Recently, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) held a webinar focusing on the main faults that lead to a driving test fail. According to the agency’s research, the top ten faults are:

10. Not driving at a safe and reasonable speed

9. Poor positioning on the road during normal driving

8. Not responding correctly to road markings

7. Not responding correctly to traffic signs

6. Not having proper control of the steering

5. Not responding appropriately to traffic lights

4. Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions

3. Not moving away safely

2. Not using mirrors correctly when changing direction

1. Not making effective observations at junctions.

Question time

The DVSA also many questions during and after the webinar – and with some illuminating advice and insights. Here are some of the highlights:

Running roundabouts

Roundabouts attracted the most questions by far with queries about entering, navigating and exiting them. First up, during your test, the DVSA advises you should always make effective observations before exiting and changing lanes.

If you find yourself in the wrong lane when approaching a roundabout, you should only change lane if it is safe to do so. How to exit mini-roundabouts was also queried with the agency admitting that “we know that checking mirrors and giving a signal is not always possible due to the focus on controlling the vehicle” and the driving examiner will allow for this.

Control freak

Another hot topic during the webinar was steering with the DVSA offering some great insights. First, always maintain proper control of the steering wheel “by using a firm yet relaxed grip, making smooth, steady movements. [Learners] should avoid over-gripping or sudden jerks and keep both hands on the wheel unless they’re changing gears,” says the agency.

If you’re one for letting the wheel spin through your hands, it may not mean an instant fault. Instead, the examiner will assess whether you were still in control at all times and if so, they will generally not record it as a fault.

Bad acting

In a surprising reveal, the DVSA said that it’s not mandatory to check over your right shoulder when changing lanes on a dual carriageway – but it can be “be helpful if the circumstances call for it, for example, in heavy traffic,” it says.

Also, the DVSA revealed that examiners aren’t impressed by a learner exaggerating moving their head to make observations. In fact, if you ham it up too much, the examiner may become concerned that you’re more focused on your ‘performance’ than actually paying attention to what’s going on around you.

Busted by bus lanes

No, this answer isn’t about using bus lanes when you’re not supposed to – though that would count against you. Instead, it’s about not using bus lanes when you’re allowed to. Depending on the examiner’s assessment, you could actually receive a fault so keep your eyes peeled for any bus lane signage when on your test.

Wrong way!

The DVSA says if you end up taking a wrong turn, don’t worry – the examiner will understand that these things happen, help you get back on to the test route and, most importantly, not record the ‘detour’ as a fault.

Bay watch

Now here’s one with a sting in the tail. If asked to park in a parking bay, you probably already know that if you end up with tyre or tyres resting on the white line of the bay, that’s usually judged as a fault. However, this could be ‘upgraded’ to a serious fault if you make a series of corrective shunts to try and rectify your error – so use your judgement on the day.

• For more insights, check out the DVSA’s full blog here that includes details on traffic lights, parallel parking and more. You can watch the webinar itself here.

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Photo by Ádám Berkecz on Unsplash