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The driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you:
· can drive safely 
· know The Highway Code and can
  demonstrate this through your driving



The test will include an eyesight test (if you fail this, your test will not continue) and you will be asked two questions on simple car maintenance and daily safety checks at the beginning of the test.

After the eyesight test you will be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises. The reversing exercises will be chosen from:
· reversing around a corner 
· turning in the road 
· reverse parking

You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise.

A standard driving test takes about 40 minutes.



During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set exercises.

Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger to other road users your test will be stopped. 

You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test.



All examiners are trained to carry out the test to the same standard, they do not have pass or fail quotas. So as long as you demonstrate the standard required you will pass your driving test.

The driving theory test has two parts, part one is a multiple choice test of 35 questions and part two is a hazard perception test of 14 video clips in which you will have to identify 15 developing hazards.

The pass marks are currently set by the DSA at 30 out of 35 for the theory questions, and 44 marks out of 75 for the hazard perception test but the theory test is set to get harder from September 2007- increased to 50 questions with a pass mark of 43.

To prepare for the multiple choice part of the theory test, there are three essential books known as the source material, these include The Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs, and the book, Driving the Essential Skills (was previously entitled The Driving Manual)

The current set of theory test questions and answers is available free-on-loan from Focus Driver training in CD-ROM format.

Focus Driver Training uses a modular, multi-media training resource for the hazard perception test in CD-ROM format, again available on loan.

This training resource adopts a structured approach to defining hazards, looking for clues, the ‘mirror- signal- manoeuvre’ routine, scanning and planning, prioritising, cutting down the risks and responding to hazards. 

The hazard perception training material has been developed, not as a ‘teach yourself’ product, but as one where guidance from a professional trainer is essential. Integrating theoretical hazard perception training into the practical training sessions will ensure that as competence is achieved in each of the necessary skills, they can be strengthened and applied while you are on the road to increase the road safety benefits.

NB. Both the theory and hazard perception tests have to be taken and passed as one exam, failure in either part will mean you will have to re-take and pass both parts again.

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