When taking a driving test, it is important to make sure you know how a driving test examiner will mark your test. Before we start the marking process you need to know that it is incredibly rare for a person to pass a driving test without some driving tuition from a qualified Approved Driving Instructor (ADi) commonly known as driving instructors. Whether you have regular driving lessons or an intensive driving course you will need help especially when getting ready for your driving test.
So how are tests marked? There are 3 types of marks you can gain,
Minor driver fault – This is a fault that can be gained for many reasons such as the car rolling slightly, mirrors not being checked properly, stalling the car in a non-safety critical situation & many, many more reasons.
Across the whole test you are allowed up to 15 minor driver faults across all of the categories but if you get too many against one subject you could find the examiner marks this as a repeated fault which will then be converted into a serious fault.
Serious driver faults – A serious fault is one which could be considered potentially dangerous by the examiner such as pulling out in front of a vehicle and making it slow, stop or swerve or stalling the car due to not controlling the car properly in an inappropriate place such as the middle of a busy roundabout.
You can also gain serious faults for coming too close to a parked vehicle, or parking over the white live of a bay when performing a manoeuvre. If you get 1 serious driver fault the test has been failed.
You can also gain serious marks if a driving examiner has to verbally or physically take control of the situation.
Dangerous driving faults – A dangerous fault will be marked if there is actual danger to the candidate, examiner or a member of the public and example of this would be pulling out into the direct path of a vehicle on a roundabout due to not making effective observations.
Common driving errors explained Understanding your driving test result – Car driving test – Guidance – GOV.UK