Tests

The Theory Test

In order to take or even book a practical driving test, all candidates must first take the theory test. 

The test is made up of two parts; the first part is a Multiple Choice examination. This will test your knowledge of the Highway Code. You will be asked to answer 50 questions and will be allowed up to 57 minutes to complete this section. The required pass mark for this part of the test is 43 out of of 50. You will be given the opportunity to take a practice test before the real examination commences. Your test will be carried out via either a standard PC monitor and mouse or on a touchscreen.

After you have completed the multiple choice part of the test, you will be offered the chance of a short break before you are asked to commence the second part of the test, Hazard Perception.

Like the first part of the test, the Hazard Perception examination will also be carried out via PC/Mouse or touchscreen. You will be asked to watch a series of 14 video clips. Your aim is to identify hazards, specifically developing ones and this is done by clicking the mouse as they are presented. Each of the video clips contain at least one developing hazard for you to identify and one of the clips will feature two. Your score for each video, can range from a maximum of 5 points down to zero. The sooner you are aware and identify the developing hazard the higher the score you will receive for that clip. To pass this part of the examination you must achieve at least 44 points out of a possible 75.

To pass your Theory Test, you must achieve the minimum scores on BOTH parts of the examination within the same session. Where this is achieved, you will be presented with a DVSA Theory Test Pass notification which will contain your certificate number. It is important that you retain this document as it will be required for your practical driving test. Your certificate is valid for 2 years. If you haven't passed your practical driving test before the certificate expires, you will be required to take the theory test again. You will not be able to re-book a practical test without holding a current theory test certificate.

Failure to meet the minimum score in either part of the test, will result in an overall fail and will require the candidate to re-take the whole test again. Where this occurs, candidates will be unable to re-take the test for at least 3 working days.

Your instructor will be able to assist you with preparation for your theory test as you progress with your lessons but we also recommend pupils download the Official DVSA Theory Test App or purchase a Theory Test publication.

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The Practical Test

This is your final examination on your journey to gaining you full driving licence. It is normal for candidates to feel nervous at this stage, however your instructor will endeavour to lessen this by preparing you as much as possible. 

The practical test will cover a number of areas including a licence and eyesight check, questions from your Show Me/Tell Me learning and of course, an examination of your driving ability. The test will last for about an hour, with approximately 40 minutes spent on the road driving. The examiner will be looking at all aspects of your driving and will use a route that encompasses a range of road types and traffic conditions. It is more than likely, that you will be familiar with the roads the examiner uses, as your instructor will have conducted lessons in all or part of the route. Your examiner will be assessing the following:

• Your ability and competence controlling the vehicle.
• Whether you are maintaining good progress according to the road type and traffic conditions.
• How you anticipate and react to any hazards you encounter throughout the test.
• Your awareness in relation to traffic signs, signals and road markings and whether you deal with them correctly.

Over the course of the drive, your examiner will ask you to pull over at the side of the road on numerous occasions. This is normal and the examiner will be assessing how you carry out the instruction as well as checking your ability to move off again safely. The other reason for stopping will be for the examiner to issue specific instructions. This can be for the independent drive (start and/or end), the reversing manoeuvre or the emergency stop.

The Independent Drive is a mandatory part of the examination and will last for about 20 minutes of the test. On most occasions (4 out of 5 tests) it will be conducted using a Satellite Navigation unit. This will be pre-programmed and you will be asked to follow a set route. 1 in 5 tests will be asked to follow road direction signs to destinations the examiner will advise. You may be asked to follow a route to more than one destination throughout the independent drive. The examiner will be assessing how you respond to the verbal/visual directions and the effect on your driving. Going the wrong way is NOT a fault but doing so 'incorrectly' may be! Where you do go the wrong way, or where there is any ambiguity or obscurity of road signs around the route, the examiner will give you additional instructions to keep on track. If you are unsure, just ask the examiner to confirm the instructions...again this is not a fault and quite acceptable.

The Reversing Manoeuvre is again a mandatory requirement of the examination and your examiner will tell you which 1 of the 4 possible exercises they would like you to carry out. The 4 exercises they will choose from are; reversing into a parking bay, driving into a parking bay and then reversing out, parallel parking the vehicle at the side of the road behind another vehicle or puling over on the right-hand side of the road, reversing for 2 car lengths and then re-joining the carriageway.

The Emergency Stop will be requested by the examiner in 1 out of 3 tests and therefore may not be carried out on your test. Before the exercise is carried out, the examiner will give you clear instructions. They will be checking to ensure that the road traffic conditions are clear to carry out the stop and will only give the 'STOP!' command when it is safe to do so.

The examiner will 'mark' the examination throughout the drive and this will usually be done electronically using a tablet device. To pass your practical driving test, you must NOT commit any serious or dangerous faults and not accumulate any more than 15 'minor' driving faults. Your examiner will tell you the result of your test at the end of the driving element. If you have passed, you will be issued a pass certificate, a copy of the result will be sent to you electronically via email and in most cases the examiner will retain and destroy your provisional licence and order a replacement full one. Where you have not been successful, the examiner will give you feedback on the committed faults which you will be able to work further on with your instructor. You will not be able to re-take a practical driving test for at least 10 working days.

The driving test centre for Eastbourne is located at Coastguard Cottages, 84 Wartling Road, Eastbourne. BN22 7PT