Serious faults: these are things you have done that could affect another road user if they had been there. Serious faults could be cutting a right hand corner or not looking behind when reversing. One of these on your test and you will fail.

Dangerous faults: These are faults that actually cause another road user to brake or swerve. One of these on your test and you will fail.

Examiners are trained to watch you until you look in the mirror after giving a direction.

Your examiner has probably already made an assessment of your ability before you pull away by looking at the way you do the pre-start checks.

Examiners don't like boy/girl racers - keep your driving smooth, gentle and predictable. Remember what I said about a cup of coffee on the dash.

If you can't read a chosen number plate by the third attempt, the examiner will go back in and get a tape measure to measure out the exact distance required. If you can't read it then you will fail your test.

Taking the wrong direction and going off route is not a fail as long as you have MSM for the direction you are going.

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 have to do the bay park manoeuvre.

People who fail on emerging usually do so because they haven't looked both ways 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 or do not check the blind spots when moving off again.

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

Getting both show me tell me 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 look all around and shuffle forwards and backwards if necessary.

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. You can finish at an angle as long as you are not over the line either side. As long as you are not 100% in the bay you can shuffle forward and backward to correct your position.

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.

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 checking mirrors and changing your indicator to left, and then turning left. This should only give you a minor fault if done safely.

Four minor faults within the same category will normally fail you. .

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

You can fail for not using the windscreen wipers, lights screen de mister if they are needed.

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, don’t panic you can shunt forwards to correct it. BUT check all around before you do.

On the parallel parking manoeuvre you can finish with the wheels on full lock right. You don't have to straighten them.

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.

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)

Steering whilst stationary (dry steering) is not a fault but it is bad driving practice as it’s not good for the steering rack or your tyres.

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

TOP  DRIVING TIPS

Do your Manoeuvres slowly and stop if you need to, to make effective observations.

Know all the car controls lights wipers AC so that you are able to use them.

Remember  mirror, signal, Manoeuvres.

Remember handbrake, neutral, cancel, indicator.

At junctions always look both ways before crossing the give way line. If its a bad view wait a few seconds and look and look again.
 
If you’re in the wrong lane carry on, unless you can change lanes safely and in plenty of time.

Drive over mini-roundabouts when it is impractical to go around them. 

When reversing look out of the back window over your left shoulder most of the time checking front and sides every car length you travel.

Look well ahead  anticipation is the key to becoming a good driver.

You can overtake on a roundabout in the right-hand lane unless the road markings say otherwise.
 
The right hand lane on a DC is for overtaking or turning right .

Indicate to do the unpredictable - not the predictable.

When Manoeuvres you can always shuffle forwards to tidy up the Manoeuvres but do keep checking its clear before each shuffle. You must end the reverse Manoeuvres in reverse gear.

Concentrate on your overall objective - where you are going, worry about the detail later

You can overtake a cyclist on the zig-zags of a pedestrian crossing.

Meeting other traffic - Take control and give way that way you know whats going to happen.

Parallel parking - one turn left, full-lock right, stop with your wheels turned if you find it easier to. 

At STOP junctions you must stop completely. 

In a one way street, if asked to turn right at the end of the road you must use the right hand lane.

Never be the 3rd car waiting in the middle of a traffic light junction when you are turning right.

When Manoeuvres stop before the other road users inc pedestrians are close enough to have to react to you.

Approaching traffic? First reaction is to check your mirrors then slow down, before changing position

Children near the road  mirror and cover your brake. Remember how many times you ran out into the road playing.
 
Indicate before changing lanes on a dual-carriageway if there are cars bikes people near by. 

Dont drive in another vehicle's blind spot on a dual-carriageway.

Never approach a roundabout with another vehicle next to you on your right-hand side, it will block your view. Hold back slightly remember if you cant see you cant go!

Accelerate in your lane to stay ahead of the vehicle behind before you move out - when changing lanes. 

Do not pull out if another vehicle is moving fast enough or is close enough to hit you - they may not go where you think. 

Approach a roundabout slowly to work out what’s going on before you get there. 

Double check everything - one look is never enough look and look again.

You can bring the clutch up whilst braking. It wont stall.

To pull away fast use loads of gas and stay in the first gear a bit longer than normal.
 
At blind junctions slowly edge out and stop a bit at a time - give other people a chance to see your bonnet.
 
Remember “slow in fast out” for bends and roundabouts.

Use the same gear on a downhill as you would going up the same hill.


These are questions about basic checks that a driver should do to ensure a car is safe. For instance you may be asked: "Tell me how to check the tyre pressure" and "Show me how you would check the headlights are working". (PRINT OUT THE QUESTIONS HERE)