The most important thing about taking your driving test is to remember that you are in control. No-one else. Examiners are there to record faults that you make and have the authority to give you a full driving licence. Their marks are dictated by your performance, and you are the only one that can influence that. There are no secrets to passing a driving test. However, as long as you perform well during the test, success is in your grasp. Here are 7 pass your driving test tips.
There is more to passing your driving test than just getting it right on the day. The days and weeks leading up to the test are equally important. As with anything really important in life, preparation is key. So let’s take a look at how to make sure things go well before and during the test.
1. Regular lessons
Keep up with regular lessons and practise. You’re close to achieving your goal but you are not there yet. Fine tuning your driving is important to building confidence. If you have the opportunity to intensify your practise or training, it could be well worth gaining that extra experience.
2. Research the test
Knowing the lay of the land is always a good idea. So why not start by looking at the top 10 reasons people fail the driving test? Understanding where others have gone wrong can help you avoid those same issues. Compare the reasons others fail to your own driving and look for comparisons. See how confident you are by scoring yourself between 1 and 10 against each reason given. This can help you generate a list of topics you may want to develop before the test.
3. Positive thinking
It’s very easy to talk yourself out of passing the test before you even meet the examiner. It is absolutely essential that you believe in yourself during that all important drive. The best way to do this is to keep positive and visualise yourself doing things well. See yourself doing the manoeuvres really well and driving with confidence.
4. Back to basics
It may seem strange, but the better you get, the less time you spend on the basics. This is because you tend to spend more time on the move. Pulling up on the left and then moving off again becomes something that you practise less and less. Due to this lack of practise, those skills weaken. As well as moving off, junctions also fall behind as driving on busier roads means less junction work. Looking at the top 10 reasons for failing, junctions and moving off are the top 2 reasons for failing. In fact, they appear twice each in the list.
5. Mock driving test
A mock test is an important part of preparing for any test. If you have practised for, or passed, your theory test, you have probably done some mock tests. They help us understand how far we have come and how much we have yet to learn. Ask your instructor about a mock test, or even multiple mock tests. As a driving instructor I know how hard it is avoid asking a quick question or drop a little hint. A mock test creates the perfect environment ensuring full responsibility falls on your shoulders. It also gives an opportunity for you to practise these pass your driving test tips and see how they work for you. If mistakes are made it can also show how you get yourself out of any difficulties you get into. Finally, the feedback at the end can help identify any underlying issues that need addressing.
6. Own it
During the test, it will be hard to ignore the examiner sat next to you. Someone you have never met before judging your every move and decision. Naturally, you will be thinking very hard about what you are doing. This can cause you to second guess what you are doing, thinking instead about what the examiner wants to see. Therefore, your actions might change from what you would normally do. For this reason, confidence is a vital part of passing the driving test. Taking responsibility for your actions is integral to being a driver, and the driving test your chance to demonstrate this. So, be confident in your ability and remember what you have learned up to this point. If you find yourself panicking, take a moment and make decisions you feel comfortable with.
7. Never give up
Making mistakes is part and parcel of being a driver. It can happen on driving tests too. The role of the examiner is to weigh the fault and make a decision as to its severity. This can range from a fault that is not worthy of note, to a dangerous fault. Let’s pretend you’re on your test and something goes wrong. To you it could be serious enough to fail you, but you don’t know how the examiner sees it. It is important that you do not give up! The examiner might feel that the mistake was not serious enough to fail you. It would be a shame to stop concentrating and then make a mistake that does fail you. Again, do not give up, it could be the difference between failure and success.
In conclusion, there may not be a secret way of passing a driving test. But, by using these pass your driving test tips, through good planning and confidence in your ability; you can significantly increase you chances.