Top 10 reasons people fail their driving test

Driving students will need at least 45 hours of professional driving lessons and the lucky few will also have 22 hours of private driving lessons to be fully equipped. On average 43% of learner drivers will pass but fewer first time learners will pass first time. This means the failure rate is higher that the pass rate and each year the percentage of new drivers failing increases. If you are lucky enough to have extra driving practice with a family member or friend, then you are most likely to pass first time.

Top 10 reasons people fail driving test

1. Observing at junctions – as learners are constantly feeing the pressure as there are other qualified and experienced drivers around them, they feel rushed at junctions including the roundabout. Many will not take their time before moving off from a T junction or choose the right lane when joining a roundabout.
2. Reverse parking – when reversing you must look behind though the windscreen and not rely solely on the rear view mirror, this is a common mistake drivers make when taking their test, as well as going too fast and hitting the kerb before they straighten the wheel
3. Using car mirrors – most students forget that they must constantly check their mirrors and act on information that requires you to check them and use them safely
4. Reversing around a corner – this has proven to be a very common mistake in learner drivers; they fail to reverse slowly, stop every few seconds and check their mirrors. Most of them also hit the kerb which can result in a fail depending on the circumstances
5. Incorrectly using signals – drivers will have to show that they can indicate in good time and also cancel their indication if they perform the manoeuvre or the signal doesn’t cancel itself. Most drivers forget that they need to indicate where they are turning and cancel to alert other drivers and not confuse pedestrians who may want to cross
6. Moving away safely – at the beginning of learning to drive, your instructor will tell you the 6 point check before moving off; it is good to get into this habit as soon as possible as during a practical test you may be asked to pull over and pull out at least 4 times
7. Incorrect positioning on the road – many students do not observe lane guidance and choose their lane poorly when given instruction at a roundabout; a lot of learner drivers are not able to stay in their lane where a bend is present
8. Inadequate use of steering wheel – a lot of learner drivers have the bad habit of crossing their hands over the wheel when they are turning, this is a bad habit that can result in you failing due to steering too early or too late
9. Incorrect positioning to turn right – you will need to demonstrate that you can position your car safely as some students will position their car in the middle of the lane and others will cut the corner too, avoid this if you want to pass
10. Inappropriate speed – you can also fail if you do not keep an eye on the speedometer and are constantly going over the speed limit. The same applies if you go too slow or are constantly hesitant as this can cause a build up of cars behind

Now that you know the common driving faults people make leading them to fail their practical test, make sure you are not one of them. Have as many mock driving tests as possible to get you prepared and focus of learning the right skills and getting a good driving habit.