Driving Test Myths

Myth #1: Testers have quotas and can only pass a certain number of students.

This is a common myth that people often state when they have failed the test, but conveniently forget to mention when they pass (after all, if you were failed because of a quota then you may also have passed only because of the quota). The truth is there is no pass/fail quota - if you drive well enough on the day of the test, you will pass. It does not matter what time/day/month you take your test.

The best way to increase your chances of passing the test is to listen to the advice of your instructor (often students apply for the test too early against their instructor's advice, and over-estimate how much they can improve during the waiting time - remember your instructor is well aware of the average waiting time when advising you) and to get good, consistent practise between lessons. The testers do not go out on a test intending to fail anybody, nor is it true that they need to fail some people to get enough money from repeat tests.

Myth #2: If someone pulls out in front of you during your test, you will fail due to their error.

This is also not true. If a collision occurs, it is true that the test may not continue (in this case it will be marked as a non-conducted test), but you will not be faulted for someone else's error provided that there was nothing wrong with your driving. However, if you are properly prepared for the test then you should be able to read the road, anticipate the action of other road users and respond appropriately when something happens. If you are driving too fast towards a junction or busy traffic situation, or you fail to anticipate the action of another road user, or you fail to react promptly when they pull in front of you, then you may fail.

If someone pulls out in front of you they are wrong to do so, but it does happen and you should be continually taking appropriate observations, driving at an appropriate speed & be ready to react promptly to the actions of other road users.

Myth #3: When checking your mirrors, you should exaggerate your head movements to make it obvious that you are checking them.

Testers are well trained, and are perfectly able to see if you are checking your mirrors or not. They will also be able to tell if you are reacting to what you see around you. You do not need to exaggerate your head movements or adjust your mirrors in such a way that forces you to exaggerate your head movements to check them. Exaggerating your mirror checks will just cause you to spend longer than necessary looking away from the road, which could be unsafe and may lead to a fault on the test. In the driving test marking guidelines, one example given where a student may receive a fault (under the Reaction to Hazards heading) is "Where an applicant makes exaggerated use of the mirror(s) which distracts from forward observation."

It is also perfectly acceptable to wear sunglasses during your test if needed on a sunny day, the tester will still be able to tell if you are taking appropriate observations.

Myth #4: If you stall during the test, you will fail.

By the time you are sitting your test you should generally be able to move off under control without stalling. However if you do stall, provided it is not happening repeatedly or in a very dangerous situation (e.g. in the middle of a busy junction or a roundabout), and that you recover quickly and do not allow the car to roll back, then it does not automatically mean you have failed your test.

Myth #5: If you hit the kerb during the test, you will fail.

Similar to stalling, if you hit the kerb it is not necessarily an automatic fail. How the tester marks it will depend on the situation/circumstances when you hit it including the speed of the car and whether you just lightly touch the kerb or hit it at speed/mount the kerb. If you hit the kerb on the test do not dwell on it, and continue to focus on driving safely.

Myth #6: The RSA provides cars for the driving test.

This is a less common myth but there are people who believe this, and again this is untrue. It is the student's responsibility to provide a car for the test, this can be either your own car or a driving school car.
It is also worth noting that your instructor may refuse to allow you to use their car if they do not feel that your driving is safe enough, or if their car is just unavailable at that time for some other reason.

Myth #7: You should drive more slowly on the driving test.

On the driving test you should drive in a progressive, confident and decisive manner. You can of course fail the driving test if you drive above the speed limit or if you drive too fast for the road/traffic conditions. However you should not deliberately drive more slowly than needed either - you are assessed on progress during the test and can accumulate faults for driving too slowly and/or being too hesitant (e.g. stopping at yield lines/roundabouts when you don't need to). Driving slowly or hesitantly gives the impression that you are not confident in your driving ability, and can be dangerous and hold up other traffic. On the day of your test you should drive the same way you were instructed to drive during your lessons - do not drive too fast for the conditions, but do not deliberately drive slowly for no reason either.

Myth #8: You should learn all the test routes before the test/your instructor should teach the routes.

This is not a good idea & should not be necessary. Would you be happy to be issued with a licence that only allows you to drive on your local test routes? By the time you are taking your test you should be able to drive in a wide variety of road and traffic conditions, and have all the skills and knowledge needed to pass the test. It should not be necessary to learn off the test routes, and doing so can cause problems both with local residents and with people who are actually sitting their test. In fact, RSA examiners report that familiarity often adversely affects a candidate’s performance during the test. Also, on the day of your test it may be necessary to deviate from the official routes anyway e.g. due to roadworks or an accident. And even if you did know the route, it could be completely different on your test with different weather, traffic and hazards.

The code of conduct for driving instructors states: "ADIs should avoid using test routes for driving lessons". For this reason, as well as the others outlined above, I do not specifically cover official test routes. This is also outlined in my Terms of Service. This does not mean that we avoid roads/junctions/etc. that are on the test routes - we regularly practise on many of the same roads, especially some of the more challenging roads/junctions in the town. It simply means we will not deliberately follow a full official test route on a lesson, or use all the same locations for the manoeuvres (such as the reverse and turnabout). Instead we will focus on giving you the skills & knowledge to be able to drive safely in any situation. The same applies to students doing "mock tests" - the route covered will be broadly similar in length/difficulty to an official test route, but we do not specifically cover them.

Myth #9: You just need the required 12 EDT lessons to prepare for the test.

This is a common misconception about EDT. When you start your EDT lessons you will be given a booklet that outlines the EDT syllabus. This booklet clearly outlines the importance of practising between lessons with a sponsor (anyone who has held a full license for at least 2 years). The minimum recommended amount of practise is 3 hours between each EDT lesson, and this is a vital part of EDT. It is recommended that you space your lessons about 2 weeks apart. This way your 12 EDT lessons will be spread evenly over 6 months, as you have to hold a learner permit for 6 months to take the test anyway.

In the vast majority of cases, where someone has no prior driving experience, 12 hours is nowhere near enough to prepare someone for the driving test. It is also important to note that if you do not practise, and present for an EDT lesson that you are simply not ready for, the lesson may not be conducted. The more experience you get behind the wheel, the more prepared you will be to deal with any situation you may encounter on your test or after you pass your test. Remember, the lessons are not just about getting you through the test - it's also about making sure you can drive safely on your own after passing.

Myth #10: You can fail the test if you go the wrong way.

If you go in a different direction than requested by the tester (e.g. missing a turn, or turning left when asked to turn right) this does not constitute a fault provided it is done safely and legally. The tester will simply re-route and continue the test as normal. Obviously, any faults incurred after you go in the wrong direction (even if the road you are on is not part of the official test route) can still be marked in the normal way.

Myth #11: You'll fail the test if you get the theory questions wrong.

You cannot be failed on the theory questions alone. At the beginning of the test you will be asked some questions on the rules of the road & road signs. Even if you get every single one of these wrong, you will only get one grade 2 fault (you can pass with 8 grade 2 faults or fewer). Of course I recommend people study the theory well before the driving test, as it is an easy fault to avoid and getting the theory questions right gives a good impression at the beginning of the test and shows that you have made an effort to study. But sometimes under pressure people do forget a particular sign/answer, this is not a problem.

Myth #12: You will fail the test if you cross your hands on the steering wheel.

You may be marked/failed for this if it is dangerous, but crossing your hands is not an automatic mark/fail. When steering, you should ideally use the "pull-push" method. One very good reason for this is that if you are involved in a crash and the airbag in the centre of the steering wheel deploys, it can cause serious injury if your hands are crossed over the steering wheel (this is also a good reason why you shouldn't use your horn as a rebuke if someone pulls in front of you, as if you do crash then your hand will be right in front of the airbag). However, on the test they are more concerned with the overall result (in terms of safety and control of the car) than with the method you use. Below is a direct quote from an email I received from a supervisory examiner in the RSA on November 5th, 2020:

An applicant should make proper use of the steering or a fault may be recorded for ‘Vehicle Controls’ as appropriate. So during the course of a driving test the student could be faulted for incorrect use of Steering i.e. having both hands off the steering at the same time, steering unnecessarily with one hand for a prolonged distance or dangerous crossing of the hands (loss of control). While it can happen that a student might cross their hands while steering during a driving test, this may not always be recorded as a fault by the driver tester on the day. However, if the tester considers that the crossing of hands has contributed to a level of danger then this could very well warrant a fault being recorded. Deciding if a fault is a to be recorded and its severity would be a decision for the driver tester on the day.

As you can see from that quote, and from my explanation above, it is still better to stick to the pull-push method and you may be faulted for crossing your hands if the examiner feels it contributed to a level of danger. However, if you happen to cross your hands at some point in the test (e.g. during the turnabout), while still maintaining full control of the steering, do not dwell on it and continue to focus on driving safely.