The practical test

The practical test is tough! You need to make sure you are well prepared and confident with the entire driving curriculum. At Walkers School of Motoring, our Instructors are very experienced and will let you know when you should apply for your test.

The practical test lasts around 40 minutes and you will be taken on a route from the test centre.

The Examiner will mark down any dangerous, serious or minor faults he observes.

A single serious or dangerous fault will result in not passing the test, additionally accumulating over 15 minor faults will have the same outcome. Should you receive 3 minor faults in the same category the fault may be considered habitual and the examiner may not permit you to pass the test.

On route the Examiner will ask you to perform 1 out of 4 possible driving manoeuvres. You may be asked either to reverse around a corner, reverse into a parking bay, parallel park or perform a turn in the road.

A recent addition to the test now requires learners to “self-drive”. Throughout the test the Examiner will give the learner clear directions on where to go. Since September 2010 there is now a specified “self-drive” section. The learner is asked to follow a sequence of directions or pay attention to specific road signs. The driver then drives independently without any prompting from the examiner.This section lasts approximately 10 minutes, however is often subject to time restrictions.

1 in 3 tests also involve an emergency stop. This does not count as one of the manoeuvres and is in addition to the other compulsory manoeuver.

Applying for the test is similar to the theory and best done online, alternatively we are happy to book for you at Walkers School of Motoring. The waiting list depends on which test centre you apply for, but don’t be surprised as some centres are booked up to 3 months in advance. When booking you will need your license number and theory test pass number, so make sure you have those available. The DSA test fee is £62, however an additional Test Day Package fee is payable to the driving school for the use of the vehicle.

Always consult your driving Instructor about which test centre and test date you should apply for.