Are you set to take your driving test soon? If so, it’s likely that you’ve been waiting a while for this day to come.
Recent reports reveal that driving test wait times have increased at two-fifths of test centres in Great Britain this year. This means that there are plenty of learner drivers who feel ready to go for their test but have to hold off until their date rolls around.
As you count down to your driving test, it’s worth having an idea of the most common causes for failing. By arming yourself with this knowledge, you’ll be aware of what to look out for and potentially more likely to pass on your first attempt – saving you from having to wait for your retake!
Being prepared
Your instructor will have drummed into you the importance of being prepared, but it can be easy to feel nervous and slip up on the day. Ensuring you’re test ready will go a long way towards giving you the confidence to go out there on the road and putting everything you’ve learned in your lessons into your test.
The top reasons for a fail
Here’s a roundup of some of the most common reasons behind a failed driving test:
- Junctions
According to data shared by learner driver insurance specialists Dayinsure, over a quarter of learner drivers (26%) earn a major fault and fail their test due to poor junction observations.
Some of the main issues that occur include failing to spot an oncoming car at a junction, misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle and causing another vehicle to slow down.
Additionally, failing to see a pedestrian crossing and not noticing the junction at all were major contributing factors.
- Mirror usage
We should be checking our mirrors throughout any driving journey, but it’s especially important when changing direction. One-fifth (20%) of learners who fail their test do so because they don’t check their mirrors properly before making a move in a different direction.
A simple check can ensure that it’s safe to pull away from a curb or turn into a side road, for instance.
- Response to signs
It can be easy to forget what all the road signs mean – especially if you had your theory test a while ago. But keeping on top of what the different signs are and what they mean is important not only to help pass your test but when you’re out on the roads after you’ve qualified as a driver.
Response to signs was next on the list of things that led to a fail, with not responding correctly at traffic lights accounting for 11% of the reasons why learners didn’t pass and 9% not following road signs correctly.
While these are the top three reasons for unsuccessful tests, there are more that can lead to a learner having to retake their test. If your test date is coming up, be sure to check that you’re aware of these issues.