Most Common Reasons For Failing a Practical Test

For many students, the practical driving test creates a mix of anxiety of anticipation, being the final step that you need to take in order to receive your full driving license. In order to pass you have to make very few, if any mistakes, during the course of a short, pressure-filled window.

While you will need to take everything that you have learned during the course of your driving lessons into the test, it is also a good idea to keep the experiences of others in mind when test day finally comes. With that in mind, here we will take a look at some of the most common reasons for failing the practical test that you should look out for.

Speeding

It only takes a few seconds for your concentration to drop and you speed to push above the limit for you to fail your test. Always be aware of what the speed limit is on the road that you are driving and keep paying attention to your speedometer so that you are in no danger of exceeding it. Remember that those limits are there for a reason, so if you start going past them you will be setting yourself up for failure. The same also goes for your approaches into corners or when you are coming up to a hazard.

Poor Observations

Your observations are important at every stage of the practical test, but they are absolutely vital when you are doing your manoeuvres. Take things nice and slowly, allowing yourself to follow the steps that you learned during the course of your driving lessons in the process. By failing to make the proper observations, you are showing the examiner that you have not yet learned the importance of being aware of everything around you when on the road, which will lead to failure in short order.

Bad Lane Discipline

Your road positioning is extremely important when driving. Get too close to the curb and you run the risk of scraping your tyres and putting pedestrians in harm’s way. Get to close to the lines in the centre of the road, and you increase the risk of having an accident with oncoming traffic. As such, you need to be aware of your road positioning at all times, making adjustments as need, particularly when you are coming up to a corner or roundabout. Stay in the correct lane and make sure there is plenty of space around your car.

Poor Signal Use

You can fail your test as a result of using your signals at the incorrect time, or due to not using them at all when they were needed. By the time you take your test, you should be more than aware of when to use your signals, so make sure you don’t mislead other drivers by using them too early or not at all. Also remember that you should use them whenever you park or reach a junction, regardless of whether there are any cars behind you to see them.