What is the practical test?
The practical test is conducted from the test centre by a qualified DSA examiner. After checking your documents the examiner will ask two car safety questions (the 'show me / tell me') questions, then the test will start.
If you would like to be accompanied by your driving instructor or by another person you must ask the examiner for their agreement. The test takes around 40 minutes and covers a variety of road conditions.
On returning to the test centre the examiner will explain the result - if you would like your driving instructor to be present during the debriefing you should ask the examiner.
When successful in passing the practical test the examiner will take your provisional licence and provide you with a pass certificate that acts as a full licence until the real thing arrives in the post.
Revised content of the practical test
From October 4th 2010 the practical test will include approximately ten minutes spent on 'independent driving'. At the start of this section of the test you will be asked to follow direction signs towards a particular destination, or follow a set of instructions that are backed up by a diagram, or there may be a combination of both these possibilities. It will be acceptable for you to check a detail with the examiner during the independent driving and if you go the wrong way this will not cause a test failure provided all of the driving has been carried out safely.As before, the rest of the test involves a range of general driving in mixed traffic situations.
The number of manoevres has been reduced to one, to be chosen from::
- bay park or parallel park
- turn in the road
- reverse into a road on the left
You may also be asked to perform an emergency stop.
There are local test centres at Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, Oxford and High Wycombe.You are allowed up to 15 driving faults during the test, but none of these should be regarded by the examiner as serious or dangerous.
Booking the practical test
Your driving instructor will advise when you are ready to book a test and the test centre that is appropriate. There are local test centres at Aylesbury, Oxford and High Wycombe.
You can book a test by calling 0300 200 1122 or online at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/index.htm
If you wish to take the test in your driving instructor's car you should quote their ADI number - this will ensure that the driving instructor is not double booked with another test. However, the DSA does not keep a full diary for the instructor, so you should always check that they will be available for that date and time.
Pass Plus was originally introduced in the Fife area in Scotland in a
monitored trial intended to review the potential for reducing injuries
caused by accidents. The trial was successful and the course
was introduced nationally.
The course is not expensive and the Pass
Plus certificate will usually result in lower insurance premiums, so it
is worth doing even from a financial perspective.
After the test
Do consider doing the Pass Plus course. It was
introduced to improve road safety for recently qualified drivers. Pass Plus
includes aspects of driving that may not have been covered at all in
learner driving e.g motorway and others that may have had limited time
e.g. dual carriageway, bad weather, rural cobnditions, night driving.