At ABC Driving School we have a team of highly experienced instructors to help you pass your practical driving test. We also have various driving courses to help every student, so you are sure to find one to suit you:
• We provide driving lessons throughout North Wales
• We offer our intensive driving courses or crash course driving lessons – Great if you want to pass quickly
• We provide our residential driving courses. – combine the benefits of an intensive course with the joys of a holiday
To support our courses and our instructor’s knowledge you will find a wealth of resources on this website to help you prepare for your practical driving test.
What You Need
Remember, to book your practical test you must have your theory test pass certificate and your provisional license.
For the test itself you will be required to bring your theory test certificate and both parts of your license.
The practical driving test is made up of several sections. An eye test, questions, driving under instruction, manoeuvres and independent driving. The whole test will last roughly 40 minutes and aims to show if you understand the Highway Code and can drive competently and safely.
Eye Test
The first thing you will undergo is the eye test. You must be able to read out a car number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or contacts if you need them.
Questions
The second part will be the Show Me, Tell Me questions. You will be asked two questions about vehicle safety. One will be something you can demonstrate – the Show Me and the other will be something you can explain- the Tell Me. If you get either question incorrect this will be one driving test fault.
Follow Instructions
The examiner will give you instructions to follow as you drive, such as drive on, emergency stop, pull over at a safe place, take a left turn, leave on the next slip road etc. This will test your abilities in a variety of areas and scenarios.
Reversing
The test will also involve a reversing manoeuvre. This could be a reverse bay park, a parallel park, reversing around a corner or a turn in the road. Students often find this part of the test challenging but if you have practiced enough and are ready for your test you should be able to complete it with ease.
Independent Driving
The last part of the test will involve independent driving. Your examiner will ask you to follow signs to a destination and give no further guidance to see how you drive without instruction.
Although the test may seem daunting your instructor will not suggest you book your test until they feel you are ready. The test can often cause stress so check out our top tips for passing:
Top Tips
Revise – Even though you have already passed your theory test revising the rules of the road and hazard awareness will keep you sharp for the practical exam.
Practice – At the end of the day driving is all about practice and getting used to the road. If you feel you are not getting enough practice in between lessons and forgetting information then why not try our residential driving courses or intensive driving courses? These mean you can get a solid week of lessons with no distractions. This helps you get to grips with driving and the extra practice in a more concentrated space of time can really enhance your skills.
Mock tests – When you instructor feels you are nearly ready for your test you can have some mock test. Your instructor will behave as though they are the examiner and give you a lesson set up like the test and record any mistakes that may equal minor or major driving fault points on the test. Practicing this environment will help you get fully prepared for the big day.
Sleep – Get a lot of sleep before your test. It may be nerve wracking but sleep deprivation will seriously affect your driving. A good night’s sleep is essential for concentration and fast reaction time.
Food – Be sure to eat before your test as feeling hungry can distract you, make you feel weak and sleepy.
Try to stay calm – This may seem hard but if you are ready you will pass. At the end of the day the ability to drive calm, collected and confident is part of what you are being tested on. If you are really ready you should be confident in your own abilities and be able to fight the nerves.