Academy Driving Tuition - The Driving Tests

The Practical Driving Test
This begins with an eyesight check and some vehicle safety questions. You will then start your practical driving test which will include some specific manoeuvres.

The driving part of your test will last up to 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving, including when you are carrying out the set manoeuvres. You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test. However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test.

The practical driving test aims to assess your driving ability and tests to see if you can drive safely in a variety of road situations, know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving.

The test will include an eyesight check. This requires you to read a number plate that is 20 metres away. Fail to do so and the test will not continue.

After the eyesight test you will be asked two vehicle safety check questions from the Show Me, Tell Me question bank.

You will then be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises, either a reversing around a corner, turning in the road or reverse parking. You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise.

During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set exercises.

Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don't worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

The practical driving test costs £56.50 on a week day or £67.00 over the weekend.

The Theory Test
You must take and pass the theory test before you book the practical test. The test consists of 50 multi-choice questions taken from an official question bank of around 1200 questions. You will need to score 43 or more in order to pass. The duration of the test is 57 minutes.

To prepare for the test it is essential to read the Highway Code. The questions are also available in books or CD-roms.

The hazard perception part is delivered on a computer and you respond by clicking a button on the mouse. You will be presented with a series of 14 video clips which feature every day road scenes, in each clip there will be at least one developing hazard, but one of the clips will feature two developing hazards.

To achieve a high score you will need to respond to the developing hazard during the early part of its development. The maximum you can score on each hazard is five.

The theory test costs £30.50. Fail either part and you will fail the test as a whole.

Take Our Mock Theory Test For Official DSA Test Questions