THEORY TEST
You must take and pass the theory test before you book the practical test. The test consists of two parts, part one is 50 multiple choice questions taken from an official bank of around 1200 questions. You will need to score 43 or more in order to pass. The duration of the test is 57 minutes. To prepare for the test it is essential to read the highway code. The questions are also available in books or CD roms.
HAZARD PERCEPTION
The hazard perception part of the test is delivered on a computer, you respond by clicking a button on the mouse. You will then be presented with a series of video clips that features every day road scenes. In each clip there will be at least one developing hazard but one of the car clips will feature two developing hazards. To achieve a high score you will need to respond to the developing hazard during the early part of its development. The maximum you can score on each hazard is five. You won’t be able to review your answers to the hazard perception test as on the road and you will only have one chance to respond to the developing hazard.
HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST DETAILS
| Category | Video Clips | Developing Hazards | Pass Mark |
| Car/Motorcycle | 14 | 15 | 44 out of 75 |
At the end of the test you will be invited to answer a number of customer survey questions. You don’t need to answer questions if you don’t want to, and any information given is anonymous and confidential. The survey questions don’t affect the result of the test. When you have finished the test you may leave the examination room. Once you have left the room, you will not be allowed to enter it again. You will then be given your result by the test centre staff.
This is the link to book your theory test – www.direct.gov.uk/booktheorytest
PRACTICAL TEST
The driving test for a car is designed for you to show you understand and can demonstrate your knowledge 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, including when you are carrying out the set exercises. The driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you can:
- Drive safely in different road and traffic conditions
- Know the highway code and can demonstrate this through you driving
- An eyesight check – if you fail this your test will not continue
- Your examiner will ask you two questions about carrying out vehicle safety checks (show me, tell me)
The exercise will be chosen from:
- Reversing around a corner
- Turning in a road
- Reverse parking
You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop. Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake don’t worry about it as it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. It actually takes 15 minor driving faults or one serious or dangerous fault to fail the test. As soon as your practical test is over, the examiner will tell you whether you have passed or failed.
INDEPENDENT DRIVING DURING YOUR PRACTICAL TEST
From 4th October 2010, the practical driving and riding test for all vehicle categories will include approximately 10 minutes of independent driving. There is no change to the way that examiner assess your driving throughout the test. The aim of independent driving is to test your ability to drive unsupervised and make safe decisions without guidance in unfamiliar driving situations. Therefore, you cannot use satellite navigation aids (sat nav).
Your examiner will give one of the following:
- A series of directions to follow, this will include a diagram to help you understand where you are going
- Instructions to follow traffic signs
- A combination of both
This is the link to book your practical test – www.direct.gov.uk/bookpracticaltest
