Did you know that if you are currently taking your driving lessons with us, you have more chance of passing your test than someone with significantly more experience behind the wheel??

Recent Studies

A recent study by the insurance company Direct Line, highlighted the fact that up to 75% of motorists would fail their driving test if asked to re-take their test now.

From a group of 50 experienced drivers asked to sit a mock driving test, only 12 managed to pass. Between them, the remainder managed an average of three major and 16 minor faults. In the worst case, one participant ended the test with 10 majors, while another racked up 42 minors.

Which Are The Common Faults?

GOV.uk lists the 3 types of fault that you may experience during your driving test as those listed below.

  • A dangerous fault – involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property
  • A serious fault – could potentially be dangerous
  • A driving fault – not potentially dangerous, but if you make the same fault throughout your test it could become a serious fault.

It is not as simple as one fault equals an automatic fail though and to help break these down for you, we have listed these as below.

To fail your test you will have – one serious or dangerous fault is classed as a major and results in an instant fail. A totting up of 16 or more minor, or driving, faults also results in a fail.

The conditions of these mock tests were as follows –

The participants of the mock test were not afforded any special prior training to ensure that each drove as they normally would. This resulted in severe faults including driving 40 mph in a 30 mph zone, failing to check blind spots, causing a pedestrian to backtrack onto the pavement and touching the curb during a three-point-turn manoeuvre.

There were a variety of other common mistakes during the tests. These were speeding slightly over the limit, lack of observation when parking, failure to check mirrors and use of the wrong gear – a fault that resulted in 14 minors for one participant!!!

Relying Too Much on The Use of Driving Aids

The study said that the high number of failures was mostly due to complacency and a lack of concentration behind the wheel, something Direct Line believes is due to an over-reliance of driving aids such as parking sensors and blind spot mirrors.

What Can Be Done?

The good news is that if you feel as though your driving skills need to be refreshed, Surrey Driving Force provides the leading standard of driving refresher lessons Surrey has to offer to give your skills the boost that they need.