Before you begin to learn to drive you must hold a valid provisional driving license and make sure that any vehicle you intend to use is roadworthy and fully taxed and insured. If you want to learn to drive in your own car or a car owned by friends or family, you must ensure that you have ‘L’ (‘D’ in Wales) plates clearly displayed on your vehicle. You must also ensure that when driving with a provisional license you have someone over the age of 21 who has held a full driving license for 3 years with you in the car. In order to pass gain a full driving license you must pass a theory and a practical test.

The Theory Test

The theory test is broken up into two sections – you must pass both of the sections in order to gain your certificate.

Part One – Is a multiple choice section which will test you on your knowledge of the Highway Code. You will be asked 35 questions and you have up to 40 minutes in which to answer them. You must get 30 of the 35 questions correct in order to pass.

Part Two – Is called Hazard Perception and will test your awareness on the road. The test is delivered on a computer and you must respond by clicking a button on the mouse. The pass mark for the hazard perception section of the test is 44 out of 75.

The Practical Test

Before the Test

The practical test starts with an eyesight check where you will be asked to read a car number plate at a specified distance.

You will then be asked a series of vehicle safety questions which are checks that a driver should be able to carry out to ensure their vehicle is fit for use.

During the Test

The practical driving test has been designed to see if you can drive safety and can demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the Highway Code through your driving.

The test will include reversing manoeuvres. You will be asked to perform 2 out of the 3 manoeuvres you should have covered in your lessons. The manoeuvres are a turn in the road, a reverse park and reversing around a corner.

During the test you must follow the directions of the examiner and he takes you around the test route.

After the Test

If you pass – You will receive a pass certificate from the examiner which will allow you to send off for your full license.

If you fail – You should ask the examiner for some feedback to help you as you are preparing for your next test.