1) To get your first provisional driving licence online for a car, motorcycle or moped you need to:

• be a resident of Great Britain (there’s a different service in Northern Ireland)
• meet the minimum age requirement
• meet the minimum eyesight requirement
• not be prevented from driving for any reason
• pay £50 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron, Maestro or Delta debit or credit card
• have a valid UK passport or other form of identity
• have your National Insurance number if known
• provide addresses where you’ve lived for the last 3 years

When you can apply

You can apply up to 3 months before you turn:

• 17 if you want to drive a car
• 16 if you want to ride a motorcycle or moped

You can drive a car when you are 16 if you get, or have applied for the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

2) How the theory test works

The theory test is made up of a multiple-choice part and a hazard perception part. You need to pass both parts to pass the theory test. If you pass 1 part and fail the other you’ll fail the whole test, and you’ll need to take both parts again. The questions in the multiple-choice test will depend on the category of vehicle you are hoping to get a licence for. For example, a motorcycle theory test will contain questions that don’t appear in any other test. For the hazard perception test there are no separate versions for different vehicles, but the pass mark is different for them.

At the theory test centre

You aren’t allowed to take any personal items into the test room with you. All your personal items must be stored in the lockers provided. If you’re found with any prohibited items in the testing room your test will be stopped, you’ll be asked to leave and you’ll lose your test fee. Once you’re in the test room you aren’t allowed to talk to or distract other candidates.

The multiple-choice part

Before the test starts you’ll be given instructions on how it works. You can choose to do a practice session of multiple-choice questions to get used to the layout of the test. At the end of the practice session the real test will begin. A question and several possible answers will appear on a computer screen – you have to select the correct answer. Some questions may need more than one answer. You can move between questions and ‘flag’ questions that you want to come back to later in the test. Some car and motorcycle questions will be given as a case study. The case study will:

• show a short story that 5 questions will be based on
• focus on real life examples and experiences you could come across when you’re driving

The car and motorcycle multiple-choice part lasts for 57 minutes and the pass mark is 43 out of 50. After the multiple-choice part you can choose to have a break of up to 3 minutes before the hazard perception part starts.

The hazard perception part

Before you start the hazard perception part, you’ll be shown a short video clip about how it works. You’ll then be shown a series of 14 video clips on a computer screen. The clips:

• feature everyday road scenes
• contain at least one ‘developing hazard’ – but one of the clips will feature 2 ‘developing hazards’

A developing hazard is something that may result in you having to take some action, such as changing speed or direction.

Hazard perception test scoring

The earlier you notice a developing hazard and make a response, the higher you will score. The most you can score for each developing hazard is 5 points. To get a high score you need to respond to the developing hazard as soon as you see it starting. If you click continuously or in a pattern during a clip a message will appear at the end. It will tell you that you have scored zero for that particular clip. You won’t be able to review your answers. The pass mark for cars and motorcycles is 44 out of 75.

Your test result

You will be given the results of your theory tests at the test centre after taking it. You’ll get a pass certificate if you pass your theory test. You’ll need this when you book and take your practical test. Your theory test pass certificate lasts for 2 years after taking your test. You’ll need to take and pass the theory test again if you haven’t passed your practical test by then.

3) How The car practical driving test WORKS

Overview

The practical driving test is designed to see if you:

• can drive safely in different road and traffic conditions
• know the Highway Code and can show this through your driving ability

As long as you show the standard required, you’ll pass your driving test. There’s no minimum number of lessons you must have or hours you must practice driving before you take your test. There are no pass or fail quotas. You’ll need to have passed your driving theory test before taking your practical test.

What happens during the test

Before you start the driving ability part of your test, you’ll have an eyesight check and be asked 2 vehicle safety questions.

Eyesight check 

You’ll have to read a number plate from a distance of: 

• 20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate; 
• 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate. 

You can write down what you see if you can’t speak English or have difficulty reading. New-style number plates start with 2 letters followed by 2 numbers, eg AB51 ABC. You’ll fail your driving test and the test won’t continue if you can’t pass the eyesight test.

Vehicle safety questions: ‘show me, tell me’. 

You’ll be asked 2 vehicle safety questions. These are also known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions. The examiner will ask you one ‘show me’ question, where you’ll have to show them how you’d carry out a vehicle safety check. You’ll also be asked one ‘tell me’ question, where you’ll have to explain to the examiner how you’d carry out the check.

The driving ability part. 

The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving. If you’re taking an extended test pass because of a driving disqualification, the test will last 70 minutes. 

Your general driving ability. During your test the examiner will give you directions that you should follow. You’ll drive in various road and traffic conditions. You should drive in the way your instructor has trained you. It should include:

• • normal stops
  • an angle start (pulling out from behind a parked vehicle)
  • a hill start

You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.

Reversing your vehicle safely

You’ll have to show how well you can reverse your vehicle. The examiner will ask you to do one of the following exercises:

• reversing around a corner
• turning in the road
• reverse parking – either into a parking bay, or parallel parking at the side of the road

Independent driving section

Your driving test will include around 10 minutes of independent driving. It’s designed to assess your ability to drive safely while making decisions on your own.

If you make mistakes

Carry on if you make a mistake, because if it’s not a serious mistake it might not affect your result.
Your examiner will stop your test if they think your driving is a danger to other road users.

Taking someone with you

Your examiner will ask if you want your instructor, or another person, to:

• sit in the back of your car during your driving test
• be with you after the test for the result and feedback

This person will usually be your driving instructor, but it could also be a relative or friend. They must be over 16 and can’t take any part in the test.

The examiner’s supervisor

The examiner’s supervisor may come along as well. They will be watching the examiner’s performance, not yours. The supervisor won’t have any say in how you’re tested or in your result. Your test might be cancelled and you could lose your fee if you don’t let the examiner’s supervisor go with you.

4. Independent driving section of the test

Your practical driving test will include around 10 minutes of independent driving. It’s not a test of your orientation and navigation skills.

How the test works

During your test you’ll have to drive independently by either following:

• traffic signs
• a series of directions
• a combination of both

To help you understand where you’re going when following verbal directions, the examiner can show you a diagram. Download ‘Independent driving route diagram example’ (PDF, 315KB). You can’t use sat nav because the independent driving section tests how you make your own decisions.

Forgetting the directions

It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember every direction, or if you go the wrong way. Driving independently means making your own decisions – this includes deciding when it’s safe and appropriate to ask for confirmation about where you’re going. The examiner will confirm the directions to you if you ask for a reminder of them.

Going off the independent driving route

It won’t affect the result of your test if you go off the independent driving route, unless you make a driving fault. The examiner will help you get back on the route if you go off it or take a wrong turning. You can then continue with the independent driving.

Poor traffic signs

The examiner will give you directions until you can see the next traffic sign if there are poor or obscured traffic signs. You won’t need to have a detailed knowledge of the area.

5. Your driving test result

You’ll pass your test if you make:

• 15 or fewer driving faults
• no serious or dangerous faults

When the driving test has ended, you can call your instructor over if they didn’t go with you on your test. This is so they can listen to the result and help you with any feedback afterwards. The examiner will:

• tell you if you passed or not
• explain how you did during the test

The different types of faults

There are 3 types of faults that can be marked:
a dangerous fault – involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property
a serious fault – could potentially be dangerous
a driving fault – not potentially dangerous, but if you make the same fault throughout your test it could become a serious fault

If you pass your test

The examiner will give you a pass certificate if you pass the test. They will also ask you if you want your full licence to be sent to you automatically. Once you have passed your test you can start driving straight away – you don’t need to wait for your full licence to arrive.

If you don’t pass

You have to wait another 10 working days before you can take another test if you don’t pass. Working days don’t include Sundays and public holidays.

Feedback on how eco-efficient your driving is

The examiner will also give you feedback about how eco-efficient your driving is.

UK DRIVING TEST QUESTIONS (show me /tell me questions):

Q1: Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil?

UK DRIVING TEST (to see examples- click links below):

Part 1/6
Part 2/6
Part 3/6
Part 4/6
Part 5/6
Part 6/6

***The driving test will change from Monday 4 December 2017 to include following directions from a sat nav and testing different manoeuvres!!! :

The 4 driving test changes

1. Independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes

The independent driving part of the test currently lasts around 10 minutes. During this part of the test, you have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner.

This part of the test will be made longer, so it’ll last around 20 minutes – roughly half of the test.

2. Following directions from a sat nav

During the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.

The examiner will provide the sat nav (a TomTom Start 52) and set it up. You won’t need to set the route – the examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practise with.

You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test – you have to use the one supplied by the examiner.

You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a fault while doing it.

One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic signs instead.

3. Reversing manoeuvres will be changed

The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them by your instructor.

You’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres:

• parallel park at the side of the road
• park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
• pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic

4. Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving

The examiner will ask you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test – these are known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.

You’ll be asked the:

• ‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving
• ‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers

***CLICK the link below to see a NEW Driving Test Rules from 4th December 2017!!!***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&v=5dZRbU2MiDk