Practical Driving Test

Now that you’ve passed your Driving Theory Test, you can now sit your Practical Driving Test. The Practical Driving Test takes about 40-45 minutes. If you wish, I will take you out for a final lesson and/or mock test an hour and a half before your test.

Don’t forget to bring your Provisional Driving Licence photocard and paper counterpart, as well as your Theory Test pass certificate when we go to the Driving Test Centre.

At the beginning of the test, the examiner will request you to read a car number plate from a distance of around 20 metres to assess your eyesight.

Next you will be asked safety check questions one before you get driving and one show me question while you are driving, based on “Tell Me, Show Me“.

Then it is time to go out driving with the examiner, who will tell you the route to drive. Except when you are on the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav. The examiner will provide the sat nav and set it up. You won’t need to set the route. The examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practice with. You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test you have to use the one supplied by the examiner. 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 unless you make a fault while doing it. One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You might be asked to follow traffic signs i.e direction boards to a destination. The whole Practical test will last 40 – 45 minutes so that the DVSA examiner can assess your safe driving skills, during which time you will need to perform one manoeuvres plus the emergency stop if asked to do so by the examiner  the manoeuvres are as follows.

  • Parallel park at the side of the road
  • Park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
  • Pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic
  • Emergency stop

Scoring The Practical Driving Test

At the end of your test the examiner will advise you whether you have been successful or if you need to improve certain aspects before attempting to resit the test. You may aquire up to 15 minor faults on your test to be successful. If you mistakingly make a dangerous or serious fault you will not pass the test on this occasion.

Further Information

You can find out more about the Practical Driving Test at gov.uk/practical-driving-test-for-cars, as well as watching the Official DSA video below.

The Practical test fee is £62.00 (or £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays) and is carried out at varied places. You can book your Practical Driving Test by phone on 08700 101 372 or you can book online.

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