DRIVING TEST METHODOLOGY

How is the Practical Driving Test assessed?

Where the candidate makes an error, the examiner has to assess what caused the fault and determine the
degree of seriousness at the time. The 22 error categories are listed below.

1. Eyesight Test
You are committing an offence if you are unable to read a new style registration plate from a distance of 20
meters. The old style plate has to be read from a minimum distance of 20.5 meters. Examiners will estimate
a longer distance than this.

2. Precautions before starting the engine

Leaving in gear with the clutch up and starting the engine.

3. Use of the Controls

Accelerator - Uncontrolled use / Excessive engine revs.
Clutch - Not depressing the clutch pedal before stopping / Uncontrolled engagement after changing gear.
Gears - Clutch Coasting / Looking down when changing gear resulting loss of steering control /
Selecting the wrong gear for the road and traffic conditions.
Footbrake - Uncontrolled use resulting in pulling up to early or too late / Late or harsh braking / Missing the
brake pedal completely.
Handbrake - Applying whilst in motion / Not applying where necessary resulting in rolling forwards or bac-
kwards / Allowing the vehicle to 'creep' with an automatic / Unable to release fully.
Steering - Unable to maintain a steady course in normal driving / `Swan Neck' turns when turning right / At
a normal stop, mounting and dismounting the kerb / Not following the contour of the kerb at a bell mouth
junction / Late steering to avoid an obstruction / Failing to correct the steering soon enough after left-right
turns / Under and over steering on turns.

4. Move away
Safely - No blind spot checks / incorrectly timed checks / Moving away unsafely / Blind spot check only over
the left shoulder / Pulling away with the left signal on.
Under Control - Stalling / Repeated stalling / Moving off with the handbrake applied / Rolling backwards
when attempting to move off / Not engaging a gear and attempting to move off / attempting to pull away
in too high gear.

5. Emergency Stop
Promptness - Late or slow reaction to the signal.
Control - Applying the handbrake before stopping / Skidding out of control / Missing the foot pedal / Let-
ting go of the steering wheel.

6. Reverse to the Left or to the Right

Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Stalling / Mounting the pavement or curb / Turning the steering
wheel the wrong way / Going wide after the corner / Finishing at an acute angle / Scrubbing-brushing-
touching the curb / Taking an excessive amount of time to complete the maneuver.
Observation - No blind spot checks / No observation at or before the point of turn / Excessive use of the
door mirrors / Not looking directly behind / Not responding to passing or approaching vehicles / Not reac-
ting to pedestrians / Waiting unnecessarily for other roads users.

Driving Test Methodology

 DRIVING TEST METHODOLOGY

7. Turn in the Road

Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Mounting the pavement or curb / Stalling / Turning the wheel the
wrong way / Taking an excessively long time to complete the maneuver.
Observation - No blind spot checks / Not looking to the left or right before reversing or pulling forward /
Not looking directly behind / Not responding to passing or approaching vehicles / Not reacting to pedestri-
ans / Waiting unnecessarily for other road users.

8. Reverse Parking
Control - Poor co-ordination of controls / Scrubbing-brushing the curb / Unnecessary shunting backwards
and forwards / Getting too close to the object car / Mounting the pavement / Turning the steering wheel
the wrong way / Parking too far from the curb / Stalling / Not completing within two car lengths / Finishing
at an acute angle to the curb.
Car Park - Poor co-ordination of controls / Ending up straddling two bays / Unnecessary shunting forwards
and backwards / Turning the steering wheel the wrong way / Stalling.
Observation - No blind spot checks / Relying too much or entirely on the mirrors / Ineffective observation
Looking but not responding to other vehicles or pedestrians / Waiting too long for other users in the car
park.

9. Use of Mirrors well before

Signaling-Changing direction-Stopping / Not using the exterior mirror's when essential / Using the mirrors
but not responding to the information / Not using the mirrors at all / Pulling up with no mirror checks / In-
creasing speed with no mirror checks / Late use of mirrors.

10. Giving Appropriate Signals

Where necessary - Omitting to re-apply when it self cancels / Omitting to give a signal where necessary.
Correctly - Signaling unnecessarily / Wrong arm signals / Omitting to cancel after use Incorrect (i.e. left for
right, right for left) / Flashing the headlights at another driver to proceed or turn / Having the hazard lights
on whilst on the move / Unnecessary use of the horn / Beckoning pedestrians / Misleading signal before
intended left and right turn.
Properly Timed - Giving late exit signals at roundabouts / Arriving at a junction and then signaling /
Signaling after starting the maneuver / Signaling far too early or too late.

11. Response to Signs and Signals

Traffic signs - Going to the wrong side of a keep left sign / Non-compliance with a Stop sign / Non-com-
pliance with a No Entry sign / Driving in a Bus Lane when times on the sign prohibit its use / Not complying
with Mandatory signs.
Road markings - Unnecessarily crossing the solid white center lines / Not conforming to directional arrows
Stopping in a yellow box junction when the exit is not clear.
Traffic lights - Waiting at a green filter light when safe to proceed / Not conforming to a red light / Late
reaction to the amber traffic light / Remaining at the stop line when safe to move forwards.
Traffic controller - Police / Traffic warden / School crossing patrol / Other persons directing traffic
Other road users - Not reacting appropriately to the signals given by other road users.

12. Use of Speed

Driving too fast for prevailing road, traffic and weather conditions / Breaking the speed limit.

13. Following Distance

Getting too close to moving vehicles / Pulling up too close to vehicle ahead.

Driving Test Methodology

 DRIVING TEST METHODOLOGY

14. Maintain Progress by

Driving at an appropriate speed for the road and traffic conditions - Holding up following traffic.
Avoiding undue hesitation - Stopping unnecessarily at junctions and other hazards / Not proceeding
when it is safe to do so at junctions.

15. Junctions
Approach speed - Approaching too fast / Approaching too slow.
Observation - Not taking effective observation before emerging / Looking both ways but still emerging to
effect other road users.
Turning right - Positioning too far to the left / Positioning too far to the right / On major to minor stopping
short of the turning point / Incorrect position before turning right.
Turning left - Positioning too fat to the right or too close to the kerb / Swinging out prior to reaching the
corner / Positioning in an unmarked in appropriate lane to turn left.
Cutting Right Corners - Cutting corners, from major to minor roads.

16. Judgment when

Overtaking - Cutting in after overtaking / Attempting to overtake in a hazardous place / Unsafe overtaking
Meeting Traffic - Failure to show proper judgment when meeting approaching traffic.
Crossing Traffic - Turning right across the path of oncoming road users.

17. Positioning
Normal driving - Too close to the kerb / Too far from the kerb / Not using bus or cycle lanes when the times
allow its use / On dual carriageways driving in the right hand lane / Cutting across the normal road position
when going ahead at roundabouts.
Lane discipline - Straddling lanes marked on roundabouts when going ahead or when turning / Straddling
a bus lane.

18. Clearance to Obstructions

Driving too close to stationary vehicles and obstructions.

19. Pedestrian Crossings

Approaching too fast / Not reacting the lights at a pedestrian controlled crossing / Pulling away well before
the crossing is clear of pedestrians / Not stopping when necessary / Beckoning pedestrians to cross.

20. Position for Normal Stops

Normal stop not made in a safe position / Both nearside wheels on the curb-pavement / Over a driveway /
At a bus stop / Too far from the kerb / Too near to a junction / Opposite other parked vehicles.

21. Awareness and Planning

Failure to judge what other road users are going to do and react accordingly.

22. Ancillary Controls

Failure to use ancillary controls when necessary / Unable to operate controls / Not able to locate or operate
essential ancillary controls / Loss of control whilst operating ancillary controls.

Driving Test Methodology