So you want to pass your Driving Test and of course, do it first time?

That’s is the dream of almost every learner Driver in the UK.

Unfortunately, the average driving test first time pass rate is around 47.5% nationally.

Lets improve your odds!

Here are 10 tips on how to pass your Driving Test, first time, bullets,then we’ll go into detail for you:

• plan ahead and anticipate

• take your test in the area that you covered during your driving lessons

• learn the Show me, Tell me questions

• don’t give, thinking you have failed because you make an error

• have a pre driving test lesson

• theory test-Revisit

• take and pass at least two mock tests

• don’t panic, stay calm

• make adequate progress

• allow plenty of time

Point 1: planning and awareness are marked on the DL25a, Driving Test Report form. Students often come unstuck on these competencies and pick up a serious fault, which is a fail.

Your competence here is going to rely on:

• concentration
• anticipation
• observation

Concentrate- to do this, it almost goes without saying, be well rested, so avoid going out the night before your test.

Be sure to have eaten something that will give you plenty of slow release energy, on the big day. Don’t let anything distract you, including errors; see later.

Anticipation- To get this right you need to apply a “what might happen next” approach to your drive.

Do you remember in the hazard perception part of the theory test, the cyclist directly ahead on a wet day, that is approaching a manhole cover? What happened next?

Yes, exactly, the rider swerved to avoid the manhole cover.

So, apply what you learnt in the theory test, look far up the road, scan side to side, mid-ground, foreground, and ask yourself “what might happen next” and plan to deal with the possible situation early EARLY.

Surprise is not a good thing in driving.

Observation- effective observation is not about seeing things, it is about making sense of situations. Using your vision correctly, looking out into the distance, scanning back and forth, side to side, not fixating on one object too long, will pay you dividends. Using your vision in this way should allow you to pick up events, to which you can apply anticipation, to make sense of the situation and take appropriate action.

Point 2: take your test in the area that you covered during your driving lessons

You want to give yourself every opportunity to pass first time right? You don’t want to go back??

So why on earth would you want to take a driving test on unfamiliar roads?

This situation happens frequently and no doubt contributes to the overall failure rate.

Why?

Two reasons:

1: ” a desperate “Learner driver looks for a driving test on the D.V.S.A booking system for a test date at the test centre that covers the area where training has taken place; none available immediately. Rather than waiting and keep checking the booking system regularly for one in area, the candidate spots a test date available, more or less immediately at another centre and books it.

2: Driving Instructor, goes along with it, saying ” well, if you can drive, you can do it anywhere”.

Now it’s true, you are being tested, so that you’ll be able to drive unsupervised safely on any-road.

However, when driving unsupervised you won’t:

• be absolutely desperate to pass
• nervous
• under peer pressure
• under test conditions
• be sitting next to a stranger, that wears a hi viability jacket and has a clip board to hand

…………………..do you really want to add unfamiliar roads to the mix, it’s a recipe for failure.

Point 3: learn the Show me, Tell me vehicle safety questions

You will be asked one show me and one tell me question. All cars are different and your instructor should brief you fully on the safety aspects relating to the driving school training vehicle.

You will be asked a tell me question, before you set off on your diving test. You will not fail the Driving Test, if you get the answer incorrect.

Once your test gets going and you are out on the road, the examiner will ask you to perform a task a ” show me question”, such as” when it’s safe, show me how to demist the rear window”.

Sounds easy enough, right?

If you know exactly where that button is, no problem.

However, if you have to divert too much concentration away from the road and control, searching for a button, you could lose control or fail to observe something important. This would lead to a serious or even dangerous fault being recorded.

To avoid this problem, we recommend that you’re thoroughly familiar with the location and operation of all the controls. If you are doing some private practice in your own car, stop a couple of weeks before, if you are taking the test in your instructors car. The controls in your car may have different locations or be operated in a different manner.

Point 4: don’t assume you have failed because you make an error

It’s perfectly natural for you to make a few mistakes on a driving test, examiners expect it to happen. If you always remain safe, you should have it in the bag.

The trick is, you should not pre-judge any errors you make, thinking “ I’ve failed” and giving up or reliving it in your mind, letting it affect your concentration, causing more issues that will compound your problems.

So, you stall the car, pulling away from the left-hand side of a flat road. You restart and do the same again.

Has anyone been affected? Safety compromised?

No, so these are just minor faults.

So, you are doing a hill start. You clutch engagement is not quite enough to hold the car, when the handbrake is released. There is a tiny bit of roll back, but you recognize it and get control. No other road users are present.

Again, has anyone else been affected or safety compromised?

No, just a minor fault

Driving Test examiners know that you are nervous and make reasonable allowances for the effect of nerves, such as a wobbly leg!

The lesson for you is don’t dwell on your mistakes, move on quickly to the next task and maintain your concentration.

Point 5: have a pre Driving Test lesson

You would be well advised to take an hour’s driving lesson, before a Driving Test.

This will allow enough time to warm up, calm any pre-test nerves and go over the ” show me, tell me questions. Your instructor will probably give you some passing driving test tips, based on years of experience. Listen well! You probably would not want a 2 hour lesson, as this could exhaust your concentration powers!

Point 6: theory test revisit

You want to be at your best don’t you?

Well, a bit of time doing some hazard perception videos, to hone your on-road skills, might pay dividends. If you remember, those videos, were all about anticipation and dealing with developing hazards early.

Point 7: take and pass at least two mock tests

You should take at least two mock tests, before even booking your Driving Test

Why?

Passing a mock test, is good, however its not fully representative on the real thing.

On the day, you will perform around 15% under par, due to pressure of the day.

If you just pass a mock test, then book your real test, you will have the time to get your skills 15% over standard.

Point 8: don’t panic, stay calm

Staying calm and not panicking is a key to passing a Driving Test.

So, imagine, you’re 10 minutes into the independent driving section, you are following the signs to and take a wrong turn. Do not panic or give up. Providing you took a wrong tern, the right way, that is following the correct routine, the Driving Test Examiner will simply re-route you.

Point 9: make adequate progress

You have probably heard somewhere, that if you drive slowly on a driving test, you will pass?

Er, no!

During your test, you will be expected to drive at safe speed, within the limit. It’s a judgement call and examiners are looking for you to know when you should be at the limit and when not.

Imagine you are driving on a clear 30 MPH road, with no parked cars, or bends with an excellent view and dry conditions.

The examiner would expect you to maintain 30 MPH

If you any length of time, without reason, you dawdled along at 20 MPH, its likely that the examiner would give you a serious fault for ” failing to make adequate progress”.

Point 10: allow plenty of time

You want to be your best shape right?

Why raise your frustration levels before you even kick off on test?

Top tips:

• make sure you check that you’re driving licence is in your purse/wallet the night before-spending 2 hours frantically searching, on test day is not a good start
• if you need eye correction, make sure that you have your glasses or contacts to hand
• re-check your booking date and time
• re-confirm the time that your instructor will arrive, for your pre-test lesson
• check the traffic on the route to the test center-if you are late, the examiner will probably cancel your test.

We hope that you have enjoyed our ” How to pass your Driving Test” page. You may find our FAQ resource page useful as well.