Some driving test centres have a lower pass-rate than others; not because the students are bad at driving, or just the examiners having much higher standards. But in the area very challenging junctions and tricky situations, learners are not aware off or not able to deal with such situations in safely manners, required to pass a test.
You need to be good driver to pass your practical driving test, following blog will give example of the types of the mistakes learners make during their tests. Pass rate between April 2019 and March 2020 was 45.9%
You can use this guide during lesson with your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver to practise these skills.
If you are making any of these mistakes explained in this blog, regularly in your lessons, it means you are not ready for the Practical driving test.
If you make any mistake during your driving, before your supervising driver tells you, ask yourself couple of question, why did I make this mistake. 1. Didn’t I know that? I must make sure it’s safe. 2. Or it’s my ability, I want to stop and look but don’t know where and when to stop. 3. I know I need to stop/look, but I forgot. 4. Is it my attitude that I don’t care. If you know your problem, its easier to correct, instead of working on the wrong things.
Drivers failing for observation was a factor in 37% of all reported accidents in GB in 2019 (source: contributory factors for reported road accident)
(i)You must make effective observations before moving into new road.
(ii) make sure it’s safe before proceeding.
ANY MISTAKE you make in this area will be marked under Junctions (observation), in the driving test sheet.
When you emerge right/left at (Give way) junctions, you make observation but fail to judge the speed of the approaching vehicle. You move off and forced the vehicle on the main road to slow significantly.
WHY: if you think car is too far and pull in front of the car, could be a big accident, might 0ncoming vehicle can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations.
Remedy: approach the junction very slow, before the give way line have a proper look if you can see there are no vehicle you can carry on going, if there is any vehicle on the road coming towards you, to properly judge the speed of the vehicle on the main road you need to stop. Look both side before continuing safely.
When you approach a roundabout and a vehicle approaching from the right and you still entre the roundabout and causing oncoming vehicle to slow down.
WHY: if you think car is too far and pull in front of the car at round about, could be a big accident, might 0ncoming vehicle can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations
Remedy: before entering the roundabout have a quick glance on the right, in any doubt stop, if you use roundabout as CLOCK, imagine if you are 6 o Clock, any car before 2 o Clock, you can entre if it safe any vehicle after 3 o clock you are not safe to enter (soon I will publish detailed how to deal with roundabout safely)
when you emerge from a junction you make no observation (or effective observation) at all this cause vehicle coming from right or left to change their speed in emergency or try to go around to avoid hitting you. Or the driver examiner must use the dual control to avoid the situation.
WHY: if you don’t look at all and assume it’s always free for you or think you got the priority, could be a big accident, might 0ncoming vehicle can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations.
Remedy: it means you misread the road, roads are like a book, if you can read the road, you can understand the situation and act accordingly. You need to read your Highway Code again.
WHY: if you don’t look at all and assume it’s always free for you to change the lane or think you got the priority, could be a big accident, might vehicle already on the main carriageway can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations.
Remedy: sometimes this situation happens when your speed is slower than the right-hand lane, when you need to join the main carriageway, right signal is necessary and then match your speed to the same as on the main carriageway, but don’t break the speed limit, it will be easier for you to slip into the safe gap. Same procedure can be used to change lane at dual carriageway.
WHY: if you don’t look at all and assume it’s always free for you or think you got the priority, could be a big accident, might vehicle already on the main road can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations.
Remedy: it means you misread the road, roads are like a book, if you can read the road, you can understand the situation and act accordingly. You need to read your Highway Code again.
WHY it is a mistake, which one happen often because lack of the knowledge and ability to know when to stop and it can cause a big accident, might 0ncoming vehicle can avoid going around you or braking sharply. If as a driver you make other people to change their speed or direction, it’s a dangerous act. your driving Instructor or your supervisor driver can help you with more explanations.
Remedy: you need to fix your reference point to judge when it is safe to stop your car safely before the give way line.
Why. If you emerge left without looking the direction you are turning, could be any hazard there, pedestrians, parked car either side or any other obstruction.
Remedy: its very important to look left as well, when turning left there could be any pedestrians or parked vehicle, other situation could be someone parked on the other side of the road and any vehicle coming from the left will be overtaking that parked vehicle and will be on your side.
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