Discovery School of Motoring

About The Test

The practical test is taken on the road, with a professionally trained DSA examiner directing the candidate around a pre-determined route. The examiner marks the candidate for driving faults, serious faults, and dangerous faults. A candidate will fail the test if he or she accumulates any serious or dangerous faults, or more than fifteen driving faults. If a candidate accumulates several driving faults in the same category, the examiner may consider the fault habitual and mark a serious fault in that category. The test usually lasts 38 to 40 minutes in a standard test. Our Driving Instructor in Reigate or Driving Instructor in Redhill will teach you all you need to know.

Before getting to the car, the examiner will ask the candidate to read a car's number plate at a distance. The distance required is 20.5 metres for an old-style plate (A123 ABC) and 20 metres for a new style plate (AB51 ABC).[11] If the candidate needs glasses to do this then these must be the ones worn whilst completing the rest of the test.

Before the candidate is taken out onto the road, the examiner asks two questions about car maintenance and safety. These are phrased in the form "Show me..." and "Tell me..."; as such, this component of the test is often known as "Show me, tell me". For example:

"Show me how you would check that the power assisted steering is working before starting a journey."
"Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil."

A failure to answer one or both of these questions correctly would result in a driving fault being marked against the candidate. The questions that may be asked are changed from time to time. From July 2008, there are 19 different questions which can be asked in 13 different combinations. When taking Driving Lessons in Redhill our Driving Instructor in Redhill will teach you all these questions.

The controlled stop, more commonly referred to as the "emergency stop", is an exercise which determines the ability of the candidate to stop the vehicle promptly yet under control during a simulated emergency. The simulation is performed by the examiner raising his or her hand and saying, "STOP!". The exercise should be carried out on approximately one out of every three tests, but must be carried out on every extended test

During the test, the examiner will ask the candidate to carry out one manoeuvre from the following list.

Turn in the road (3 point turn)
Reverse around a corner
Reverse park into a space either parallel (on road), oblique or right-angle (in a marked bay in an off-road car park)
This change from two manoeuvres to one was introduced to allow time for the independent driving section of the test that was introduced on 4 October 2010.

Manoeuvres are selected at random by the examiner depending on the route chosen and conditions on route. Don't worry our Driving Instructor in Reigate will teach you all the manoeuvres when taking Driving Lessons in Reigate.

Generally, the candidate must demonstrate an ability to drive in various road and traffic conditions and react appropriately in actual risk situations. The conditions typically encountered on test include driving in urban areas as well as higher speed limit roads where possible; this includes dual carriageways but not motorways as motorways in Britain can only be used by full licence holders. The object of the test is to ensure that the candidate is well grounded in the basic principles of safe driving, and is sufficiently practised in them to be able to show, at the time of the test, that they are a competent and considerate driver and are not a source of danger to themselves or to other road users. The drive will include two or three normal stops at (and moving away from) the side of the road on level roads as well as on gradients, in addition to a demonstration of moving away from behind a stationary vehicle. The regulations state that the on-road driving time must be no less than 30 minutes. If, at any point during the test, the examiner has to intervene with any controls, this will usually result in failure and could be marked on the test report as a dangerous fault. Our Driving Instructor in Redhill will teach you all you need and more when taking Driving Lessons in Redhill and surrounding areas.

The practical driving test includes a 10 minute section of 'independent driving'

During the independent driving section, candidates have to drive by either following:

a series of directions
traffic signs
a combination of both

To help candidates understand where they are to go, the examiner may show them a route diagram. It does not matter if candidates do not remember every direction, nor if they deviate from the intended route. If candidates ask for a reminder of the directions, the examiner will confirm them. However, if clarification is sought so late that there is an actual or potential effect on other traffic then a fault may be incurred. If the candidate goes off the independent driving route it will not affect the result of their test unless they commit a driving fault. If the candidate goes off the route or takes a wrong turning, the examiner will help them to get back on the route and continue with the independent driving section.

If there are poor or obscured traffic signs, the examiner will give the candidate directions until they can see the next traffic sign. Candidates will not need to have a detailed knowledge of the area but again when taking Driving Lessons in Reigate and surrounding areas our Driving Instructor in Reigate will help you learn all the test routes.

CALL 0781528890 or email info@discoverysom.co.uk or use the contacts page on this website.

DISCOVERY SCHOOL OF MOTORING OFFERS LESSONS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR WHO IS RATED GRADE "A". THE HIGHEST GRADE POSSIBLE DONE IN MANDATORTY STANDARDS CHECKS DONE BY THE DRIVING STANDARDS AGENCY. REST ASSURED YOU ARE GETTING QUALITY DRIVING TUITION.