MEMBERS ZONE

The practical test is the last part of gaining your full driving licence.  Your instructor will give you a normal lesson before the test and there will be time to practice each of the manoeuvres and to answer all the possible show me, tell questions.  You will have the opportunity to take your car through the car wash – first impressions.  You wouldn’t turn up to an interview looking scruffy! 

Your car will then be positioned facing out of the test centre car park.  You will then be taken into the test centre office waiting room with your paper driving licence and photo card.  If you have an old style provisional driving licence you will need to take along with you some other form of photographic identification such as a passport.  Other documents you will also take with you are your letter of invitation and the schools progress report.

There may be other candidates taking their driving test at the same time as you, so the waiting room may be busy. There is usually some subtle music playing in the background to help you to relax and toilet facilities.  Use the time to remind yourself to drive like you have been doing for your driving instructor and listen carefully to his motivational words – you wouldn’t be there if you weren’t capable of achieving it.  Your driving instructor is able to go out with you on your test, but isn’t permitted to take any part in the test they will be silent in the back of the car.  If you would prefer them to be with you, it is up to you to ask the examiner if you can invite them along. 

It is also worth knowing that your examiner may have their senior examiner in attendance, this means you may have another person sat in the back of the car.  You will carry on with the test as normal as they are there to observe the examiner and not your driving.  If you have not driven with anyone in the back before the only difference may be a slight change in the weight of the car. This is nothing to worry about.

The Examiners will come out of their office and call your name, you will be asked to produce your documents and to sign a declaration to say you are fully insured to drive the car.  They will then ask you to bring your documents with you and escort them outside.  You will be asked to identify your own car and then read the registration plate of another vehicle.  The distance for the eyesight test using old style number plates is 20.5 metres or 20 meters if the new-style number plate is used.  This is a requirement to continue with the driving test if you fail to read a number of plates you will not be able to continue.

You will then be asked one of each of the show me, tell me questions. 

Once you are in the car he will explain how the test will proceed and that you will be required to carry out 2 manoeuvres and possibly the emergency stop.  The possible manoeuvres are:

• Turn in the road
• Reverse around a corner
• Parallel park
• Bay park

The drive will last approximately 40 minutes and any faults will be recorded, you are permitted to score no more than 15 faults.  If you commit 16 faults or one serious or one dangerous you will not have met the minimum standard to drive alone on the roads and will fail the test.  At the end of the test you will be given your result.  If you have passed WELL DONE, your examiner will advice of any faults you should be aware of and issue you with a pass certificate.  Your documents will be taken from you and you will receive within a couple of weeks your full driving licence. 

REMEMBER: 6 penalty points on your driving licence within the first two years of passing your driving test and you will have to revert back to learner driver status and do the theory and practical tests again.

If you fail your examiner will ask if you would like your instructor to be present to listen to the faults recorded.  This just means you will need to take some further instruction before putting back in for your test again, which cannot be before ten working days has lapsed.

THE EXTENDED DRIVING TEST

Loss of your driving licence for dangerous driving or related offences involving obligatory disqualification means that you return to 'learner' status - normal rules for provisional licence holders will then apply.

You must therefore take and pass a theory test for the category of vehicle you intend to take an extended practical driving test in.

The extended driving test is longer and therefore more demanding. It lasts for about 70 minutes and covers a wide variety of roads, usually including dual carriageways.

There are higher fees for extended tests, so you must make it clear when you apply for a test which type of test you want.