Driving Test Day
The day of your driving test has arrived and it’s only natural that as a learner driver you will feel nervous. Remember that your driving instructor is there to support you and would not have advised you to take your driving test if they did not feel you were ready.
Some people prefer to have a driving lesson with their instructor an hour or so before the test, this not only helps to calm those "driving test day nerves" but gets you used to driving a car before the test commences.
Your driving instructor will make sure you get to the test centre at least 15 minutes earlier than your driving test begins. Bring the following driving test documents with you
- Driving license (UK) which must be signed, make sure both parts are there too so paper counterpart and photo card. Your driving license serves as identification and photographic proof. Please note that if you still have an old paper driving license you will need to bring a valid UK passport with you to prove your identity.
- Pass certificate for your theory test
Preparing for the Test
Most of the preparation for your test will take part during the course of your lessons. You'll learn the controls of the car, the common situations you'll encounter on the road, road signs and traffic control.
By the time your test comes around, you be confident about driving your car and familiar with common road conditions and manoeuvres.
Of course, we recognise that the real thing – being tested under stressful conditions – is a different kettle of fish. That's why we offer a full mock test. Your instructor will take you through a full test schedule. This will help familiarise you with the conditions under which you’ll be taking the test, and getting used to respond to the instructions that your examiner will be giving to you.
Getting a Mock Driving Test
When you're approaching your practical test, just speak to your driving instructor and they'll be glad to make the arrangement to carry out a mock driving test. After the driving test, they’ll be able to help you understand what you might need to address ahead of the real thing – increasing your chances of getting it right first time.
Local test route maps
You can find out in advance of your test whereabouts you will be expected to drive. Each test centre has a series of predetermined routes, and these are publicly available on the DSA website. Once there, click the letter corresponding to the test centre where you'll be taking the test. On the right-hand side of the screen, the routes are available as PDF documents for you to download, print and familiarise yourself with in conjunction with your instructor.