For many years, the top reasons for failing your driving test haven’t changed very much. The national average pass rate is usually around 47%, and it tends to rise or fall by only 2% each year.
With that in mind, we asked Anthony Johnson, owner of driveJohnson’s Driving School and a Grade A 51/51 instructor for more than 20 years, to explain the top five reasons for failing the driving test and what learners can do to avoid becoming part of the statistics.
1. Not Making Effective Observations At Junctions
Many learners fail because they misjudge traffic when approaching a busy junction or a blind junction.
It is easy to say “check the junction more,” but the root cause is usually the speed on approach, especially for learners taking driving lessons in London, where junctions can often be busier and more demanding.
Top tip: Try coming off the gas earlier on the approach. This reduces the need to brake heavily, gives you more thinking time, and allows you to make extra observations before committing. Speed is often the underlying cause, even though the fault recorded on the marking sheet is usually observations.
2. Not Using Mirrors Correctly When Changing Direction
Changing direction is tested throughout the driving test. Again, the root cause of getting this wrong is often that the learner is forced to make quick decisions with limited time to think.
Top tip: The main reason a learner has limited time to change lanes or directions is because they have started their MSPSL routine too late.
One way to make this easier is to come off the gas earlier after checking your mirrors. When you ease off the gas, the car will not dramatically slow down, but it will gradually reduce speed by 1–2 mph. This will not surprise the vehicle behind, and after gathering information from the mirrors, you can always apply the gas again if necessary. This is especially useful for learners taking their driving lessons in Birmingham, where traffic flow is often busy and more thinking time is needed before changing direction.
You also do not have to limit your mirror check to just one glance before changing direction. Extra checks can help you judge the speed of traffic around you over time and improve your decision-making.
Again, speed is often the real cause, even though the fault shown on the marking sheet is mirrors.
3. Not Moving Off Safely
During the test, the examiner will ask you several times to pull up on the left and may also ask you to pull up on the right if you are doing the manoeuvre exercise.
Many learners who fail in this area focus on carrying out the observations, but do not respond correctly to what they see. This can mean misjudging an approaching hazard or not truly taking in the information. In other words, they may be doing the observations simply to pass the test rather than because they are genuinely aware of what is happening around them.
Sometimes, the learner is so focused on controlling the car and moving away smoothly that they miss the danger.
Top tip: Most of the time, this fault occurs while the car is stationary, so take your time and make sure you check both blind spots properly. If you see a hazard and need to wait, do not forget to reset your observations and start again if time has passed, as something may have changed in your mirrors or blind spots.
4. Incorrect Positioning When Turning Right At Junctions
Taking driving lessons in Manchester can be particularly challenging because of the number of one-way streets. On some test routes, the examiner may ask the learner to turn right at the end of a one-way street to check whether they have correctly read the signs and road markings.
Other causes include being in the wrong lane at a roundabout, especially on spiral roundabouts or on approaches with three or more lanes.
Top tip: Avoid straddling lanes or being in the wrong lane by looking out for road signs early and glancing at the sat nav for extra guidance during the independent driving section of the test.
Sometimes learners freeze and forget where they are going. In this situation, you can always ask the examiner to repeat the direction. They will not tell you which lane to use, but they will repeat the direction and may sometimes give a useful hint, such as, “Turn right, third exit towards Manchester town centre.”
Again, reducing your speed slightly by coming off the gas will give you more thinking time and may be just enough to help you regain your focus and work things out.
5. Not Having Proper Control Of The Steering
Understeering and oversteering are two of the main reasons for failing in this section.
On tight roads, learners may take the turn too wide and end up crossing onto the other side of the road. They may also fail to position the car correctly, meaning the front wheels clear the kerb but the back wheels go up onto it. Steering too late around parked cars and getting too close are other common problems.
Top tip: Assess bends early on the approach. It is important to deal with hazards immediately in front of you, but you also need to be aware of the bend or turn ahead. If you can see houses on both sides of the turning, that is often a clue that it will be a sharper and more restricted bend. Your speed should be lower, both to deal with hazards and to give yourself enough time to position the car correctly and steer smoothly. Sharp left turns are especially easy to kerb, so approach them more slowly and take a slightly wider line where appropriate.
Parked cars should be straightforward to pass, but when vehicles are coming towards you, learners sometimes get too close. Always be prepared to stop and give way one to two car lengths before the parked car, in a half-in, half-out position where possible, so you can still see the road ahead.
You’ve Got This – Just Don’t Rush!
In summary, one of the key takeaways is that most of these faults have something in common: doing things a little too quickly and not giving your brain enough time to process the information and react properly. Try this in your lessons, or the next time you are practising with family or friends, by coming off the gas slightly earlier than normal. As your confidence and ability improve, you may then be able to increase your speed again. Most learners do not fail for approaching too slowly, and it is not even listed in the DVSA’s top 10 reasons for failing. Good luck with your driving test!
