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Contents
1. Before thinking about driving practical test
Minimum age and rules
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1.2
Rules for learner drivers
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1.3
Apply for provisional licence
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1.4
About driving theory test
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1.5
About car practical test
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1.6
About motorcycle practical test
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1.7
How to book practical test with DSA?
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1.8
Driving test fees
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2. Learn to drive
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1.1
2.1
Choosing a driving school
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2.2
Choosing a driving instructor
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2.3
Choosing the best driving course
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3. On exam day
3.1
Reporting for practical test
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3.2
Minimum test vehicle requirements
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3.3
Understanding practical test report sheet
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3.4
Eye sight test
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3.5
Vehicle safety check questions/ Show me tell me questions
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3.6
Your drive with examiner
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1 Emergency stop
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2 Reverse left
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3 Reverse parking behind a parked car or into a parking bay
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4 Turning on the road
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5 Taxi manoeuvre
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6 Uncoupling / recoupling
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7 Taxi wheelchair
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8 Precautions - Before starting the engine
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9 Using the controls
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10 Moving off
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11 Using the mirrors
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Giving signals
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Clearance/obstructions - Passing stationary vehicles
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Response to signs and signals
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Exercising caution while speeding
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Following another vehicle at a safe distance
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Making progress
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Road junctions, roundabouts
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Judgement
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Road positioning and lane discipline
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Pedestrian crossings
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Position/normal stops - Selecting a safe place to stop
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Awareness / planning
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Ancillary controls
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4. After practical test
4.1
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Reasons for failure in practical test
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5. Ready to drive on the road?
5.1
Car finance
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5.2
MOT
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5.3
Road tax
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5.4
Car insurance
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5.5
Penalty points for driving mistakes
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5.6
Vehicle maintenance, safety and security
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6. Learner driver training aids
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6.1
Driving lessons timetable
6.2
Driver's 90
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6.3
Driver's 93
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Before thinking about driving practical test
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Before thinking about driving practical test
Before you start driving on the road
As a learner driver
You must be of appropriate age to drive the vehicle. You must have a provisional driving licence. You must be supervised by a person who is over 21 and
who has held a valid driving licence for 3 or more years.
You must display learner driver identification "L" plates.
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You cannot drive on the motorway.
Apply for a provisional licence
If you have never held a driving licence before you will need to apply for a
provisional licence. You cannot start to drive a car until your provisional driving
licence has been accepted and is in your possession.
Passing your driving theory test
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After you have your provisional licence, taking your theory test is the next step
in getting a full licence.
Preparing for your theory test is essential if you want to become a safe,
responsible driver or rider.
If you are a learner driver you must take and pass your theory
test before you book your practical test.
Passing your driving practical test
Once you have passed the theory test, you can then apply to take your practical
driving test, if you -
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know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving
Ready to drive on the road?
Every vehicle kept or used on a public road legally requires road tax, motor
insurance and for vehicles over 3 years old, a MOT test in UK.
can drive safely
Before thinking about driving practical test
MOT
MOT certificate confirms that at the time of the test your vehicle met, as far as
can be reasonably determined without dismantling, the minimum acceptable
environmental and road safety standards required by law.
Road tax
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED - often known as road tax) is an annual tax on the use
of motor vehicles on the public roads. It is collected and enforced by the Driver
and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Get a car insurance
To use a motor vehicle on the road, you MUST have a valid insurance policy.
This MUST at least cover you for injury or damage to a third party while using
that motor vehicle.
Everything in place?
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Always follow The Highway Code
The Highway Code is essential reading for everyone. Its rules apply to all road
users: drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians as well as horse riders.
It contains most up to date advice on road safety and the laws, which apply to all road users.
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Before thinking about driving practical test
1.1. Minimum age and rules
You can take your theory test once your provisional licence becomes valid. Normally, for car
drivers, the earliest date your provisional licence can become valid is your 17th birthday,
however you can apply for the licence up to three months before your 17th birthday.
So, if you apply for your provisional licence before you are 17, you will still have to wait until
your birthday, before you can take your theory test.
Before you start to drive, you must:
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1.2. Rules for learner drivers
Hold a valid, provisional driving licence for Great Britain or Northern Ireland
Make sure that any vehicle you drive is roadworthy, properly taxed and insured
If you want to practice your driving with an accompanying driver, the
accompanying driver must be over the age of 21 and must have held (and still
hold) a full licence for three years.
As a learner driver, you must display 'L' plates ('L' or 'D' plates in Wales ) in a
conspicuous position on the front and rear of the vehicle you are driving.
You are limited to less powerful motorbikes.
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1.3. Apply for provisional licence
If you have never held a driving licence before you will need to apply for a provisional
licence. You cannot start to drive a car until your provisional driving licence has been
accepted and is in your possession.
1.4. About driving theory test
Preparing for your theory test is essential if you want to become a safe,
responsible driver or rider. If you are a learner driver you must take and
pass your theory test before you book your practical test. The theory test is
a computer based test and can be taken at various test centres around
the country. Passing your driving theory test is your first step towards being
a safe driver on the road.
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DSA driving theory test consists of two sections.
A. Multiple choice questions
This section is designed to test your understanding of the theory behind driving. There is a
15-minute practice session you can work through before starting the test. There are 50
randomly selected, multiple-choice questions and you need to get at least 43 answers right
to pass.
B. Hazard perception test
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This is the second section of the theory test and must be passed at the same time. Hazard
perception test is conducted to test the ability of learner drivers to respond to hazards on the
road. There are 14 videos, each about a minute long.
This section is designed to test your awareness of potential hazards whilst driving.
The videos feature various types of hazard, such as road conditions, vehicles and
pedestrians. The earlier you spot a hazard developing that may require the driver to take
evasive action, the higher the score.
There are 15 scoreable hazards in the test and candidates can score upto 5 points for each
hazard. The pass marks are 44 out of 75.
Preparing for your theory test
We recommend you to study the following The Highway Code
The highway code is essential reading for everyone. Its rules apply to all road
users: drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians as well as horse riders. It
contains most up to date advice on road safety and the laws, which apply to all
road users.
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Before thinking about driving practical test
Traffic signs
It is important to know road signs and markings that you are most likely to
encounter.
Driving theory test questions
This is a set of latest questions published by DSA from which the exam questions
are taken. DSA may change questions from time to time and it is important that
you study from books where latest questions are published.
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Preparing for hazard perception test
It is best to practice hazard perception skills on the computer if you have access to one.
There are many websites and PC -CD ROMs in the market, using which you can practice
your hazard perceptions skills.
1.5. About car practical test
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) now offers tests outside the normal test times at a
number of test centres.
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Practical tests are generally available at all permanent test centres. Saturday and weekday
evening tests, subject to resources being available, are offered at a premium rate. Non
premium rate tests are available at various times between 7.30 am and 3.27 pm Monday to
Friday.
The driving part of your test lasts about 40 minutes. Throughout the test, your examiner will
be looking for overall safe standards of driving, including when you are carrying out the set
exercises. You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in
failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test.
Your driving practical test consists of
Eye sight test
The driving test is straightforward
and has been designed to see if
you:
Can drive safely
Know The Highway Code
and can demonstrate this
through your driving
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Vehicle safety questions/Show me tell me
questions
Driving manoeuvres
And a drive with examiner
Before thinking about driving practical test
1.6. About motorcycle practical test
Minimum test vehicle requirements
Any vehicle presented for use in a driving test must meet minimum test vehicle standards.
These standards are part of European Community legislation on driver licensing. Great
Britain as a member of the European Union is obliged to comply with these requirements.
Below are the minimum test vehicle requirements for mopeds and motorcycles.
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Minimum test vehicle requirements for mopeds
A moped must have an engine capacity not exceeding 50 cc, and a maximum speed of 50
kilometres per hour (km/h), which is approximately equivalent to 31 miles per hour (mph). If
first used before 1 August 1977, it must be equipped with pedals by which it can be
propelled.
Minimum test vehicle requirements for motorcycles
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If your motorcycle is less than 75 cc it is not acceptable for the practical motorcycle test. If
you pass your practical test on a motorcycle with automatic or semi -automatic
transmission, this will be recorded on your licence. Your full licence entitlement will be
restricted to motorcycles in this category.
A light motorcycle (category A1) is defined as a solo motorcycle between 75 and 125 cc,
with a power output not exceeding 11 kilowatts (kW) (maximum 14.6 brake horse power
(bhp)). Please see note 1.
A standard motorcycle (category A) is defined as a solo motorcycle between 121 and 125
cc, capable of exceeding 100 km/h (62.5 mph). Please note that the BMW C1 motorcycle is
not a suitable machine for the practical test. Please see note 2.
Vehicles used for the accelerated access and direct access scheme can have an
unspecified engine capacity of at least 35 kW (46.6 bhp), with an unspecified speed.
Please see note 3.
The minimum test vehicle requirements for a motorcycle and side -car are the same, as the
solo machines, but categories A and A1 must not exceed a power to weight ratio of 0.16
kW/kg. Passengers are not allowed to ride in the sidecar during the test. Only candidates
with certain disabilities can use a motorcycle and side-car combination for the test. The
licence obtained as a result of this test will be restricted to this combination of vehicle.
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Notes:
A light motorcycle licence (category A1) will give you full licence entitlement to ride
machines up to 125 cc with a power output of up to 11 kW.
A standard motorcycle licence (category A) will restrict you for a period of two years to riding
machines with a power output not exceeding 25 kW and a power/weight ratio not
exceeding 0.16 kW/kg. After the two year period you may ride any motorcycle.
If you are aged 21 or over you can take the test on a motorcycle with a power output of at
least 35 kW (46.6 bhp). If successful, you can then ride any motorcycle.
The practical motorcycle test is made up of lots of different elements, an eyesight test,
vehicle safety questions, a test of driving ability, a test of specific manoeuvre and questions
on riding with a pillion. At the test centre you must present a valid certificate DL196 unless
the test is being conducted on one of the exempted islands. A rider who is upgrading a full
moped licence obtained by passing a two part test since December 1990 is exempted.
Vehicle safety check questions and eyesight test - Before you actually start your practical
riding test, you will be asked to read a number plate, to prove you can meet the eyesight
requirements. You will also be asked two machine safety check questions before moving
away.
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The practical test - After the usual pre -test preliminaries e.g. licence and identification
check the examiner will help the candidate with the fitting of the radio and earpiece. While
accompanying the candidate to the machine the examiner will explain how the test will be
conducted and how the radio equipment works.
The law requires anyone riding a motorcycle, scooter or moped, with or without sidecar, to
wear protective headgear securely fastened. The test cannot therefore be conducted unless
the candidate is wearing properly secured protective headgear.
Note: An exemption to this requirement exists for followers of the Sikh religion if they are
wearing a turban.
At the end of the test
When the practical test gets over, the examiner will tell you whether you passed or failed.
You can request feedback on your test from the examiner, who will then go through your
performance during the test.
If you pass...
If you pass and have a photocard driving licence issued after 1 March 2004, the examiner
will ask you, if you want your full driving licence issued to you automatically. If you want to
use this service, the examiner will take your old licence off you, scan the details and send
them electronically to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will then be
given a pass certificate to prove you passed your test. DVLA will then send you your new full
licence by post within three weeks of you passing your practical test.
If you pass your test but do not want to use this automatic service, or have a licence issued
before 1 March 2004, you will be given a pass certificate by the examiner.
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