You've passed your Theory and Hazard Perception Test and have continued to apply what you've learnt during your driving lessons and practice.

There's no need for any last minute preparation, except to get a good night's sleep before your test.

When your instructor collects you, check the location and time details on your appointment card and make sure that you have the necessary identification. You must have photo ID, preferably your photocard driving licence (accompanied with the paper counterpart).

Arrive in the vicinity of the Test Centre with plenty of time to spare and have a short drive round the area, avoid delays by keeping out heavy traffic. Park close to the centre, using the car park if there is one.

Not all test centres have a toilet, so allow some time to find a public convenience or a nearby café.

Your can expect the actual driving part of the test to last between thirty and forty minutes. Enter the waiting room no more than ten minutes before your appointment. Other candidates will probably also be arriving at the same time. The examiners will come through from their office one at a time, listen for your name being called out. First you'll be asked to sign an insurance declaration then your ID will be checked. If you have an old style paper provisional driving licence, your examiner will check your signature and ask to see your photographic identity. If you have a photocard licence you should bring along the paper counterpart. Try to stay calm and relaxed. If you'd like your instructor to accompany you on the test, ask the examiner before you leave the waiting room.

The Eyesight Test
On the walk to the car, your examiner will be probably chat with you a little and will ask you which car is yours, before checking your eyesight.

If you make a mistake when reading the selected registration plate, you will get another go. If you get this wrong you will be asked to read a different number from a measured distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet).

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Show Me - Tell me
Before getting into the car, you will be asked a couple of vehicle safety and maintenance questions. These typically concern the engine fluid levels, so you will need to unlock the car and open the bonnet. You may be asked how to spot and deal with defects such as a pucture or faulty indicators. All the questions you are likely to be asked have been publsihed on the DSA website.

Pre-Starting Checks
While you settle yourself in the drivers seat, the examiner will record your vehicle's details and make a short visual inspection to ensure that it is roadworthy. Your L-Plates must be displayed correctly and an additional interior mirror on the passenger side must be fitted. The examiner will expect to wear a seat belt and be able to adjust the head restraints.

Before moving off there is no need to go through an exaggerated 'cockpit drill' or wiggle the gear lever excessively to let the examiner know you've checked !

Once you've settled down comfortably in the car, your examiner will brief you clearly on what to expect. You'll be told that throughout the test you should continue to follow the road ahead unless traffic signs direct you otherwise; where there's a need to turn, you'll be given directions in plenty of time. If there's a car park at the centre, you may be asked to reverse into a parking bay at the start, or the end of the test.

Examiners won't distract you with any unnecessary conversation during the test. This allows you to concentrate on your driving and following the directions you've been given.

Starting Off
Having started and prepared the car to move away, use the mirrors and also observe the blind area by looking round properly, not just a token glance. Take in what you see and remember your instructor's advice about the use of direction signals. Most of the test will involve general forward driving using the Mirrors Signal Manoeuvre (MSM) routine, but there will be some special exercises including a couple of set piece manoeuvres and possibly an emergency stop. Because you'll be briefed about what to do at the side of the road, this means that you'll have to move away again each time. When you do, check whether you are on a hill or will be pulling off at an angle and remember to do so safely and under control.

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The General Drive
Drive as though you are unaccompanied. Use the MSM Driving Plan as taught by your instructor, so that you are always in the correct road position, travelling at the correct speed and in the correct gear for the circumstances. Concentrate on reading the road and follow the route leading ahead, listening carefully for the examiner's directions to turn. These will be given clearly; concisely and in plenty of time.

Driving Test routes are designed to specifically include a broad range of road and traffic conditions. The most common hazard will be the road junction. Some of these will be in quiet residential streets; others could be crossroads controlled by traffic lights; a multi-exit roundabout; a single or double mini-roundabout. There'll be high streets featuring various types of pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes and bus stops; busy multi-lane one way systems; bends and hills; narrow roads lined with parked cars both sides; country lanes and fast dual carriageways carrying heavy lorries and other commercial vehicles. Expect all these regular hazards, along with temporary road works and changing weather conditions while you are judging and anticipating the actions of every kind of road user, including 'white van man' and 'school run mum'.

The examiner, as a trained observer will watch circumspectly and assess your car control and road procedure. With the awareness and anticipation taught by your instructor, you should be capable of demonstrating a smooth drive, combined with 'careful assertiveness' that causes the minimum of unnecessary inconvenience to other road users. This means making normal progress at all times. Although no speed limit is ever a target, you will be expected to drive at the maximum speed if this is safe and goes with the traffic flow. Most of the time you will have to travel much slower than the legal limits.

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Special Exercises
During the test your examiner will ask you to pull up at a number of specific places at the side of the road. This is to give you instructions on each special exercise, all of which will be carried out on public roads. These include:

	Any two of three Set-Piece Manoeuvres
	The Emergency Stop

The set piece manoeuvres in particular, test each basic driving skill, namely your ability to co-ordinate use of the car's foot and hand controls and at the same time observe for traffic and pedestrians.

Choice of which two of the three set piece manoeuvres usually depends on location availability. Remember, if there's a car park at the centre, you may be asked to reverse into a parking bay at the start, or the end of the test.

The conduct of an 'Emergency Stop' at the start of the driving test was originally included as a check the car's ability to stop; in the early days when braking systems were much less efficient. It has been retained under the auspices of a driver reaction and control test.

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Set Piece Manoeuvres
'Corner Reverse' and the 'Turning in the road'. Both the 'reversing round a corner', and the 'three-point turn' can be an easy and convenient way of turning the car back to go in the opposite direction. While there is a strong focus on car control and keeping reasonably accurate, it is very important to look out for other road users and let them go past if there's any risk of endangering them. Observe all round the outside of the car before the points of turn, and while reversing you need to look mainly over your shoulder in the direction of travel, without relying too much on the mirrors. If there's a physical benefit, release the seat belt, but do remember to put it back on again afterwards. During your tuition your instructor should cover how to cope with other drivers who are willing to wait for you, or want to pass you while you are causing obstruction. During either manoeuvre, unlike your instructor, the examiner will look steadfastly to the front.

'Reverse Parking. You can be asked to reverse park on the public road behind a single car, or into a parking bay at the test centre if it has a car park. This is an essential basic skill for everyday use of the car. As with any manoeuvre in a confined space, moving the car slowly will give to time to be accurate and respond safely to other road users.

There are a number of techniques for successful manoeuvring, preferences varying according to the opinion of your instructor. Your examiner will accept any manoeuvre that is carried out under control, with reasonable accuracy and with enough observation as being satisfactory.

The 'Emergency Stop' is conducted on one in three tests. Even for the best driver who is anticipating every move of other road users, there can be an emergency situation occasion when hard braking is needed.

The brief you are given on the exercise will include demonstration of the 'Stop' signal to be used. When you move away, stay relaxed and drive normally.

When you receive the examiner's signal, react quickly and stop in the shortest distance you can, keeping the car under your full control. Your instructor will advise you on any braking and skid control techniques appropriate to the tuition car and road surface conditions.

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At the end of the Test
During the test your examiner will have asked you to pull up many times. The most welcome stop is no doubt at the end of the test ! At this point the examiner will provide the result immediately. You will be offered verbal feedback in addition to a written report on your driving performance, irrespective of the result being a pass or a fail.

Providing you've not committed any serious or dangerous mistakes; and have not accumulated too many other driving faults, you will pass.

Even if you haven't passed, you will have learned a great deal. You can build on these skills in order to pass next time. Decide on what steps you can take to improve your technique. It's probably best to keep up your momentum by booking more lessons and another test as soon as possible. Talk through the reasons you failed with your instructor and spend time practising any situations that caused you difficulty on your test.

Blaming another road user or the driving examiner for a failure might make you feel better, but it can achieve very little. The examiner's assessment of the degree of seriousness of any fault is final and cannot be changed under any circumstances. Let the experience be your teacher.

Pass or fail your instructor will usually drive you home ! After the test, why not reward yourself for taking the test by doing something that you enjoy ?

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