Practical Driving Test

The driving test is designed to see if you can drive safely, know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving. It will start with an eyesight check. You must be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20.5 metres. If you can't, you will fail the test.

Next you will be asked two questions from the Show Me, Tell Me question bank. Fail to answer either question correctly and you will score one minor fault. To view the questions and answers click here.

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, including when you are carrying out the set exercises.

You will have to successfully perform one of the following reversing exercises:

• parallel park at the side of the road
  
  
• park in a parking bay - either by 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 around 2 car lengths, and rejoin the traffic.

Independent Driving
For about 20 minutes, half of the test, you will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav. This will be set up by the examiner, one in five driving tests won't use a sat nav you will follow road signs instead.