Driving Test Report Explained

Below is the driving test report that driving examiners use for driving tests. This interpretation of the driving test report is reasonably accurate, but the driving examiner’s will use their own discretion.

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Test Sheet Report Explained

• 1. Eyesight test. You are expected to be able to read a number plate from 20 meters or 65 feet away.
• 2. Controlled stop. This is the emergency stop.
• 3. Reverse around a corner from the left. This is the reverse examiners will do, not from the right.
• 4. A reverse  park from the right.
• 5. A reverse parallel park. Reversing your vehicle and parking it behind another vehicle.
• 6. A turn in the road or a 3 point turn.
• 7. Vehicle checks. Two show me tell me questions.
• 8. Does not apply to learner drivers.
• 9. Does not apply to learner drivers.
• 10. Does not apply to learner drivers.
• 11. Does not apply to learner drivers.
• 12. Control: Accelerator, smooth use of the gas pedal. Clutch, not allowing the vehicle to go into a stall when slowing down or stopping.
  Gears, choosing the correct gear for the driving conditions. Footbrake, harsh braking or sudden braking needs to be avoided.
  Handbrake, do not use the handbrake to stop the vehicle. Steering, avoid making sudden movements. Putting the correct rotation on for confined spaces. Last three do not apply to a learner driver.
• 13. Move off. Safety, check your blind spot. Control, do not stall or labour the vehicle when moving off.
• 14. Use of Mirrors. ( interior and exterior ) Signalling, check the appropriate mirrors before starting your signal. Change Direction, check the appropriate mirrors before moving left or right. Change Speed, check your interior mirror before using your footbrake.
• 15. Signals. Necessary, will other road users benfit from your signals. Correctly, do not signal left and then turn right. Timed, signal at the correct distances from junctions so your signal is not misleading.
• 16. Clearance/obstructions. Just missing stationary vehicles getting too close to oncoming vehicles.
• 17. Response to signs/signals. Traffic Signs, not been aware of traffic signs example, no entry signs, not aware of direction signs for the independent driving. Road Markings, ignoring give way lines, stop lines. Traffic Lights, running red and amber lights.
• Traffic Controllers, not noticing lolly-pop woman/man, not aware of tempary traffic lights. Other Road Users, example cyclists, mobility scooters, pedestrians. Getting too close, intimidating with your vehicle.
• 18. Use of speed. Driving too fast.
• 19. Following distance. Getting too close to the car in front.
• 20. Progress. Appropriate Speed, going too slow for the driving conditions. Undue Hesitation, when there is a clear gap and not moving off at a junction. Stopping on a amber light when you need to keep moving.
• 21. Junctions. Approach Speed, going too fast and having to brake hard approaching junctions and other vehicles. Observations, only looking in one direction emerging from junctions or not looking at all. Turning Right, wrong lane approach approaching a roundabout. Turning left, wrong lane approach approaching a roundabout. Cutting Corners, going over the give-way lines when entering the road you are driving into.
• 22. Judgement. Overtaking, choosing the wrong place to overtake, taking too long to overtake. Meeting, approaching oncoming traffic in restricted areas and not giving priority, making the oncoming vehicle stop or swerve. Crossing, example turning right from a major road to a minor road and taking too long or making an oncoming vehicle stop.
• 23. Positioning. Normal Driving, driving in the right hand lane. Not driving in the bus lane when you can. ( Normal driving position is left lane unless road markings or traffic signs say different ). Lane Discipline, straddling lanes or not using the centre of your lane.
• 24. Pedestrian crossings. Unaware of pedestrians crossing at a zebra crossing. Stopping on a flashing amber when the crossings is clear. Doing an emergency stop at a traffic controlled pedestrian crossing.
• 25. Position/normal stops. Pulling up on the left and stopping too far from the pavement.
• 26. Awareness/planning. Unable to predict the driving habits of other road users and reacting too slow. Example, a vehicle emerging from a junction in the distance and the driver of that vehicle is looking for a gap. They move off and you do an emergency stop because you are not anticipating the driver moving off.
• 27. Ancillary controls. Unaware of where the demisting speeds, indicators or wiper controls are and causing a loss of control.
• 28. Eco safe driving. Driving throughout the test in the wrong gear and unnecessary over revving of the engine.

The ETA below the pass and fail means, the examiner took action verbally or physically, any marks here results in a fail. The S boxes stands for a serious fault and the D boxes stand for dangerous fault. Any faults here results in a fail. You are allowed up to 15 minor mistakes. The large rectangular boxes are for these mistakes. Be careful not to accumulate too many as it can result in a serious fault.

The best way to approach a driving test is to feel ready for your driving test. If you feel ready you have a much better chance of passing first time.