, (four out of five will use a sat nav).
If you get confused the examiner will give you some guidance but remember you have don’t this on driving lessons already.
2. On your driving test your examiner will ask you to pull up on the left hand side of the road at least 4/6 times. They are doing this to see how well you can park up on the left and to assess your M.S.M routine including blind spots when pulling off.
Reversing (you’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres)
a. Parallel park
b. Driving into a bay and reversing out
c. Reverse into a parking bay and drive out
d. Pull up on the right-hand side of the road and reverse for 2/3 car lengths and re-join the traffic
*The reverse around a corner and turn-in-the-road manoeuvres is no longer in the driving test,
but you still will be taught them by your instructor*.
Location
On your driving test you will be tested on numerous situations from the dual carriage way, two lane roundabouts, town driving, 20 mph roads and even one way streets. So before you book you’re driving (practical) driving test make sure you are independent and ready to pass your test.
At the end of your test your examiner will ether give you some good news or bad news. If you are unfortunate and fail you can rebook your driving test for 10 days after the day you failed.
However on the success of you passing ( we have more 1st time passes than most driving schools) you have two options
Option 1
Your examiner with take your licence and send it to the DVSA and you will receive a full B licence within 3 weeks.
Option 2
You have 2 years to change your provisional licence to a full B licence (if you do not change it within 2 years you will loose your licence and will have to buy another provisional licence, pass a theory test and take another driving test) so option 1 is best unless you need to change your address your driving licence.
So good luck and we will leave you with looking at the test report form you will be tested on.