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| THEORY & PRACTICAL TESTS > Attending the
test |
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 What you will have to do during
the test ... |
| The driving test takes about
40-45 minutes! Most test routes involve town driving and where possible, single
and dual carriageway roads outside 30 m.p.h. limits. |
First you will meet the examiner (either male or
female) in the test centre. You must have three vital documents
with you:
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Your signed provisional driving licence. |
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Your theory test pass certificate. |
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an acceptable document containing a photograph of yourself and your
signature (see below for information about acceptable documentation). |
Item 3 can be any of the
following ...
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| ... a passport, photo-bearing version of cheque or credit
card, work-place identity card, student or trades union membership card, card
used to buy railway tickets, or a school bus pass. If none of these are
available, you must provide a photograph of yourself which has been certified
by an acceptable person, who can be an Approved Driving Instructor or
Motorcycle Instructor, an MP, a Justice of the Peace, a minister of religion, a
lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a local councillor, a bank officer, a civil
servant, a police officer or a commissioned officer in Her Majesty's
armed forces.
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| INSURANCE |
You will be asked
to read and sign an insurance declaration on the test form. Your instructor's
car will be covered, but if it's your car check your insurance is valid before
you go for the test.
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Next you accompany the examiner outside. On the way,
try a bit of conversation - it will probably help you relax. Once outside, you
will be asked to read a vehicle number plate. If you struggle with this, you
should have seen an optician already! As a last resort the examiner will
measure out the exact distance (67 feet or 20.5 metres). If you still can't
read the number, your test ends here, with the loss of your fee!
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NO TAX
NO TEST ! |
When you've read
the number plate the examiner will ask you to get in the car and make yourself
comfortable. Meanwhile he or she will fill in some boxes on the form - the make
and model of the car, name of the driving school, etc. The car MUST be taxed,
or the test will be terminated right here.
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| Are you ready?
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| After the formalities, the
examiner will get in the front passenger's seat, and explain briefly to you how
the test works. You'll be asked to start the car and move away, and
you're off!
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You have about 35-40 minutes in
the car; that time includes two of the three possible slow manoeuvres and you
may be required to do an emergency stop. The reverse parking manoeuvre may take
place off-road at the test centre. During the test it is also likely that you
will be asked to demonstrate a hill-start and an angled start. The rest of the
time is taken up with general driving on the chosen test route.
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| You will be
expected to deal competently and safely with every situation that you find, but
some minor driving faults are permitted. These are errors that do not
in themselves create an actual or potential danger to other road users. They
are recorded on the examiner's test form, and if you make 16 or more of these
driving faults you will fail the test. You will also fail if you make a serious
or dangerous error.
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When you've
switched off the engine at the end of the test the examiner will tell you
whether you have passed or failed!
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That's the end of your
test Mr Smith! |
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| If you've passed, your
driving licence will be needed for the examiner to fill in the pass
certificate. You need to send this to DVLA with your provisional licence, and
you will receive your full licence in a few days' time. You can drive on your
own in the meantime provided you keep a record of
your Driver Number.
If you've failed the test the examiner will give you a report on
what you did wrong.
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If you would like your driving
instructor to sit in on your test - just ask.
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