driving test secrets by hawkwell driving school hockley

You will only ever be asked to reverse into a parking bay at the driving test centre. If a test centre does not have its own car park then you will not do the bay park manoeuvre

People who fail on emerging usually do so because they haven't looked left sufficiently before crossing the line

The emergency stop is only performed on one in three tests - most people fail on the emergency stop because either they don't brake hard enough or they don't react quickly enough

If you get stuck in a traffic jam you will still drive the whole test route - you will just have a longer test.

Getting both maintenance questions wrong will not fail you - you will just get one minor fault.

It is very difficult to fail on a manoeuvre if you have the confidence to stop, take your time and shunt forwards if necessary.

Technically if you commit a dangerous fault the driving test should be terminated at that point, although it is seldom done except when the examiners are working to rule because of an industrial dispute.

Stalling the car on test is usually only a minor fault unless it is somewhere dangerous.

You can be on the lines on a bay park manoeuvre and still pass.

Hitting the kerb lightly on a turn-in-the-road will not fail you, and the turn doesn't have to be done in 3 movements

When reversing around a corner you can stop as often as you like.

When a driving test is terminated the examiner will get out, tell you to stay with the vehicle, and he will walk back to the test centre.

If you reach the end of a one way street and are supposed to turn right, and you suddenly realise you are in the left lane: You can salvage your test by changing your indiator to left, and turning left. This should only give you a minor fault for timing of indicator

Four minor faults within the same category will normally fail you

If you do not agree with the way your test was conducted you can make an appeal against the result. However if you win the appeal the result will not be changed, you will just get a retest.

Examiners like confident drivers - show him/her that you know what you are doing

You can fail for not using the windscreen wipers if they are needed

The examiner's union is pressing for the banning of non dual-controlled cars on test

Certain cars such as mini convertables are not allowed to be used on test.

Mounting the kerb with your back wheel when turning left is usually only a minor fault

If a manoeuvre is going wrong, or you don't like the way it is going, you can shunt forwards at least twice to alter it.

Many examiners have never been instructors. They take a one month training course to qualify as an examiner.

Test examiners have many more accidents than instructors - an examiners job is not to keep you safe but to examine.

You can have a friend accompany you to sit in the back on your driving test.

Your examiner will tell you which lane to get into at a roundabout by the direction he gives - “take the third exit right” means get in the right lane and indicate right

If your examiner mentions a direction (left or right) then indicate that way

Newly trained examiners should allow you to cross your hands on the steering wheel.

You can change from 3rd gear directly to 5th gear when accelerating

You can fail for not driving up to the speed limit (eg.driving at 45mph in a 60mph limit)

You can use your own car on the driving test

Cars without dual controls tend to get easier test routes

Driving test routes are published on the DSA website

All the driving examiners at a test centre are required to have a test pass rate within 10% of each other. It is alleged that on Thursday night they decide how many they need to pass on the Friday.

If the Highway Code enables you to use an unsafe method on a particular road layout then this will be taken off the test route.

Driving examiners often don’t make up their mind as to which test route you are going on until after your test has started.

In a potential accident situation the examiner will not intervene until the last possible moment, and that may be too late. This is because he is afraid of being accused of intervening unnecessarily

Your instructor is assessed by the standard and ability of his pupils that he takes to the test centre.

If a number of examiners have had near misses or accidents at a location on a test route, the route will be changed.

The information listed is provided in good faith and is correct to the best of our considerable knowledge, however the driving test is marked by a driving examiner, who like everyone else has personal preferences and opinions. Examiners are given considerable discretion when marking a test and are told to consider the overall drive when deciding whether or not a particular fault will cause a failure. Therefore something that fails one person in one situation may not fail someone else in a different situation. As always common sense should prevail.