Car driving test
Understanding your car driving test result, including what was assessed, what sorts of things counted as faults, and how to improve in each area.
The email you received after your test will show what driving, serious or dangerous faults you made during your test.
The examples of faults listed in this guide are some of the most common faults people make during their test.
To pass your driving test, you needed to make:
- no more than 15 driving faults (sometimes called ‘minors’)
- no serious or dangerous faults (sometimes called ‘majors’)
If the examiner had to tell you to do something or take control of the car to avoid an incident, your result will show the ‘examiner took action (ETA)’.
The email you received after your test will show what driving, serious or dangerous faults you made during your test. The examples of faults listed in this guide are some of the most common faults people make during their test.
Talk to your driving instructor about your result. This will help them focus any more lessons you need or Pass Plus training on the right skills.
If you did not pass
Talk to your driving instructor about when you should rebook your test if you failed. You should only book it when they agree you’re ready.
Check the ‘Ready to Pass?’ website for more information about how to prepare for your next test.
You needed to show you can use the car’s secondary features and controls and know when to use them. This includes things like windscreen wipers, and heating.
You needed to show you can use these while driving, without losing control of the car.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not turning on the windscreen wipers when it starts to rain
- losing control of the car when using one of the controls
- not using the demisters to clear the front windscreen when needed
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- practise using the controls safely while driving
- read pages 61 to 72 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Use the time to familiarise yourself with the car’s secondary controls and features.
You needed to show you can:
- anticipate other road users’ actions and potential hazards
- react in good time, not at the last minute
You should have been extra careful around more vulnerable road users. This includes:
- motorcyclists
- cyclists
- horse riders
- pedestrians
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not anticipating or showing awareness of the actions of cyclists and other vulnerable road users
- not anticipating or showing awareness of other road users
- pulling up behind a queue of parked vehicles
- not anticipating that pedestrians are about to cross the road at any time
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 204 to 225 of The Highway Code
- read pages 152 to 157 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Practise your awareness and planning by:
- looking well ahead to anticipate what might happen
- checking and rechecking what’s going on around you
- looking for other road users, signals given by drivers, and road markings and traffic signs
- looking for clues to help you act safely, such as, reflections in shop windows
You needed to keep a safe amount of distance when passing other road users, stationary vehicles or hazards - at least one metre when possible.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- being too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space
- moving back in too soon after passing the vehicle or hazard
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule of The Highway Code 152
- read pages 185 to 187 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- using the mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM) routine
- using the position - speed - look (PSL) routine to improve your manoeuvres
You needed to show you can use all the car’s primary controls smoothly and at the correct time. This includes the:
- accelerator
- clutch
- gears
- brake
- handbrake or parking brake
- steering
Your examiner will have monitored this throughout the test.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- over-steering when making a turn, and mounting the pavement
- keeping the clutch pedal held down (coasting) reducing your control of the car
- selecting the wrong gear causing a sudden reduction in your speed, forcing vehicles behind you to slow down
- pressing the brake too hard, or not hard enough
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 117 to 126 of The Highway Code
- read section 3 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Use the time to familiarise yourself with the car’s primary controls.
You were marked on how you reacted to the examiner’s signal to stop and your control of the car while stopping.
When the examiner asked you, you needed to safely bring the car to a stop. You should have done this without locking the wheels and losing control of the car.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- reacting too slowly when asked to stop
- locking the wheels causing a skid, particularly for cars without an anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during a test, or if you believe you need to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 118 to 120 of The Highway Code
- read pages 98 to 100 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- keeping control of the car whilst braking
- braking in different weather conditions (in a safe environment)
Your examiner will have started the test by carrying out an eyesight check. You needed to read out a vehicle registration (number plate) of a parked car. You will have had 3 chances to do this correctly.
If you did not read it correctly, you will have failed and not been allowed to continue with your test.
You have to book another test and pay again if you failed.
If you need glasses or contact lenses, you must bring them to your next test.
If you have dyslexia, you can declare this when you book your test. You can then write down the vehicle registration instead of reading it out.
You needed to keep a safe distance when driving behind other road users.
Your distance from the vehicle in front should have been appropriate for the conditions of the road.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- driving too close to the vehicle in front
- not adjusting your distance when there is bad weather, such as rain, ice or fog
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 126 and rule 151 of The Highway Code
- read pages 171 to 173 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- the 2-second rule - keeping at least a 2 second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads with faster-moving traffic in dry conditions
- driving in slow-moving traffic
- driving in different weather conditions
You were marked on:
- control - your ability to control the car
- observation - your observation of your surroundings when parking
You should have parked your car in a designated space, then reversed out. Your car should have been straight and central within the space.
You should have been checking your surroundings throughout, proceeding only when it was safe to do so.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not being positioned within the lines, and not attempting to correct position
- steering too closely to vehicle in the next bay
- not making effective all round observations when reversing out
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, read pages 249 to 250 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Make sure you practise in different car parks.
The examiner assessed your ability to drive with economy and the environment in mind throughout the test. However, this assessment did not affect the overall result of the test.
You needed to:
- plan well ahead to avoid unnecessary stopping
- choose appropriate gears
- avoid heavy braking
- avoid over-revving the engine
If you had to stop for a long period, such as at roadworks or railway crossings, you should have considered stopping the engine to reduce pollution and save fuel.
Your examiner will have explained how fuel-efficient your driving was.
How you can improve in this area
To improve in this area you should:
- read rule 123 of The Highway Code
- read pages 397 to 412 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You can practise:
- hazard awareness and planning
- starting the engine and driving away
- using cruise control (if fitted)
- selecting the appropriate gear, and changing up or down, missing out intermediate gears (this is known as ‘block gear changing’)
- using ‘engine braking’ to slow the car
You were marked on:
- overtaking
- meeting
- crossing
You needed to show good judgement when overtaking, meeting and crossing other road users, such as knowing when to proceed, and when to wait for a safer opportunity.
You needed to make your intentions clear, and understand the intentions of the other road users.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not giving way to road users that have priority
- reacting late when meeting an approaching vehicle
- being too close to a cyclist when overtaking
- crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle when turning right
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 162 to 169 and rules 179 to 183 of The Highway Code
- read section 7 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver.
You were marked on:
- approach speed - your ability to approach junctions at an appropriate speed
- observation - your effective observation and judgement of your surroundings
- turning right - your position when turning right
- turning left - your position when turning left
- cutting corners - your ability to avoid cutting corners when turning
You needed to show you can drive through junctions safely. You should have observed your surroundings, made your intentions clear, followed road signs and signals, and properly controlled the car.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- incorrectly judging the speed of an oncoming vehicle, forcing it to slow down when emerging from a junction
- not checking for other road users when emerging from a slip road, onto a dual carriageway
- being positioned too far to the left when turning right onto a minor road, holding up vehicles behind you
- approaching a junction too fast, making it difficult to make observations
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 170 to 190 of The Highway Code
- read section 8 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- using the mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM) routine
- using the position - speed - look (PSL) routine to improve your manoeuvres
- approaching and emerging at a variety of different junctions
You were marked on:
- control - your ability to control the car
- safety - your ability to perform this action safely
You needed to show you could move off safely and under control throughout your test. This included:
- from the side of the road
- on a slope or hill (gradient)
- from behind a parked vehicle, so you have to move off at an angle
- at junctions
You should have used your mirrors and checked blind spots to observe your surroundings, and signalled when necessary. Your control of the car should have prevented it from rolling backwards or stalling.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- trying to move off without appropriate control and rolling back
- not properly checking your blind spots
- moving off into the path of an oncoming vehicle
- repeatedly stalling when moving off throughout your test
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 159 to 161 of The Highway Code
- read pages 91 to 93 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- finding the biting point when using the clutch, to prevent stalling
- using the mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM) routine
You needed to recognise each type of pedestrian crossing and react correctly to each.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- stopping on a crossing (not before)
- moving off before a pedestrian has completely cleared the crossing
- approaching a crossing too fast
- failing to stop at a crossing
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 191 to 199 of The Highway Code
- read pages 188 to 192 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Practise in an area that passes different kinds of pedestrian crossings.
When asked to by your examiner, you needed to pull up and stop at a safe place on the side of the road. This needed to be done in the first safe place available.
When parked, your car should not have been a hazard to other road users.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- partially or completely blocking a driveway
- obstructing other road users
- parking with one or more wheels on the pavement
- parking too far from the kerb
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 239 to 252 of The Highway Code
- read pages 243 to 250 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- spotting safe and legal places to stop on the side of the road
- stopping on a hill or gradient
You were marked on:
- normal driving - your position of the car when driving such as not driving too close to the pavement or lines
- lane discipline - your ability to maintain your position within the lane
You needed to show you can keep your car correctly positioned on the road, staying within the correct lane, without driving too close to the lines.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- driving too close to the pavement, putting pedestrians at risk
- driving too close to the centre of the road, putting other road users at risk
- driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason
- straddling lanes causing issues for other road users
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 135 and 137 of the Highway Code
- read pages 158 to 161 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- identifying lane markings on the road
- changing lanes using mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM)
Before you started driving, you should have performed a few safety checks. This includes making sure:
- your seat is positioned correctly and you can reach all the controls
- your mirrors are positioned correctly
- all doors are shut
- the handbrake or parking brake is on
- the gear is in neutral
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- starting the car with the gear not in neutral
- adjusting seat or mirrors while driving
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 97 of The Highway Code
- read section 3 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Use the time to familiarise yourself with the car’s controls and features. Make sure you do all your checks before setting off including adjusting your seat and mirrors.
You were marked on:
- appropriate speed - your ability to drive at an appropriate speed for the road and traffic conditions
- undue hesitation - your ability to maintain progress, and not hesitate and slow down when you did not need to
You should have driven at a speed appropriate for the road and traffic conditions, without holding up other road users.
Your examiner will have monitored this throughout the test.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so
- driving too slow unnecessarily, holding up following traffic
- driving well below the speed limit on clear roads
- waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 146 of The Highway Code
- read pages 254 to 261 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- keeping up with the flow of traffic and making confident decisions when emerging
- driving in different weather conditions
You should have recognised and reacted correctly to signs and signals on the road. This included:
- road signs
- road markings
- traffic lights
- traffic controllers
- other road users
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- taking up space meant for cyclists when stopping at a red traffic light
- reacting late or not at all to a speed limit change sign
- not stopping at a compulsory stop sign
- driving in a bus lane when sign says you should not
- driving in an incorrect lane that was clearly marked
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check The Highway Code’s sections on traffic signs, road markings and signals by authorised persons
- read ‘Know Your Traffic Signs’
- read section 6 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Ask them to quiz you on the signs and signals you will come across on the road.
You were marked on:
- control - your ability to control the car while reversing
- observation - your ability to check your surroundings for other road users or hazards while parking
Your examiner will have asked you to either:
- reverse park into a space on the side of the road, behind another car - you should have been within 2 car lengths of the vehicle in front, and parallel to the pavement
- reverse into a parking bay, then drive out - you should have been straight and central with in the space before exiting
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- having to reposition the car a lot, due to poor control
- touching or driving over the pavement
- not taking all round effective observations
- not finishing within the marked bay
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 239, rule 242 and rule 244 of The Highway Code
- read pages 246 to 250 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- making adjustments once you’re in the space
- reversing into different size spaces
You were marked on:
- control - your ability to control the car when reversing
- observation - your ability to check your surroundings for other road users or hazards
You needed to pull up on the right hand side of the road, and reverse for 2 car lengths. You should have remained reasonably close to the pavement, without touching it.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- not being aware of a hazard or other road user when reversing
- relying on just the mirrors to check surroundings
- touching or driving onto the pavement
- not judging oncoming traffic safely when moving across to the right
- being too far from the pavement when parked
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 200 to 203 of The Highway Code
- read pages 233 to 235 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- making effective all round observations when reversing
- practicing pulling up on the right on a variety of roads
You were marked on:
- necessary - your ability to use signals when you needed to
- correctly - your ability to use the correct signals
- timed - your ability to use signals that are not too late or too early
Throughout the test, you should have used appropriate signals to let everyone around know what you were about to do. This should have been done in good time.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- signalling left or right, but not turning
- signalling right at a roundabout when you want to go ahead
- signalling too late for the signal to be effective
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 103 , rule 110 and rule 112 of The Highway Code and the section on signals to other road users
- read pages 113 to 117 and 261 to 264 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- giving signals in good time
- using signals correctly
You needed to show you can use your rear view mirror and door mirrors (wing mirrors) to see what’s behind or to the side of your car. This should be done in good time, well before appropriate situations.
You needed to show you can use them at the correct time, some situations where you needed to use mirrors include:
- signalling
- changing direction or lanes
- changing speed
Your examiner will monitor this throughout your test.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling
- changing lanes on a roundabout without checking your mirrors effectively
- trying to change lanes on a dual carriageway without checking your mirrors effectively
- pulling up at the side of the road without signalling to following traffic when appropriate
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rule 161 of The Highway Code
- read pages 76 to 86 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on using the mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM) routine.
You needed to show you can drive at a safe and reasonable speed when appropriate. Your examiner will have assessed this throughout your test.
You should have taken into consideration the conditions of the road, the amount of traffic, road signs and signals, and the speed limit. You should have been driving at a speed where you could stop safely, well within the distance you could see to be clear.
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- driving over the speed limit
- not adjusting your speed to road conditions
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
- check rules 124 to 126 of The Highway Code
- read section 10 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
- driving on a variety of roads with different speed limits
- driving in different weather conditions
You will have been asked 2 vehicle safety questions during your test.
The examiner will have asked you one:
- ‘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
Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
- losing control of the car when answering the ‘show me’ question
- getting one or both questions wrong
Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.
How you can improve in this area
To improve in this area, read:
- the guide to the ‘show me, tell me’ vehicle safety questions
- the vehicle maintenance, safety and security section of The Highway Code
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Ask your driving instructor to include any of the vehicle check questions you’re not sure about in your lessons.
If you passed
You do not need to wait for your full licence to arrive before driving.
Check you have the documents you need for your car before you drive it.
Find out about getting your full driving licence.
If you did not pass
Talk to your driving instructor about your result. This will help them focus your lessons on the right skills.
Practise your skills with your driving instructor to avoid making the most common driving test faults.
You should also keep a record of any private driving practice you do and share it with your driving instructor.
You could ask your driving instructor to carry out a mock test to help make sure you are ready for your next test.
You should only rebook your test when your driving instructor says you’re ready. You have to choose a date at least 10 working days away.