How to prepare for your practical driving test

How to prepare for your practical driving test

Once you’ve passed your Theory Test and you and your Driving Instructor have agreed together that you are ready to take your practical driving test, it’s time to get ready. Making sure that you’ve done the best preparation that you possibly can will give you the very best chance of passing your test. 

Here’s how to get, ready, get set and go and pass that test:

I know that you’ve taken your theory test, but now is the time to have another read through the Highway Code to make sure that you remember all that information about stopping distances and what to do in any given situation. This is the theory that underpins all the practical driving, and it’s a vital bank of information on safe driving.

Make sure that you’ve had a chance to familiarise yourself with the car you’ll be driving, have practiced manoeuvres in it, and know where your blind spots are. Make sure that you know how to open the bonnet, check the oil and tyres, know which fuel to put in and how to open the fuel cap, and know what all the indicator and warning lights mean. This will help you in the “show me, tell me” questions, but will also help you to stay calm and know what to do if warning lights illuminate during your test.

Go through the Driver’s Record with your instructor to make sure that you have covered the whole syllabus and have driven on a wide variety of roads and conditions. If there are any gaps then now is the time to make sure that you address them in your lessons.

Familiarise yourself with the location of the test centre and the different roads in the area. You need to find the test centre on the day without getting lost, but you’ll also then be aware of the main roundabouts, junctions, zebra crossings and one-way streets that you might meet in your test.

A couple of weeks before your test make sure that you know where your provisional licence and theory test certificate are. If you can’t find them, you should still have time to get a replacement before your test.

If you have the opportunity to practice driving with a friend or family member, do so during the week before your test. If not, then try to get an extra driving lesson in that last week to help you get into the zone.

The night before your test pick out some comfortable clothes, and get your provisional licence and theory test certificate out ready. Get plenty of sleep.

On the morning of your test make sure that you eat so you don’t feel light-headed or have a rumbling stomach, but nothing too heavy, smelly or spicy, you don’t want garlic breath or chilli repeating on you during your test. Have plenty to drink (not alcohol, obviously!) but don’t overdo it. Use the loo while you are waiting for your examiner.

Good luck!

If you would like to learn to drive in Glasgow, contact TX-Driver Training now on 0141 764 1213.