101 Reasons To Fail A Driving Test

Understanding why you fail will give you a better chance of passing your next driving test. There are endless possible reasons how you can fail your driving test, but sometimes it would be good to know what the examiner thinks when you make a mistake.

So, whether you are taking your practical driving test for the first time, or you have recently failed your test. Be sure to read this article to help pass your driving test on the next go! If you have just failed your driving test, you may find this article useful, check it out here. Top ten tips for when you fail your driving test.

National Pass Rates

When it comes to the driving test, more than 50% of all tests taken in the UK resulted in a fail. That has been this way, especially for the last 10 years, from the year 2010 / 2011 to 2020/2021.

2010/11: 46.3%
2011/12: 46.9%
2012/13: 47.1%
2013/14: 47.1%
2014/15: 46.9%
2015/16: 47.0%
2016/17: 47.1%
2017/18: 46.3%
2018/19: 45.8%
2019/20: 45.9%
2020/21: 49.8%

Source: DVSA

Although these statistics should not in any way reflect the success rate of your passing, they are a mere overall of all the learners in the UK, who have different experiences, circumstances, skills that all contribute to why they may or may not pass.

Reasons Why You May Fail…

You’ve been waiting for it! Delve below to find out all the reasons why you may fail your driving test. If any of these has personally affected you or someone else you know! Feel free to share this with them on social media!

Not Bringing Your Driving Licence With You – #101

If you forget to bring your provisional driving licence with you to your driving test, you will not be able to sit for your practical test. The examiners will not accept a passport. Unless you have the old-style paper licence, to which a passport is an accepted form of photo ID. However, you will need to still have your paper driving licence with you, otherwise, the test will be abandoned and you will NOT go out on your driving test.

Not Being Able To Read A Number Plate – #100

The first thing you will need to do on your driving test is to be able to read a number plate 20.5 metres away. Usually, the examiner will stand you much farther away than this, and they will point out a number plate he/she would like you to read. If you are unable to read at the first attempt, the examiner will get a tape measure and measure out the exact distance.

If you are still unable to read the number plate correctly, the exam will not go ahead, and this will result in a failed driving test. Sometimes, due to nerves, the examiner may allow you to write the number plate down if you are physically unable to speak and read the plate itself. But, this is at the discretion of the driving examiner.

Unroadworthy Tyres – #99

If you turn up to test and your car’s tyres aren’t roadworthy, you will not be able to sit your driving test. This could be due to many things such as; they may be flat, they may have bald patches, may have damage to them. Or they may not have 1.6 minimum of tread around your car’s tyres.

Either way, if the examiner deems them unfit, the test will not continue, and you will lose your driving test fee. The test will be abandoned as it is known.

Brake Lights Not Working (Abandoned) – #98

If your brake lights are not working, the test will not go ahead, and it will be abandoned. This may happen during the show me/tell me questions or another examiner may see the back of your car whilst out with another candidate and signal to your examiner.

Indicators Not Working (Abandoned) – #97

One of the first things you will do on your driving test is to answer one of the show me/tell me questions. If you are asked about your indicators and they do not work, or fail to work, then the test will NOT continue.

Not Putting On Your Seatbelt (Sec 11) – #96

Do not forget to put on your seatbelt at the start of the test. Not wearing a seatbelt is illegal. However, some learners may be so nervous at the start of the test, they may forget to put their seatbelt on. Be aware of this – if you forget, your car will beep as soon as you move away. The examiner will mark a serious fault under the section of ‘precautions before moving off’.

Not Closing Your Door Properly (Sec 11) – #95

Do not forget to close your door at the start of your driving test. Driving with a door that is not properly secure can be quite dangerous and the door could swing open and knock a cyclist off their bike.  Be sure to make sure you shut your door properly. A warning light will display on the dashboard as soon as you move away.

Some modern cars will also sound a beeping noise and inform you of a door open. The examiner will mark a serious fault under the section of ‘precautions before moving off.’

Window Wipers – #94

If it is raining when you start your driving test you should put on your window wipers. If your window wipers fail to work properly, the test will be abandoned and will NOT continue. However, if at the start of the test, they are working, and partway through the test they stop working, then the examiner may abandon the test partway around.

If the rain has subsided, they may decide to continue, however, this is at the discretion of the examiner.

Engine Management Warning Light (EML) – #93

If at the start of your test an engine management light is displayed on your car’s dash, this may result in the driving examiner abandoning the driving test. On 4th June 2018, new changes to the MOT test were introduced. An engine Management Light (EML) displayed on the dash results in a failed MOT test.

These new changes mean that a car being used for a driving test MUST not display an EML at the start of the test. If the light comes on during the driving test, the examiner may decide to continue with the driving test. Again, this is at the discretion of the examiner. A car being used for the driving test MUST be roadworthy and legal.

Punctured Tyres – #92

If when on a driving test you get a punctured tyre, the driving test will be abandoned and you will lose your driving test fee. You should try to avoid potholes and loose debris on the road to avoid the risk of a puncture.

Warning Lights – #91

If a warning light comes on during your driving test, the examiner may abandon the test depending on what the problem is. There are many things that can go wrong with modern cars. Any problems with the car are displayed on the instrument dash panel and are either amber or red. You should be familiar with the warning symbols and their meaning. Again, the car MUST be roadworthy for the test to continue and to not be abandoned.

General Gear Changing (Sec 12) – #90

If you are unable to change gear properly, you may fail your driving test. Gears are one of the first things that you are taught when first starting to learn to drive. You NEED to be able to smoothly coordinate your clutch, the gear selection and the gear lever for a successful gear change.

If when you change gear and the car is very jerky, then the examiner may give you a serious fault. However, this may not always be the case. It is dependent upon many factors.

• How jerky are the gear changes?
• Is it a one-off?
• Did you affect anyone?

The examiner will make his decision based upon a lot of factors. It is important to note: if you obtain too many minors in one section this may result in a serious fault.

Selecting The Wrong Gear (Sec 12) – #89

One of the most common mistakes that learners make when on a driving test, is selecting the wrong gear. One of the most common mistakes is selecting 1st gear when indeed you need 3rd gear. If this is the case and this happens, the engine brakes will kick in and slow the car down.

This could be very dangerous for traffic following your from behind. The reduction in speed is very rapid and this is very common when travelling on slip roads and on high-speed carriageways when you are trying to increase your speed quickly. The examiner will analyse the following:

• Did you affect any other vehicle travelling behind you?
• What if there was someone there?
• How did you react to the problem?
• Did you NEED assistance?

This type of mistake is usually a serious fault. You should always make sure you select the correct gear for the speed that you are travelling at.

Not Putting The Clutch Down When You Stop (Sec 12) – #88

If you do not put the clutch down when you come to a stop, you may get a driver error or a serious fault. The mark is dependent on whether you affected another road user when it happened. If you come to a stop at a T-junction and do not put the clutch down, you may find the car may bunny hop forward onto the roundabout. If you affect someone who is on the roundabout, then you may get a serious fault because you made them react to you suddenly.

However, if you are parking on the left and do not put the clutch down and the car just stalls – this may just be a minor fault.  Be aware, that too many driver errors (minors) in the same box may eventually result in a fail. Make sure you do not do it again.

Keeping The Clutch Down (Coasting) (Sec 12) – #87

If you continually coast around corners this will result in a serious fault. Coasting is when the engine has been deselected because the clutch is down, and the engine can’t help control the car’s speed. This is common amongst learner drivers, more so, learners who have private practice with loved ones. It is important to only turn corners when the gear is fully engaged.

Rolling Back (Sec: 13) – #86

If you roll back at any time when on a driving test you may get a serious fault. Moving away under control is very important to maintain good control of the car. It is very important to make sure you do not roll back at any time. There are many occasions when you may rollback. These can include:

• On a hill start
• When at traffic lights
• When emerging onto a roundabout
• When emerging from a T-junction
• At a crossroads

It is very important to maintain good control of the car at all times. The mark given by the examiner is dependent on many factors: mainly, how much did you roll back? Did you affect anyone behind you?

Over-Revving The Gas Pedal (Sec: 12) – #85

When it comes to your driving test it is really important to make sure you accelerate smoothly and progressively. You do not want to apply too much pressure too quickly. If this is the case, and the vehicle jerks or skids, you may lose control of the car. Dependent on how much pressure you apply and the effect of this action will depend on what the examiner marks down on the driving test sheet.

Not Applying The Parking Brake (Sec: 12) – #84

When on a driving test, you should use the parking brake to control the car when you are stationary. Constantly using the brakes is not good practice as you can cause your brake pads to become worn and less efficient. You should use your parking brake when you are waiting for periods of time. The following examples will help you:

• When waiting for more than 6-7 seconds use your parking brake
• When pulling off from a hill
• When waiting at traffic lights
• When waiting in a queue of traffic
• When parked on the left

Crossing Your Arms & Losing Control Of The Car (Sec: 12) – #83

Crossing your arms is not the biggest mistake on a driving test. It is the effect of what happens that is frowned upon. For example, you cross your arms whilst turning left. The car swerves across the middle of the new road. The effect is road position, but the cause is due to crossing your arms in the first place.

If you can use the push/pull steering technique then this will help assist you with better steering. The driving examiner is looking at the effects of such actions, more than then action itself.

However, if you continually cross your arms when you steer, then they may start giving you driver errors, and these can add up to a serious, be warned!

Allowing The Steering Wheel To Swing Back (Sec: 12) – #82

If you allow the wheel to swing back on its own after you have turned a corner, the examiner will not take too kindly to this. Firstly, the car could lose control and swerve off course and your hands are nowhere to grip/grab the wheel.

Secondly, if you do this whilst driving on black ice – you will find yourself booking your own funeral! The impact of such an action could be catastrophic! Do not do this, again this can be a serious fault on a practical driving test – and for good reason too!

Using The Parking Brake to Stop The Car (Sec: 12) – #81

When slowing down to a stop, you should use the foot brakes only. If you apply the parking brake to help stop the car, you are not giving warning to vehicles behind you with brake lights. This can be quite dangerous. Most learner drivers only do this when they are just about to stop at traffic lights, or they are about to stop on a hill.

If this only happens once or twice, and nobody was affected, then the examiner may only give you a driver fault. However, if someone was affected and had to react behind you unexpectedly, then be sure to fail your driving test.

Waving Pedestrians To Cross The Road (Sec: 17) – #80

You should NEVER wave pedestrians across the road, whether this is at a pedestrian crossing or not. If you have not checked thoroughly, you could be leading the pedestrian into danger. Please avoid this at all costs. Give the pedestrian enough time to assess the road and to decide on what they would like to do.

Vulnerable road users may feel intimidated and feel the need to quickly cross the road. The examiner will mark this in accordance to who has been affected. But, this could result in a serious fault.

Not Responding When Someone Flashes Headlights (Sec: 17) – #79

When out driving, it is an everyday occurrence to communicate with other road users with signals. Sometimes other vehicles flash headlights to inform you of their presence. If this is the case, very often they are suggesting that they plan on giving way to you if you are turning into a side road.

Again, it is about responding to other road users. Nobody is stating ‘you MUST go’, but you should observe the road, and make progress if the road would benfit from you progressing. Do respond to this type of signal.

The examiner will be assessing how you deal with this sort of situation. If the road needs you to turn to free up congestion, then you should understand this and make progress and respond to the headlights of the other vehicle. If you do not, you may get a serious fault!

Misjudging Point Of Turn When Turning Right (Sec: 21) – #78

If you plan to turn right into a side road, it is very important to make sure you plan your point of turn. If you end up stopping too late, you may struggle to turn. Also, your road position can become very confusing to other road users. You should make sure you can stop when your car’s bonnet is in line with the centre white line of the new road.

The examiner will mark you based upon how much you over-shot the junction, your road position, and whether you affected other road users. The examiner will also watch to see how you respond with your steering as you manoeuvre into the side road.

Stopping When You Had Time To Go At Traffic Lights (Sec:17) – #77

Traffic lights can be a menace for any new driver. Especially when they change without warning. However, you need to anticipate traffic lights, and you NEED to be able to STOP safely if you can do so. If you can’t you MUST commit to the traffic lights and make progress.

This problem depends on how far away from the traffic lights you were when they started to change. If you are too near them, you MUST commit and go through. STOPPING suddenly can be very dangerous.

You should make sure you do not affect anyone by panicking and stopping suddenly. The examiner will determine whether you had time to stop, or if you should have gone through. Unfortunately, if he believes you should have gone through, you will get a serious fault and fail your driving test.

Not Checking Blind Spots When Pulling Off From Side Of The Road (Sec: 13) – #76

Blind spots are problematic for many learner drivers, especially when on a driving test. The importance of checking all around the vehicle is very important, especially when you are about to move away. Although checking your mirrors first is a MUST, this does not make them safe. It is very important to make sure you check your blind spot before pulling off from the side of the road.

The examiner will normally mark this as a driver error (minor fault), however, if you continue to do this, this may turn into a serious fault, which will mean you will fail your driving test.

Not Being Aware Of Hazards In The Road (Sec: 26) – #75

This type of problem can be very problematic for many learner drivers. Especially as nerves can distract the learner driver’s ability to think logically. The most important thing to do is to keep safe. If you fail to spot a hazard and fail to respond to something in the road, the examiner may take action. This may be either verbally or physically.

Keep yourself alert and be two steps ahead. Concentrate on all the things that are moving, and anticipate anything that could be off bends, around corners or hiding behind obstructions.

Always be prepared to stop in an emergency, and you should always be able to stop within the distance seen to be clear.

Not Planning Your Route In Plenty Of Time (Sec: 26) – #75

When on a driving test it is important to plan your route in plenty of time. There are many occasions where you will need to plan to do something, here are a few examples:

• Planning to turn right at a roundabout – make sure you change lanes nice and early
• You are planning to overtake a cyclist – make sure you can do so without affecting any other road users
• You are planning to turn left – make sure you get your speed down in plenty of time.

Bad planning results in late actions. Late to change lanes, late to overtake, and late too start braking. All of these actions are from bad planning. The examiner will mark the situation as it is presented. If it is unsafe, or you affect another road user you will gain a serious fault and fail your driving test.

Not Signalling Left When Turning Left (Sec: 15) – #75 again

Whenever you plan to turn left. You MUST apply a signal. If you do not, you could be a hazard to other road users. It is very hard to plan a journey around someone who suddenly does something without any warning. It is very important to apply signals in plenty of time. You need to allow enough time for other road users to react safely behind you.

If you do not signal and you affect another road user, you will gain a serious fault, as you were a hazard and the situation was not safe.

Skidding When Doing An Emergency Stop (Sec: 2) – #74

If you skid whilst doing the emergency stop exercise, you may get a serious fault. There are many factors to conside – these can include:

• How badly did you skid?
• How did you handle the car when you skidded?
• Did you get yourself out of the skid and maintain control of the car?
• Did you affect anyone?

A skid normally happens when braking has been hard and sudden, and the brakes do not respond to the tyres effectively. ABS may not be fitted, or even be working properly, especially in wet weather. The examiner will grade you dependent on how well you have dealt with the situation.

If your car skids during an emergency stop exercise, usually it is your braking technique (human error) which causes the skid to happen and indeed, not the fault of the car or weather conditions.

Parking Too Near Other Parked Cars (Sec: 25) – #73

You will park up on the left lots of times during your driving test. It is really important to make sure you stop is a safe, legal and convenient place. You should avoid parking too near other parked vehicles. If you do, you may find that you won’t be able to pull away without reversing.

Once you STOP and apply the parking brake, the examiner will assume you have completed the exercise.

It is very important to not NEED to reverse back to get out. If you do, expect to fail your driving test. The examiner will simply state: “In real life, you may not have the luxury to reverse backwards.” A tough lesson to learn, but a serious fault non-the-less!

Parking Within 10 Metres of a Side Road (Sec: 25) – #72

You should avoid parking too near side roads. Either before the junction or after it. Parking too close to the junction can cause problems for emerging traffic. Observations are restricted and an accident could happen due to the restricted observations.

The Highway Code enforces this rule – the examiner can exercise this driving law. If you do, you can expect to fail your driving test. You may get a minor, but if you do it too many times you may get a serious fault. It really does depend on where you stop and whether you affected other road users by doing so.

Passing Animals Too Near (Sec: Sec: 23) – #71

When passing animals, you should pass wide and slow. You should not get too near the animal as you may startle them – especially horses. This could be dangerous for the horse riders, and other nearby pedestrians.

If you travel too near animals and startle them expect to fail your driving test.

Road Position On Country Lanes/ Bends (Sec: 23) – #70

Road position on country lanes is very important. Bends can be very tricky to negotiate and you should always follow this advice:

• If the road bends to the left – you should position your car in the middle of the road, this will give you the best observations around the bend
• If the road bends to the right – you should position your car to the left of the road, this will give you the best view of the road ahead when following the bend to the right.

Bad road position can cause accidents. Especially if lorries are approaching the bends in the opposite direction, or motorbike riders are taking corners. Bad road position on bends will be graded as a serious fault.

Not Responding To Road Markings At Roundabouts (Sec: 23) – #69

If you approach a roundabout and want to go ahead. You MUST make sure the lane that you are in allows you to travel ahead. If the road does not, and indeed is marked as left only lane, you MUST turn left. If you do not you will fail your driving test.

To go the wrong way in a left-only lane can cause accidents and this is unsafe. Therefore you will get a serious fault. To avoid this you should plan your journey in plenty of time.

‘Straight Lining’ A Roundabout (Sec: 23) – #68

Straight lining a roundabout is the non-official term given to learners who travel ahead at a roundabout but do not curve with the left edge of the roundabout. They indeed travel ahead in a straight line.

All roundabouts have two lanes, and you can expect to use the left lane when travelling ahead unless the road markings/signs tell you otherwise. If you start in the left lane and then end up in the right-hand lane on the roundabout – you may have an accident. If someone is turning right and enters the roundabout alongside you, you may force them into the roundabout, or worse, on top of it to avoid a collision with your vehicle.

You MUST keep left on a roundabout when travelling ahead, otherwise, you will fail your driving test.

Not Responding To Signals Of Traffic Controllers (Sec: 17) -#67

This type of fault comes from not responding to hand signals or temporary traffic signs. There are many occasions you may need to respond to traffic controllers, these include:

• The police
• School crossing personnel
• Roadwork maintenance personnel
• Highways Agency officers

If they ask you to STOP you should come to a stop. It is important to obey other people’s signals. If you do not you may fail your driving test.

Entering Hatch Markings When You Don’t Need To (Sec: 17) – #66

Hatch markings are displayed when new lanes are created, they form part of bus lanes, cycle lanes and sometimes are displayed when the road is hazardous and bendy. You should avoid entering hatch markings, even ones with broken white lines. You should avoid entering solid white at all times.

If you do enter hatch markings on your driving test when you didn’t need to, you may get a serious fault.

This will be dependent on whether you affected anyone. If it was poor judgement, of road position or steering control, the examiner may apply the ‘what if’ question. You may fail your driving test.

Doing An Emergency STOP For Animals/ Birds (Sec: 2) – #65

This may sound bizarre, but it has been known that some learners have failed their driving test due to performing emergency stops for animals or birds. As much as we love our furry friends, stopping in an emergency should ONLY ever happen if you are likely to have an accident with another vehicle or pedestrian. Or if someone’s life is at risk!

Examiners will judge how you dealt with the situation, whether you needed to stop in the first place, and of course, if you affected anyone travelling behind you. If you did, and they had to brake suddenly, more often than not, you will achieve a serious fault on your practical driving test.

Not Taking Off Your Window Wipers (Sec: 27) – #64

It is really important to exercise proper use of the window wipers. Window wipers should be used when it is raining, and you should alter the setting and speed to accommodate the amount of rainfall. All window wipers have 3 levels of speed. You should use the wipers accordingly.

If it stops raining, and you forget to take off your window wipers, you may damage the rubber on them. Which could result in them not working properly.  As a driver, you are responsible for making sure you operate all of your ancillary controls when driving. Remember, you must not need the help of the examiner at any time.

The examiner may give you a minor fault or a serious fault but this is dependent on how long they continued to be on after the rain stopped. Whether the wipers became squeaky etc.

Using Your Horn To Hurry A Pedestrian Across The Road (Sec: 27) – #63

You should NEVER use your horn to hurry someone to cross the road, at a pedestrian crossing or otherwise. If you do, you can expect to get a serious fault. This can be very dangerous and you could startle someone without a good reason.

Not Putting On The Window Wipers (Sec: 27) – #62

It is also important to make sure you respond to rain, and put on your window wipers. Driving without a clear windscreen can be very dangerous. You should avoid this mistake by paying attention to the weather and changing the speed of the window wipers according to the rainfall.

If you fail to put them on, the driving examiner may ask you to put them on, if they ask you, you may fail your driving test.

Not Taking Off Your Parking Brake (Sec: 27) – #61

Sometimes we need to use our parking brake when driving. When in a rush, we take it off, and it doesn’t quite come all the way down. If this is the case, a warning light on the dash will illuminate warning you that the light is on. It is really important to check the instrument panel for any warning lights and respond accordingly. Also, most modern cars will sound a beep – to warn you that the parking brake is on.

If you fail to respond to this – and continue to drive without acknowledging what the problem is, you may fail your driving test. Again, this type of fault is a the discretion of the driving examiner and the situation at the time.

Late Braking For Pedestrians Crossing The Road – #60

If you are approaching a pedestrian crossing and only notice the crossing at the last minute you may find that you brake suddenly. This can be very dangerous. Not only do you risk colliding with the pedestrians if you lose control of the car, but you will also panic at them at the same time. If this is the case, the examiner may give you a serious fault.

Not Responding To Overtaking Vehicles Behind You – #59

If you fail to notice an overtaking vehicle passing you and you are on a single carriageway road, you may not be aware of the dangers that follow. Although, you are NOT necessarily doing anything wrong, and aware driver will reduce their speed somewhat to allow the overtaking vehicle to move back to the left.

Sometimes, overtaking on a national speed limit single carriageway road can be very dangerous. If the overtaking vehicle misjudges the gap, there may be a collision with an oncoming vehicle.

You need to respond to the actions of other road users in a positive way. Otherwise, you may fail your driving test.

Not Judging Small Gaps When Turning Right on Dual Carriageways (Sec: 22) – #58

This can be a hard one to judge, experienced drivers can get caught out on this topic, so it is even more important that it doesn’t happen to you when you are out driving. So what is meant by ‘not judging small gaps when turning right on dual-carriageways?

If you are crossing a dual carriageway, from minor to major – there will be a central reservation or gap to wait inside. You must be able to judge the length of your car and fit your car into the gap without overhanging. If you do overhang, you may cause an accident with other vehicles on the carriageway.

You should only travel into the gap if you can place your car inside safely. If you can’t, you should ONLY turn when the traffic is clear in both directions. Otherwise, you will get a serious fault on a driving test.

Not Responding To ‘Out-Of-Order’ Traffic Lights – (Sec: 17) – #57

If you come across a set of traffic lights that are ‘out-of-order’ you need to take control and emerge like you would without them. If you are at a T-junction, you should give-way in both directions. If you are turning at a crossroads, you will NEED to give way according to the rules.

Sometimes, when on a driving test, examiners are allowed to use their discretion. If this is the case, they may give you some advice for extreme occasions, but not necessarily!

Take the initiative and progress! If you do NOT, or you need advising, you may get a serious fault for NOT responding to the signs.

Not Responding To Road Work Traffic Lights – #56

If you do NOT stop at a red light at roadworks, you will fail your driving test. You should also place your car where the sign states to wait. If you do NOT, you may get a serious fault.

Hitting Obstacles In The Road (Sec:12) – #55

When driving it is important to be aware of what is around you at all times. This does NOT just mean other people and vehicles. It also means you must be aware of all obstacles on the road. There are many obstacles that may get in your way, these can include:

• Potholes
• Broken tarmac
• Items of clothing
• Branches and twigs
• Fallen trees
• Dead animals
• Fallen rocks

You should make sure you respond safely to any obstacles on the road. It is your responsibility as a driver to ensure your car is safe, and that you do NOT hit things that you can avoid. If hitting the object is unavoidable, you do have options. You can slow down or stop. If it is unsafe to overtake then you should respond to the situation positively.

Going Off Course When Steering (Sec: 12) – #54

Steering can cause major problems when it comes to the driving test. It can be a simple wobble or an impulsive lurch of the wheel. Either way, you should be able to control the steering to keep you travelling in a straight line. If you do NOT, and your road position is affected you may get a serious fault. Likewise, if you affect anyone else at any stage – you may fail your driving test.

Not Responding To Priority Signs In Areas of Speed Calming Measures – #53

When it comes to speed calming – the law takes it very seriously. You MUST give way if the road signs tell you otherwise. If you do NOT, expect to fail your driving test. If at any stage you affect other road users, you may get a serious fault!

Not Giving Way To Traffic Who Have Priority (Sec: 22) – #52

There are many places where you may need to give way to other road users whilst driving. On a driving test – it is really important to give-way in the following situations:

• At roundabouts
• When you have to give way at speed calming junctions
• When emerging at t-junctions
• When turning right into side roads
• When moving away from the side of the road
• When approaching pedestrian crossings.

You MUST know who has priority at all times. You NEED to respond to give way markings and act accordingly. If you force yourself out of a junction or into the path of an oncoming car when turning right, you may cause an accident. You will get a serious fault if you affect other road users who have priority over you.

Not Matching Speed Of Traffic When On Slip Roads (Sec: 20) – #51

It is really important to build your speed up when on a slip road. If you do NOT match the speed of traffic on the new road, you may have an accident. Or cause the traffic flow to slow down unnecessarily. High-speed roads can be very dangerous, and it is important to make progress and recognise when to build your speed up and in a timely manner.

The examiner will be assessing how long it takes for you to build your speed up – to what speed you get to, and whether you respond correctly to other road users and their actions.

Waiting Behind Buses When Stopped At Bus Stops (Sec:17) – #50

It is a big ‘no-no’, to sit and wait behind buses when they are at bus stops! What are you waiting for Christmas? No. You should make progress where possible. More often than not learners do NOT anticipate when buses are going to pull into bus stops and STOP. They end up getting stuck behind the bus, as other traffic overtakes them and blocks them from exiting.

You should anticipate the actions of buses and plan your drive accordingly. If you do NOT, you may fail your driving test.

Not Positioned Fully In Right Lane When Crossing Path Of Traffic (Sec: 22) – #49

Some side roads to the right have their own lane. These are there to prevent congestion in busy parts of town. If you are turning right, and have to move into the road on the right to access the turn, you must make sure your vehicle is fully in the lane. If any part of it is not, the examiner may give you a serious fault. Making sure you have a good road position is extremely important, as it allows traffic to pass on your left. Sometimes, if you are NOT fully positioned in your lane, you may prevent these from passing.

If this happens on your driving test, you may get a serious fault.

Parking On Red Routes (Sec: 17) – #48

You should avoid parking on red routes. The purpose of red routes is to ease congestion in towns and city centres. This would give you a serious fault on a driving test.

Not Checking Right Wing Mirror When Exiting A Roundabout (Sec: 14) – #47

When you turn right at a roundabout, it is very important to make sure you observe to the left before moving from the inside lane to the left-hand lane. There could be a car in the left lane which you have not seen. Sometimes a blind spot check may also be needed, to confirm whether it is safe. If you do NOT check your left wing mirror you will get a serious fault.

Not Overtaking Cyclists When Safe To Do So (Sec: 22) – #46

When on a driving test, it is really important to make progress when possible. This even includes passing cyclists wherever possible. If you have a safe opportunity to overtake and do NOT, the examiner may give you a serious fault, as you may be a hazard to other road users.

It can be very intimidating for a cyclist to have a vehicle following close by, and they may become anxious. Make sure you hold back and give them plenty of space and try to pass them when it is safe to do so.

Not Overtaking Lorries When Safe To Do So (Sec: 22) – #45

It is really important to pass lorries when it is safe to do so. Normally this would be on a dual-carriageway. If you are following directions on a sat nav, and the sat nav states that you are turning left in 3 miles, and an overtaking opportunity arises, it is important to try and overtake when you can.

You need to time the exercise to allow plenty of time to get back to the left lane without affecting the lorry when you turn left. If you don’t attempt to overtake you may find that your speed reduces drastically, and this, in turn, can cause other problems with progress.

However, if you are planning to turn left in a mile or less, then it probably would be wise to not overtake at this stage. Again, if you overtake at the wrong time, this can also cause problems for other traffic.

Not Making Progress When New Speed Limits Apply (Sec:17/18) – #44

When you pass a new increased speed limit, it is important to build your speed up if it is safe to do so. If you do NOT, the examiner may think that you have missed the new traffic signs. They may think you are NOT confident to travel at higher speeds.

So when possible it is important to show the examiner that you have seen the new speed limit and increase your speed accordingly. If you fail to respond to the traffic signs, you may get a serious fault as a result of this action.

Not Responding To New Speed Limits In Time (Sec: 17/18) – #43

When it comes to speed limits and new speed limit changes it is very important to respond promptly. For example: If you are travelling in a 40 mph road and you enter a 30 mph, it is very important to make sure you get your speed down to 30 mph before you pass the sign. If you do NOT get your speed down in time, then you are speeding and breaking the law.

Likewise, if you are approaching a higher speed limit, you MUST maintain the lower speed until after you pass the increased speed limit sign. Building your speed up too early, again can cause problems with breaking the law. If you do by more than 5 mph, you are more likely to get a serious fault and fail your driving test.

Following Distance Too Close In Town Driving (Sec: 19) – #42

It is really important to make sure you maintain an appropriate following distance when following other vehicles. If you get too near to them you may have a rear-end accident. It is really important to hold back and keep plenty of space. There is a term in driving, ‘if you can see the tarmac under the tyres of the car in front, you are far enough back!’ (tyres -tarmac).

If the car ahead of you suddenly stops or brakes, would you be able to stop in time?

If not, you will fail a driving test. The examiner will assess the situation as it was presented. How close were you? Did the car ahead of you suddenly brake? Did you get stuck behind the car when they suddenly stopped?

Following Distance Too Close On High-Speed Roads (Sec: 19) – #41

High-speed roads can be very dangerous. It is even more important to maintain a healthy stopping distance when following other vehicles. You should always follow the official guide on stopping distances based upon the speed you are travelling at. The two-second rule is a good guide to adopt when travelling.

If you drive too close to other vehicles on high-speed roads, it is really important to keep a healthy stopping distance. If the examiner believes you are too close, they will grade this as a serious fault.

Road Position When In Lanes (Sec: 23) – #40

When driving in lanes, it is really important to maintain your road position at all times. If you do NOT, you may fail your driving test. When travelling in lanes, you should position the car in the middle of the lane, especially on dual-carriageways. If you are travelling on roundabouts, again, it is really important to hold your lane and not affect anyone else in another lane. If you do, or you swerve into another lane and affect another road user, you will fail your driving test.

However, even if nobody is in the other lane, the examiner will ask the ‘what if?’. and deem it too risky for just a minor fault.

Turning Right From The Left Lane In A One Way Street (Sec: 23) – #39

A common practice on some driving tests is the wrong position when turning right in a one-way street. Some learner drivers will keep to the left to turn right like they are used to in a regular two-way road. Of course, this is NOT how things operate in a one-way street. You MUST be positioned to the right when emerging, and if NOT you will fail your driving test.

Remember: To keep right when turning right at the end of a one-way street!

Trying To Enter A ‘No Entry’ Road (Sec: 17) – #38

Of course, where there are one-way streets, there are ‘no entry’ streets also. It is very important to NOT enter a street that has a no-entry sign displayed. If you do, you will FAIL your driving test.

Not Making Progress On A Flashing Amber Light If The Road Is Clear (Sec: 24/17) – #37

The purpose of a flashing amber light at a Pelican crossing is to reduce congestion in towns and cities. The flashing amber phase encourages the traffic to start moving once the crossing is clear. However, pedestrians always have priority – so if they are still crossing the road, you – the driver, must give way to them until they have finished crossing the road.

However, if you fail to respond to what is happening, and do NOT make progress on a flashing amber if the road is clear, you will receive a serious fault. It is important to make progress and drive with a positive mindset.

Late Braking On The Approach To Junctions (Sec: 12) – #36

It is really important to reduce your speed in plenty of time. Late braking can cause confusion to approaching traffic, and traffic following behind you – and in bad weather conditions, late braking may cause you to skid. It is really important to spread your braking technique over the distance you have left to travel towards the junction.

There is a classic saying in driving: do NOT do 90% of the braking in 10% of the distance.

You should plan your approach to the following types of junctions:

• Side roads on the left and the right
• Roundabouts
• Pedestrian crossings
• T-junctions

If you fail to slow down in time, or if the examiner has to take action, physically or verbally, you will fail your driving test.

Observations When Reversing On Park Up On The Right (Sec: 5) – #35

This new reversing manoeuvre is NOT the hardest manoeuvre in the world. However, it can still be quite challenging. There will be some occasions to which you will need to park up on the right in real life. This exercise is all about the observations. You NEED to make sure your observations are strong on these occasions:

• When moving across the road to park up
• When you reverse back 2 car lengths
• When you re-join the traffic and come back to the left-hand-side

If you do NOT look properly, or in the correct area, you can expect to fail your driving test. Observations whilst doing a reversing exercise is one of the biggest fails in driving tests in the UK!

Hitting Kerb On Parallel Park (Sec: 4) – #34

You should avoid hitting the kerb on the parallel park reverse exercise. How you touch the kerb will depend on what mark you receive. The examiner will be assessing the following:

• How did you touch the kerb, was it a gentle tap, a nudge or a hit?
• How did you respond to touching the kerb? Did you fix the problem or not?
• Who was about when you touched the kerb? Were there any pedestrians walking nearby?

On determining what mark to give you, the driving examiner will assess all of these qualities and come to a decision.

Not Seeing Approaching Traffic When Reversing (Sec: 4) – #33

Again, reversing it is all about the observations! However, you can look until the cow come home, but if you do NOT respond to what you see, how are you going to deal with potential hazards?

It is really important that you understand the rules when reversing – you will NEVER have priority when you are reversing. Everyone else does! You MUST Stop and give way to all moving vehicles and road users.

Blocking A ‘Keep Clear’ (Sec: 17) – #32

When it comes to road markings – it is really important to understand their meaning and respond to them. If you fail to respond that is where you are likely to fail your driving test. Road markings are there to help you plan your journey, keep congestion to a minimum and keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

When it comes to the ‘keep clear’ road markings, it is really important to do as it states. KEEP CLEAR – KEEP OFF – AVOID!!!!

If you do NOT KEP CLEAR and block an exit, and another vehicle wishes to exit or enter the road you will fail your driving test.

If no other vehicle is affected, you may gain a minor instead. Again, this is dependent on the situation at the time.

Blocking A Box Junction (Sec: 17) – #31

Box junctions appear at major junctions such as crossroads and roundabouts. It is even more important you do NOT enter a box junction unless your exit road is clear. If you do, you may cause heavy congestion within the town.

You are ONLY permitted to enter a box junction if you are turning right, and the approaching ahead traffic prevents you from turning. If this happens then you are allowed to wait in the box junction for a gap to turn right.

Otherwise, this type of mistake usually is a serious fault.

Signalling Right When Going Ahead At A Roundabout (Sec: 15) – #30

A classic mistake that some learner drivers make whilst on a driving test is signalling right when they are going ahead at a roundabout. This is a wrong signal. You SHOULD NOT signal right when going ahead at a roundabout. Full Stop. If you do, you may cause confusion to other road users, and another vehicle may enter the roundabout thinking you are turning right.

Signals cause a lot of fails on driving tests in the UK. It is very important to ONLY signal consciously. Otherwise, you will signal incorrectly and fail your driving test.

Overtaking Cyclists At Crossings (Sec: 24) – #29

You are NOT permitted to overtake in the zone of the zig-zags at crossings and school entrances. This also means no overtaking cyclists also. If you do, you will fail your driving test as this is against the law!

Parking On Driveways /Pedestrian Crossings (Sec: 25) – #28

You should NOT block driveways or park on pedestrian crossings. There are plenty of places that are safe to stop and park on the left. These two are not. However, parking in front of someone’s driveway would normally be a  would be a minor fault.

Again, it depends on the situation and how many times you blocked driveways during your driving test to whether the examiner gives you a serious fault or a minor fault.

Not Signalling On The Approach To Junctions (Sec: 15) – #27

Approaching a side road to turn, without a signal – never! It is so annoying, and needless! Positive attitude to driving – let’s help each other out with good clear signals. Make sure you signal well otherwise if you affect someone you may fail our driving test.

Hesitation When Moving Off When Parked (Sec: 20) – #26

If you fail to move away from the side of the road when there is a big gap in the traffic flow, the examiner may give you a serious fault. Hesitation can be avoided with early planning and good observations. Make progress with your driving and you will avoid a mark on that test sheet!

Parking On Double Yellow Lines (Sec: 25) – #25

It is illegal to park on double yellow lines, or single yellow lines with current times displayed. The markings are there for a reason, and you should obey their rules. If you do NOT, you will fail your driving test.

These types of road markings are to prevent congestion in areas where congestion is a problem. It is of high priority that you obey the rules of all road markings.

Not Accelerating Quickly Enough When Emerging On Slip Roads (Sec: 20) – #24

You should make sure you accelerate quickly when building speed up on a slip road. It is also very important to make sure you match the speed of the road you are joining. Failing to respond to other road users may result in a fail.

Touching Rumble Strips On Slip Roads (Sec: 17) – #23

You should avoid touching the left rumble strip on a slip road. If you do, you are compromising your safety, as your road position is too far left. The examiner may give you as a serious fault.

Failing To Respond Quickly Enough On The Emergency Stop (Sec: 2) – #22

If you fail to react to instructions to stop on an emergency stop exercise you may fail your driving test. If you were in a real-life scenario, you won’t have the luxury of time, as other people’s lives may be at risk. You should respond promptly and be under control as you bring the car to a stop.

Missing Green Filter Lights (Sec: 17) – #21

Some traffic lights have filter lights. The design of these types of traffic lights is to allow traffic to flow in a certain direction to avoid congestion. Left filter lights are very common. You should be aware of them in case a green left-filter light pops up. Learner drivers can sometimes switch off when waiting on a red traffic light – if you miss a filter light, you may annoy waiting traffic behind you. If you affect other road users, you will fail your driving test.

Failing To Stop At Solid White Line On A Red Light (Sec: 17) – #20

If you approach a traffic light and the light turns red, you MUST stop before the white solid line. If you fail to stop in time or stop over the white solid line, then you are breaking the traffic rules and will fail your driving test.

Sometimes, the examiner may use discretion, if you are a tiny bit over. For example, your front wheels are touching the white line, but your car’s bonnet is overhanging. Again, this is based on the situation at the time.

Failing To Check Blind Spot(s) On Emergency STOP (Sec: 14) – #19

When you perform an emergency stop, it is important to check both of your blind spots of any potential hazards before you move off again. If you do NOT check both of your blind spots, you could cause an accident. You MUST check when you are on your driving test.

Many learners only look over their right shoulder and indeed do NOT look over their left. This is important – due to the gap on your left and right-hand-side. Cyclists, motorbike riders or pedestrians may be in your blind spot areas – therefore it is important to check to make sure it is safe to move off.

Hesitation At Junctions (Sec: 20) – #18

When it comes to hesitation at junctions, it is very important to make sure you plan your journey and look ahead in plenty of time. If traffic prevents you from emerging, you should ensure you are prepared to emerge at the earliest opportunity. If you do miss gaps, then you will be preventing other traffic from making progress.

The examiner will be assessing how you deal with the exercise, how many gaps you have missed, how large the gaps were, and if you attempted to try and emerge. Obviously – learners may be nervous, and being cautious can be a trait of being on an exam, however, you MUST remember that you are being assessed and you should try and drive to the standard on your driving lessons.

Put nerves to the back of your mind and focus on emerging safely.

Not Waiting For Pedestrians To Finish Crossing The Road (Sec: 24) – #17

When you approach pedestrian crossings, it is important to allow the pedestrians to finish crossing the road. If you start to move forward whilst they are still on the pedestrian crossing, you may pose a risk to the pedestrian who may not expect you to be there. Pedestrians – especially children and the elderly, can be very vulnerable and unpredictable, they may turn around unexpectedly and turn back to cross the road.

Give them plenty of space to cross the road, and once they are safely on the pavement then you should continue ahead.

Failing To Stop At a STOP Junction (Sec: 17) – #16

If you fail to stop at a STOP junction, then you are NOT being legal. It is a legal requirement AND if you fail to STOP you will fail your driving test. A lot of the time, learner drivers see the STOP sign, and slow right down, they crawl up to the junction and then check to see if the road is clear, once they can see it is, they move out of the junction without stopping.

It is really important to STOP otherwise you will fail your driving test.

Mirrors Before Slowing (Sec: 14) – #15

When driving – it is really important to be able to see what is going on behind you. Failing to check your rearview mirror prior to slowing down can be a serious fault. Checking your mirrors early will help you plan your driving. if you notice another vehicle travelling too close to you behind, you do have options. You can start to brake gently and sooner than you anticipated, to give enough warning to the following vehicle to increase their gap behind you.

Hitting The Kerb (Sec: 23) – #14

Hitting the kerb should be avoided at all times. Of course, there are varying degrees to how you can hit the kerb, but you generally avoid and you won’t have any problems on your driving test.

Over Steering & Clipping Corners (Sec: 12) – #13

Oversteering is when you steer too much and the back tyre takes a shorter course than the front tyre, and you end up clipping the kerb when you turn left. This is not good, as you may cause damage to your tyres or there may be a pedestrian on the pavement. You should make sure you only steer enough to get you around the corner.

Stalling Onto A Roundabout (Sec: 11) – #12

Stalling on a roundabout can be very dangerous. Blocking the roundabout can cause other vehicles problems, especially if they have to steer to avoid your vehicle. This could put them in danger if other vehicles try to emerge also on the nearside lane.

You should avoid stalling on the roundabout by making sure you are ready to go, and that you coordinate your foot pedals accordingly. If you stall before the give way markings, then the result may only be minor. However, if you are delayed moving off, then again, you may affect other road users and this could result in a serious fault.

Stalling is generally a minor fault, and not a serious one, but it depends where you stall and how you handle the situation.

Going Over The Speed Limit (Sec: 18) – #11

It is illegal to go over the designated speed limit. If you do, you may fail your driving test. The examiner will consider the following:

• How much did you go over by?
• How long was your speed over the upper limit?

In reality, you are allowed to go over the speed limit by about 10%. This rule applies in case the speedometres are slightly out. So when on a driving test, the examiner will give you a little bit of leniency, but, again it is at their discretion whether they give you a minor or a serious fault.

Under Speeding (Sec: 20) – #10

One of the most common reasons to fail a driving test is due to under speeding. Or not making progress. This is very common for learners when on a driving test. Some believe it to be the better option than to drive too fast. After all, they are on a driving test. Surely the examiner wants them to drive nice and slow and be safe!

No. They do NOT. Driving too slow can cause other vehicles to overtake you. This can be dangerous. The more vehicles move about the more hazardous the road becomes.

Failing To Check Blind Spots When Changing Lanes (Sec: 14) – #9

You MUST check your blind spots when changing lanes. If you do NOT you will fail your driving test. This is normally given as an instant serious fault. Observing correctly is important to make sure you keep safe. Other vehicles may be in your blind spot and you can cause an accident.

Cutting Corners When Turning Right (Sec: 21) – #8

If you are turning right into a side road, and end up cutting the corner too early, you may fail your driving test. Cutting corners can very dangerous, especially on blind corners.

The examiner will use discretion and base his mark on the situation. This type of error doesn’t need to have affected other road users to be a fail.

Position Reverse Bay Park (Sec: 5) – #7

You can fail a driving test if you do NOT reverse park your car into a bay within the lines. If any part of your car overhangs the white lines, and you are unable to correct the car’s position or fail to identify the car’s tyres are NOT within the white lines you will fail your driving test.

The examiner also needs to ensure that you are able to park whilst maintaining control of the car. It is very important to be able to park the car using good control of the clutch, the brakes, and the steering also.

Leaving Signals On (Sec: 15) – #6

When driving it is really important to make sure all signals are cancelled after their use. If you fail to recognise you have left your indicator on,  you may pose to be a danger to other vehicles on the road. It is really important to be aware of what is happening at all times.

If your signal affects someone, then you will fail your test. Or, if you continue to keep leaving your signal on, you will accrue too many minors and may fail your driving test.

Observations On Parallel Park (Sec: 5) – #5

When reversing it is really important to make sure you check all the way around your vehicle at all times. Failure to do so may result in a serious fault. Observations are more important then doing a perfect parallel park – they can be slightly forgiving for road position, but they will NOT be lenient if you have poor observations.

You also need to be able to react to what you see. If you check and do NOT respond to the approaching car and continue with reversing, you probably will still fail your driving test. As you did not show a response to what you see. When reversing, you NEVER have priority – therefore all other vehicles instantly do.

If you do NOT stop, you have forced priority on yourself and therefore made them stop, rather than giving them that option.

Driving Too Near Parked Vehicles (Sec: 16) – #4

When it comes to passing parked vehicles, it is really important to make sure that you leave plenty of space on the left. If you drive too near the parked cars you may be creating a dangerous situation. These are a few points to consider:

• What if a child stepped out into the road between the parked cars
• What if a car door swung open wide
• What if a car pulled away suddenly
• What if you hit one of the cars?

The examiners will consider how close you are to the parked cars, and what speed you were travelling at. They will also assess whether you affected other road users by doing so!

Mirrors Before Signal (Sec: 14) – #3

One of the most important mirror checks is the one before signals. If you fail to check your mirrors before signalling you will receive a minor fault. It is really important to check your mirrors as you do NOT know who is around you.

Are you able to turn left? Is there a cyclist behind you? Are you able to turn right safely? Is there a motorbike rider just about to pass on your right-hand side? Again, unless you know it is safe to turn, you shouldn’t need to apply the signal until you have checked first.

The examiner will grade you dependent on what is going on around you at the time. This type of fail normally is due to lots of minor mistakes adding up, as opposed to a one-off serious for not looking prior to an indication. Most learners look at some point, but it is meant to be done first!

Under Steering & Going Wide (Sec:12) – #2

Another common reason learners fail their driving test is due to understeer. This means you do NOT steer enough when turning. The effect is your car’s road position is compromised, due to lack of steering control. If you turn left into a side road, and your car ends up crossing the centre white line, you may fail your driving test.

The examiner will consider whether you affected another vehicle, if you didn’t affect another vehicle, they may use their discretion to determine whether to give you a minor or a serious fault.

Observations At Junctions (Sec: 21) – #1

When it comes to observations at junctions, this is the biggest cause of failure of the British Driving Test. With a whopping 9% of all tests gaining a serious fault due to this action. When on a driving test – it is important to observe the road and judge gaps in the traffic to emerge safely.

Unfortunately for some learner drivers, they miss a vehicle, emerge onto the roundabout and the examiner has to use the dual-controls to prevent a

Experienced drivers look 3-4 times to the right, whereas some learners only look once. It is vital, that you keep looking around at all times. The problem is: Did you affect other road users? If you did, you will get a serious fault. The effect is making other drivers react, but the cause is poor observations in the first place.