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Attending the practical test.

When you attend the practical test make sure that (a.)You know where the practical test centre is and you get there at least about 5 minutes before the start of the test (b.)You have the correct documentation with you, you will need both parts of your driving licence, the photocard and the paper counterpart. If you have one of the old style driving licence's then you must also attend with it (make sure it is signed) and a valid passport, the D.S.A. will not accept any other form of photo I.D.
It is up to you to provide a car for the driving test. Most people will probably be with a driving instructor and using the instructors car for the test, although you are allowed to take a practical driving test in any car as long as the car you use is appropriate for the category of test you are taking and that the car is road worthy, taxed, insured for the purpose of a driving test, displaying "L" plates on the outside of the car (not in the windows) and has a rear view mirror in the passenger side of the car and head restraints on the front seats.

At the appointment time the examiner will join you and ask you to read 2 paragraphs at the top of the test report and to sign the test report if you agree. These 2 paragraphs are to say that you are a U.K. resident and that the car you will be using for the test is insured for the purpose of the test.

You are allowed to take anybody with you on a practical driving test but it goes without saying that they must remain quiet an simply act as an observer. The D.S.A. check the standards of their examiners occasionally by having the senior examiner accompany you and your examiner on test. If this happens on your test please don't worry, the senior examiner is there purely to check the competence of the examiner conducting the test.

Once the paperwork/eyesight and "show me","tell me" questions are completed then the driving element of the test will begin the test will last for about 40 minutes and within that 40 minutes you will be marked on a test report with 3 different types of fault:-

• Minor faults. You are allowed to make up to but not more than 15 minor faults on your driving test, 16 minor faults will result in failure.
• Serious faults. 1 Serious driving fault committed on test will result in failure.
• Dangerous faults. 1 dangerous driver fault committed will also result in failure.

There are 3 set reverse exercises that could be performed on a driving test, you will be expected to perform 1 of the 3 manoeuvres on test. As well as the reverse manoeuvre you will be expected to perform, there is a 1 in 4 chance that you would be asked to perform an emergency stop exercise.

The set exercises are as follows:-

• Turn in the road. This exercise is sometimes known as the 3 point turn and is performed on test by the examiner asking the candidate to turn the car around to face the opposite direction using the forward and reverse gears.
• Reverse around a corner. This exercise is performed along the test route where the candidate is asked to drive past a junction mouth and then reverse back around the corner into the side road for about 2 car lengths and then stop.
• Reverse park. Either performed in the car park at the test centre where candidates would be expected to reverse into a parking bay or at the roadside along the test route where candidates would be expected to reverse into a space behind a parked car.
• Emergency stop. Performed on 1 in 4 driving tests and candidates would be expected to stop the car promptly and under full control as in an emergency when given a signal by the examiner.

There is now an element of the driving test called "Indepedant Driving" this involves following either road signs to a specific place or location, or following some simple instructions shown on a5 sized pieces of card for a period of about 10 minutes.

Providing you complete the driving test with no serious or dangerous faults and less than 16 minor faults then you will have passed the driving test.

The practical driving test will last about 40 minutes and then finish back at the driving test centre, although there are other situations that could end the test. If the driving examiner feels that you are driving in an unsafe or dangerous manner then he/she can terminate the driving test. You are also allowed to terminate the driving test at any point. There is also the worst case scenario of an accident or mechanical breakdown during the driving test. If any of these situations occur then you and the examiner could need to walk back to the test centre from wherever the situation occurs.