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
- Show that you know The Highway Code by the way that you drive
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:
1.
The examiner will check your eyesight by asking you to read a number plate from 20 metres
2.
You will be asked two ‘show me, tell me’ vehicle safety questions to test that you know how to carry out basic safety checks
3.
Your general driving ability will be assessed under direction from the examiner
4.
You will be asked to complete a reversing manoeuvre
5.
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 upgrade it to 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).
In the driving test year 2016/17, the top ten reasons for failing the practical driving test were:
Junctions (observation)
Mirrors – (change direction)
Control (steering)
Move off (safely)
Positioning (normal driving)
Move off (control)
Response to signals (traffic lights)
Reverse park (control)
Response to signals (Traffic Signs)
The practical driving test is changing
If you take the practical driving test after 4th December 2017, there will be some changes that you need to know about. The changes have been introduced to take into account new skills that are needed to drive safely today. Get in touch for more information.
The four changes will be:
1
The independent driving part of the test currently lasts around 10 minutes. During this part of the test, you have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner.
This part of the test will be made longer, so it’ll last around 20 minutes – roughly half of the test.
2
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.
3
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 ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them.
4
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.
“I love being a driving instructor; and I love driving. In fact, my whole working life has involved driving, whether a car, a van, or an articulated lorry. But teaching people to drive is the best job I’ve had. You just can’t beat the feeling of seeing someone that you’ve come to know over weeks of driving lessons, finally holding their pass certificate. It fills me with pride every single time!”
Steve Eckersley, ADI for Buckle Up Bolton
We offer lessons throughout Bolton and the surrounding areas.
Contact us to check if we cover your area
Buckle Up Driving School
16 Berkeley Rd, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 6PS