If you are about to take your practical driving test you may have heard other people talking
- saying it wasn’t their fault they failed because of some other reason. However, don’t
let yourself get worked up, as many of the things you hear could be a myth and are not
actually true. In this video we will show you the Top 10 driving test myths, so you
know that as long as you drive safely you will pass!
The 10th most popular driving test myth is that learning to drive will get easier as
we get older. Unfortunately, statistics prove this is not the case - and the opposite is
actually correct. In 2016 the overall pass rate was 47%, but have a look at this graph
that shows the pass rates by age. It is clear that the highest pass rates are from the youngest
drivers, and the pass rate drops steadily as the driver’s age increases. It is estimated
that the average pupil needs 2 hours of driving tuition for every year of their life. In other
words, if you are 17 you will need about 34 hours, if you are 20 you will need 40 hours,
and by the time you are 30 you will need 60 hours. This is why we recommend that you learn
at the youngest age possible as it will be easier and cheaper.
The 9th most common myth is that taking the driving test in rush hour traffic is easier,
because all the traffic queues will mean we won’t have to drive as far. Driving examiners
are very experienced with the traffic local to their test centre, so they will have chosen
a route that will avoid most of the queueing traffic. However, it is inevitable that we
would need to drive in some of the rush hour congestion - and at the end of every traffic
queue there is a busy junction to be crossed. We find driving on quiet roads far easier,
so would prefer to drive a longer test route that has less traffic on it, than drive a
shorter route that is very busy. The driving test statistics from DVSA show that the test
centres in busy cities have a much lower pass rate than the test centres in smaller, quieter
towns - so for the best chance of passing book your test for when there is the least
amount of traffic, not the most!
Myth number 8 is that if we take a wrong turn at a junction then it will be marked as a
driving fault. The examiner is essentially checking that we can drive safely - and obey
all relevant road and traffic rules. If we misunderstand their instructions and it is
too late to safely take the requested route, then we should try to stay calm and continue
on our current path. As long as we make appropriate observations, indicate whenever necessary
and cause no danger then there won’t be any fault recorded - the examiner will just
alter the route slightly and the test will continue. However abruptly changing lanes
without proper observation in an attempt to take the requested route is dangerous and
would fail the test.
Another common myth is that driving examiners only pass a certain number of pupils per week.
Some people say that you have less chance of passing on a Friday as the examiner might
have run out of passes - this is just not true. Perhaps this myth is said by those who
have just failed their test and are trying to come up with a convincing reason to cover
their embarrassment. When an examiner ‘fails’ a test they have to explain exactly why, give
a written report to the candidate, and then complete extra paperwork at the test centre.
The examiner would actually find it easier to pass a test, so if we drive safely then
they will be happy to do so.
The 6th most popular myth is that if we cross our hands when steering it will be a driving
fault. The examiner will be looking for us to demonstrate our competence in a number
of areas - including the ability to “drive with the vehicle correctly positioned on the
road”. As long as this is achieved at all times then there will be no fault given, irrespective
of how we hold or turn the steering wheel. We always try to use a good steering technique,
as it will allow us to control the car smoothly and allow for a quick reaction if something
unexpected happens. However, if we find ourselves crossing our hands when manoeuvring, or holding
the wheel in a different way occasionally it won’t be a problem - unless it leads
to the car leaving its correct road position.
Driving Test myth number 5 is that if we drive really slowly all the time then it will be
easier to pass the test. We can understand the temptation to drive ‘really carefully’
in an attempt to reduce the chance of making a mistake - but driving too slowly for the
current road and traffic conditions will actually be marked as a driving fault. We will of course
need to drive slowly when there are hazards or tight bends, but if we don’t keep up
with the flow of traffic when on faster roads then it can annoy other drivers, who might
then try to overtake us in an unsuitable place - which could put us in danger. We should
always try to drive confidently, at an appropriate speed for the conditions, as making ‘good
progress’ is far safer than driving excessively slowly.
The 4th most common driving test myth is that the handbrake must be applied every time the
car is stopped - but this is not the case. On a driving test the examiner will be marking
us on our overall control of our vehicle and judgement when driving in traffic. There are
no rules stating when we must use the handbrake - except that is should be used to secure
the car when parking. Otherwise, we are free to use the car’s handbrake whenever we feel
it would be useful, such as on a steep hill start or when waiting at a busy junction.
Using the handbrake appropriately will allow us to keep the car still while we reposition
our feet on the pedals, as this will allow us to use enough engine power to pull away
confidently. Using the handbrake every single time we stop the car could cause an unnecessary
delay, so instead we should consider when the handbrake will actually be useful and
just use it when needed.
The next myth is that if we stall the car, we will fail - but this is not the case. Inexperienced
drivers will sometimes stall the car’s engine, for a variety of reasons. As with many other
faults a stall will be marked according to the situation it happened in, and how much
potential danger it caused. If we stall when trying to pull away it won’t usually cause
any danger - and if we restart the engine and pull away on the second attempt it will
only be marked as a minor driving fault. Since a test candidate is allowed up to 15 driving
faults a single minor won’t automatically fail the test. However, if we stall at a busy
junction and cause an obstruction, or stall repeatedly and delay other traffic then that
might cause potential danger - and be marked as a serious fault, which would result in
a test fail. If do you stall on your test, just take a moment and start again - it is
unlikely you would be failed on that one thing alone.
The second most common myth is that we should exaggerate our mirror checks, to make sure
the examiner sees us doing it. Some people even suggest setting the mirror slightly ‘off’
so we have to move our head more as we use it. However, examiners are trained to monitor
our eye movements - so they will know where we are looking without us needing to emphasise
our mirror checks unnecessarily. In fact, worrying about ‘how’ we check our mirrors
might actually be a distraction and prevent us noticing a real hazard elsewhere. Instead,
we should check our mirrors often enough that we are always aware of what is behind our
car before signalling, or changing our road position or speed.
Finally - our top driving test myth is that driving examiners enjoy failing learner drivers.
Driving examiners are professionals - they are highly trained and regularly assessed
to ensure they give a fair test to every test candidate. Their assessment of our driving
is properly marked on the driving test report form - and they give feedback and a copy of
the report to us at the end of the test. They are monitored by their bosses to check that
their pass rates are within a normal range, and would be investigated if there was an
unusual amount of passes or fails. In addition, the driving examiners know that most driving
school cars will now have a dash cam recording the test, and the pupil has the option to
bring their instructor along in the back of the car - so the chance of an unfair test
is very low.
We hope that by busting these myths you can see that the only thing that really affects
our chance of passing the driving test is how safely we can drive. The UK driving test
is not meant to be easy, and the fact is that over 50% of candidates are just not up to
the standard required. If we drive safely - we will pass. If our driving puts us in
potential or actual danger - we will fail. We should make sure that we are properly prepared
beforehand, and ensure that whatever challenges the road and traffic conditions give us we
react safely and keep everyone safe. If the examiner can see that we are a safe, competent
and considerate driver he will be happy to pass our test and give us our full UK driving
license.
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