The day of your driving test is definitely nerve racking for most – but it doesn’t have to be! In this guide, we will take you through the driving test from start to finish and help to put your mind at ease for the real thing.
What To Remember On The Day
On the day of your driving test, you would normally start by getting picked up by your instructor one hour before the start of your driving test. It is very important to make sure that you have the following documents on you:
- Your provisional driving licence
- Your driving test theory certificate
- Your confirmation email of your test
If you are taking test in your own car you would also need an extra interior mirror for the examiner.
Arriving At The Test Centre
If the driving test centre has a car park – and most test centres do – you should not enter until 10 minutes or less before the start of your driving test. This is because there are limited parking spaces, and you could use up parking bays needed by the candidates taking a test before you.
Your driving instructor will encourage you to reverse bay park, so you are in a good position to start the test.
Once you have parked and secured the car, you will enter the driving test centre with your instructor. Once in the waiting room, have a seat and wait for the examiner to come out and call your name. When they call your name, they will ask to see your driving licence to check that it is genuine. Once they are happy, they will ask you to sign the DL25; otherwise known as the driving test marking form.
Starting The Driving Test
After the necessary checks are completed, you will be asked if you want your driving instructor or accompanying driver with you during the driving test. Once you have decided, you would then leave the test centre with your examiner. Before making your way over to the vehicle your examiner will ask you to complete an eyesight test. This is done by reading a number plate at 20 metres. So please make sure you have any glasses you require. If you cannot complete this eye site test the driving test will not go ahead.
At the car, you will be asked one of your show-me-tell-me questions. Once you are settled in the car, the examiner will explain how the driving test works. If you are happy that you understand what to expect, the examiner will ask you to drive out of the test centre to begin the official driving test.
What Is Expected In Your Driving Test
The driving examiner will ask you to drive for around 40 minutes, complete one of the manoeuvres and possibly the emergency stop as well as drive independently using either a sat NAV or road signs for around 20 minutes.
During this drive they would be assessing you on your driving and you can pick up no more than 15 driver faults, often referred to as minors, and no serious or dangerous faults. In the event of receiving a serious or danger fault, you will automatically fail your test.
At the end of your driving test, the examiner will ask you to switch off the engine. They will take a couple of minutes to finish the driving test report, and then they will give you your result as well as ask if you want your driving instructor to listen into the feedback.
Get in Touch Today
With the help of Nayland Driving School, we can help guide you to success and to help you become a confident driver to unleash your independence. If you want to find out more about how a driving test works, then please do get in touch with a member of our team today.
Don’t forget to check out our tips on how to stay calm before your driving test to try and help settle those nerves and put you in the best position possible to past your test!
What happens in your driving test?
There are 5 parts to a driving test:
- An eyesight check
- A ‘show me tell me’ section with vehicle safety questions
- General driving ability
- Carrying out a manoeuvre
- Independent driving
The test is the same for both manual and automatic cars. The test will last for around 40 minutes, and at the end the driving examiner will provide you with feedback to let you know if you have passed or failed the test.
How many errors can you have on a driving test?
In order to pass your driving test successfully, you must have no more than 15 driving faults (sometimes called ‘minors’) and no serious or dangerous faults (sometimes called ‘majors’).
How do I mentally prepare for my driving test?
Learn how to calm your nerves before a driving test with our top tips – including:
- Brush up on your theory using your revision materials
- Fuel your brain with good food to give you energy on the day
- Don’t tell everyone when the test is so that you don’t feel any unnecessary peer pressure
- Try to pick a time/day when you don’t have much else going on so that you aren’t adding more stress to the mix
