Many of us believe that mock driving tests are a great way to see if we’re test ready. Just as importantly, they can also help strip away some of the worries and mystery about the big day itself.
It’s a view reflected in the findings of a recent survey by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) that set out to see how driving instructors view and use mock driving tests.
Pros of mock tests
With nearly 7,500 responses, the research reveals that 81% of instructors offer mock tests to their pupils because:
It helps guide the learning process
“It helps assess pupils’ standards and abilities, and highlight where they need more training, so together we can work on a plan to improve. It also helps with their nerves.”
It helps learners know what the test involves
“It helps to explain many things about the test which they are unsure about or do not understand.”
It helps manage expectations
“I will ask them to do one if they think they are ready but they are obviously not.”
The survey also revealed that many instructors conduct more than one mock test during the pupil’s learning journey to track progress.
Cons of mock tests
However, not all driving instructors were positive about mock tests. Of the 7,346 instructors surveyed, 242 said that they did not offer mocks to their pupils at all.
The top five reasons given were:
- I teach to drive safely, not just to pass a test
- I prefer to use teaching time for lessons
- Mock tests are not realistic
- It sets pupils back if they fail, makes them over-confident if they pass
- I can never provide judgements comparable to a driving examiner.
Some instructors believe that there should be no need for mock tests if you are teaching your pupils the correct skills and that driving skills need to be taught for a life of safe driving, and not simply to pass.
The official take
However, the DVSA clearly thinks mock tests are a good idea as it’s just published official and very extensive guidance for how to conduct them.
Graham O’Brien, Assistant Chief Driving Examiner, writes that, “we hope that the introduction of the guidance will either encourage learners to delay their test and get more practice if they are not ready or have a direct correlation in increasing pass rates.”
We suspect mock tests might also help deal with the huge waiting list for driving tests caused by the pandemic.
In theory, the more ‘test-ready’ you are before heading out with an examiner, the greater the chances of passing. In turn, that means the dreaded backlog will be cleared more quickly.
Moving forward
To help instructors provide better, more consistent mock tests, the DVSA will be promoting them this summer – as well their reported benefits for you, the learner. These include:
- Seeing what will happen when you take your actual driving test
- Allowing you to get a better understanding of what you’ll be marked on
- Helping you understand the standard that’s needed to pass.
If you want to learn more about how a mock test is run, take a look at the DVSA’s new guidance here.
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Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA