Lancaster Driving School         

Chris's Diving School

The areas leading driving school, offering top quality tuition, in a relaxed, friendly environment at affordable prices.

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Tuition for new learners, learners approaching test standard, pass plus, motorway lessons, advanced driving lessons, refresher courses.

Problem Solving:

Problems reversing, don't understand roundabouts,  flustered in congested traffic, hill start nightmares and many others

Making learning to drive affordable for everyone.:

Covering Garstang, Galgate, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Heysham, Morecambe, Hest Bank, Bolton-le-Sands, Carnforth and outlying areas..

The Home of the Leading Lancaster Driving School

Practical Driving Test

At present the test fee is £62 during normal hours, or £75 for evenings and weekends.

What Happens During the Test?

Before the test you will need to make sure you have a suitable vehicle which is appropriately insured and is displaying "L-plates" also a secondary rear view mirror is required for the examiners use. In most cases, where you have been having professional lessons from a qualified ADI or PDI, you are likely to do the test in the vehicle you are learning in. If not then you need to check that your vehicle meets the DSA minimum test vehicle requirements.

You will also need your theory test pass certificate (or pass confirmation print out). You will also need both parts of your license (photo card and paper counterpart). If you do not take both parts your test will be CANCELLED and your FEE LOST.

You are allowed to have an accompanying driver on test with you. This must be some one aged 16years or older, and they must sit quiet and still in the back of the car and take no part in the test.

When it is nearly time for your test, you will go into the test centre waiting room, with your documents ready, and wait for the examiner to call you. The examiner will ask to see your documents (both parts of license and theory certificate). The examiner will ask you to read and sign a declaration stating that you are a UK resident and that the car is insured for test purposes.

The examiner will then give you back your documents (keep them with you) and ask you to lead the way to your vehicle. On the way there the examiner will conduct the eyesight test. After which the vehicle safety questions.

During the test the examiner will try to keep you calm. They will give you clear and concise directions and instructions. If you feel you have made a mistake - do not panic!!! It is not the end of the world and certainly does not mean you have failed (let the examiner decide that). Try to keep calm and focus on the moment and what you are doing - not what has happened or what the result might be. Concentrate on what you are doing.

It is your test - do not be afraid of the examiner, if your not sure of what is being asked then do not be afraid to ask.

You will be asked several times to park on the left during the test - do not worry - this is normal. The examiner is just testing your ability to find correct places to park and then set off safely in a variety of conditions.

You will be asked to do 2 out of a possible 4 manoeuvres. These are:

1. Reverse Parking into a Bay

2. Parallel Parking

3. Reversing around a Corner

4. Turn in the Road

You may also be asked to perform a controlled (emergency) stop.

The test will last around 40 minutes. At the end of the test the examiner will then total faults on the report sheet (DL25) and will inform you of the result.

You are allowed to commit up to 15 driving (minor) faults but no serious or dangerous faults. Repeated instances of the same driving fault would be classed as an habitual problem and be declared a serious fault. If you commit even one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test.

The Eyesight Test

At the start of your driving test, you will be asked to read the number plate of a stationary vehicle from 67ft (20.5m) or 66ft (20m) in the case of it being a new-style plate.

If you can't speak English or have difficulty reading, you are allowed to copy down what you see on the number plate.

If you can't read the number plate correctly, you'll be asked to read a different number plate. If you cannot read that number plate correctly, you'll be allowed to walk forward until you're just over the appropriate distance away from it.

If you still can't read the number plate correctly, the examiner will ask you to try again with a third number plate and this time the examiner will actually measure the precise distance from this number plate (67 feet/20.5 metres if you are asked to read an old-style number plate, and 66 feet/20 metres if you are asked to read a new-style number plate).

If you can't read the third number plate correctly, and the examiner is satisfied that you don't meet the required eyesight standard, you will fail the driving test, and the rest of the test will be abandoned. The examiner will mark the test failure on the driving test report form (DL25)

If you were only able to read a number plate using glasses or contact lenses, the law requires that you wear them throughout your driving test and whenever you are driving.

If you have broken, forgotten or brought the wrong glasses with you to your driving test, you should tell your examiner at the start of the test.

Vehicle Safety Questions

The vehicle safety questions are sometimes referred to as "Show-Me-Tell-Me", as some of the questions require the candidate to actually demonstrate a procedure or indicate where a particular component is, while other questions simply require a verbal explanation. Although some checks may involve the candidate in opening the bonnet to identify where fluid levels would be checked, candidates will not be asked to touch a hot engine or physically check fluid levels.

If you are taking your driving test in your instructor's car, then your instructor will go through all the questions with you and make sure you know where everything is both inside the car and under the bonnet.

If you are taking the practical test in your own car, you will need to familiarise yourself with the layout and operation of your vehicle with reference to the manufacturer's handbook if necessary.

You can download a copy of the questions here.

The Drive

You will be driving the car for around 35-40 minutes. The routes used for driving tests are all designed to be as uniform as possible - all of them take in a range of typical road and traffic conditions.

The examiner will assess your driving and test you on most of the topics you will have covered with your instructor.

You will be asked to carry out two of the following manoeuvres;

* Reverse parking behind a parked car (parallel park)
* Reversing into a parking bay (bay park)
* Reversing round a corner
* Turn in the road

You MAY also be asked to demonstrate a controlled (emergency) stop.

Throughout the test, the examiner will also be assessing your Eco-Safe Driving techniques, although failing to demonstrate eco-safe driving will not cause you to fail your driving test.
 

Eco-Safe Driving
Eco-Safe Driving is now included in the UK driving test

From September 2008, driving examiners started giving feedback to driving test candidates on their eco-safe driving manner.

During your driving test you will be assessed on your ability to drive in a way that shows eco-safe (environmentally friendly) driving techniques.

You will NOT fail your driving test however, if you do not demonstrate eco-safe driving techniques, but at the end of the test, the examiner will give you guidance on how efficiently you're driving.

The Driving Test Result - the moment of truth

Pass or Fail?

At the end of the test, the examiner will inform you of the result before he or she gets out of the vehicle.

If you would like your driving instructor to be present to hear what the examiner has to say, you must let the examiner know.

If you have passed, you will be given a test pass certificate and a copy of the DL25 (the driving test report form which the examiner has been filling in during the test). The examiner will take your provisional driving licence and a full driving licence will be sent to you by post. You will be entitled to drive quite legally in the meantime while you wait for your full driving licence to arrive (but keep the pass certificate VERY safe in case you are required to prove your entitlement to drive while you wait for your updated licence!)

Less than half of the people who take driving tests pass and, should you be unsuccessful, you will be given a verbal explanation of where you went wrong and a copy of the DL25. This will help you, in conjunction with your instructor, to work on the aspects of your driving that let you down to give you a greater chance of passing the next time.