THE DRIVING TEST
The driving test is designed for you to show your practical skills and understanding of the Highway Code and the theory of driving safely. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
The test is conducted by the Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency at the Inverclyde Test Centre which is in Greenock.
Despite what you may have heard, there is no 'quota' or 'percentage' set for passing the driving test. If you drive well then you will pass.
I will let you know when you should apply for your practical test.
The fee for the test is currently £62.00 and this can be booked directly here.
Do not book your driving test at any site other than the official DVSA site. You will be charged an admin fee for something you can easily do yourself for free.
THE TEST
Before the test starts the examiner will check your documents and ask you to sign a residency and insurance declaration. You will be asked if you wish your instructor to accompany you on your test. I strongly recommend that you have your instructor present on your test. You will then leave the test centre and go to your car.
EYESIGHT TEST
On the way to your car, the examiner will ask you to read the number plate on a parked vehicle to test your eyesight. If you fail the check, your driving test won't continue.
SHOW ME - TELL ME
You'll be asked a vehicle safety question. These are also known as the 'show me, tell me' questions.
For example, the examiner might ask you to identify where the windscreen washer reservoir is and tell them how you'd check the windscreen washer level.
If you give the wrong answer for the question, you'll be marked with one driving fault.
For Show Me Tell Me questions and answers click here.
THE DRIVE
The driving part of your test will last about 35 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
During your test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. You'll drive in various road and traffic conditions. You should drive in the way your instructor has trained you.
You will be asked to drive independently for a period of around twenty minutes which may involve following road signs or using a satnav device.
You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.
During the test you will be asked to demonstrate the operation of one of the minor controls of the car, such as the windscreen washers.
You'll be asked to complete an exercise to show how well you can reverse your vehicle. The examiner will choose one exercise from:
- pulling up on the right, reversing back two car lenghts then driving off again
- drive into a space in a car park, either on the left or the right, then reverse back out of the space
- reverse parking (also known as parallel parking) at the side of the road
RESULT
At the end of the test, the examiner will inform you of the result and, should you fail the test, will give you a verbal explanation of where you went wrong.
If you pass your test the examiner will give you a pass certificate. They will also ask you if you want your full licence to be sent to you automatically. Once you have passed your test you can start driving straight away - you don't need to wait for your full licence to arrive.
For more information, see the Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency website.
