Ten reasons for failing your driving test

 

Failing a driving test can have devastating consequences. You may have had a lot of things that depended on you passing. For example, you may have needed to pass to stay in a job or get promotion; you needed to pass so you can act as a second driver in the family or become the family chauffeur.

However, all is not lost. You'll just need to 'pick yourself up' and re-apply. If you've got the confidence and skills, then I'm sure you'll do it next time.

 

1. Not acting correctly at road junctions.
Its essential that you use the Mirrors, Signal, Position, Speed and gears routine when your approach any kind of junction.Did you check that the new road was safe to drive into? That's essential when your turning either left or right. Was your speed on approach too high? If that was the case, then you might not have been able to stop if needed.

 

2. Reversing around a corner
Most learners fail on this with either their control of the car of lack of observation. When reversing around a corner, its important to keep the car moving as slow as possible. you then have time to decide when to steer at the correct time. Its also important that you keep looking around for any other road users in the vicinity, and act appropriately.

 

3. Steering faults
Losing control of the steering, either in normal driving of during a manouvre. This can be because you have allowed the steering wheel to 'spin through your hands'

 

4. Reverse parking faults
Reverse parking can be one of the hardest of the manoeuvre's to do successfully. Like all of the other exercises, it needs very careful use of the controls to keep the car moving very slowly, so you have time to decide when to steer at the right time. You should also be aware of other road users and act appropriately if you see anyone else, while you're completing the task.

 

5. Making proper use of the gears
Its essential to use the correct gear for the speed and road conditions. For example, if your approaching or driving through a lot of hazards, then its important to drive in a low gear whereas, if there are few hazards, the examiner will be expecting you to be in the highest gear available. A common error is to stay in a low gear (and this will include third gear) needlessly.

Another area where people fail on gears, is forgetting to select 1st gear before moving off. It results in the car stalling. This could cause inconvenience to others, or have dangerous consequences.

 

6. Not using the mirrors correctly
Why do you need to check you mirrors? Its essential to know if there are other road users are following behind you before you start any manoeuvre. Roughly speaking, you should check them between 25 and 50% of your driving time glancing in the mirrors. If you spend any more time, you are not paying enough attention to the road.

 

An 'old wives' tale' says that you have to move your head when you make the checks. The examiner is trained to check your mirrors without you having to emphasize that your checking them,

 

7. Avoiding hesitation and driving too slowly.
Don't expect to pass if you stop somewhere unnecessarily. For example giving way to traffic where its safe to continue without stopping.

The examiner will be expecting you to keep up with the flow of other road users within the legal limit, providing the road conditions allow you to. Driving too slowly when its safe to drive at the legal limit, will cause inconvenience to others.

 

8. Acting correctly when turning right
As with anything that isn't driving in a straight line, remember your mirrors. Look at them before you do anything. Then indicate and move to the right of the lane you are in Wait for an appropriate gap in the oncoming traffic – you know how long it takes for you to turn right, the aim is not to hold other people up unnecessarily. If someone flashes you out, decide if its safe then move out.

 

9. Hesitation at junctions
Your driving examiner will be expecting you to be able to judge gaps and the speed and distance correctly when either pulling out, or turning right. You should not pull out, or turn if you cause the approaching traffic to slow down or make them swerve.

 

10. Moving away from stationary positions.
The most common reasons for failing on this, are; moving off in the wrong gear; forgetting to turn the indicator off if you've used it; rolling back if you're moving off on a hill; or not looking around to make sure its safe go.

 

Training

 

The bottom line is, make sure that you have sufficient training before you take the test. In our experience, a lot of learners think that they can take the test with the minimum amount of training, and hope to pass. We believe that's false economy. It will cost you more in the long run.

 

If you've failed, then make sure you continue with the training so you'll keep up to standard. In our experience, if you stop your training before taking another we believe this is false economy. Many people often fail through lack of continuity of their training. Even an hour a week is better than none.

 

The DSA's national figures for passing is 43%. They suggest a minimum of 42 hours plus 30 hours of private practice before taking a test, to give you a good chance of passing.