This week, you may have noticed the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s new ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign popping up in your social media feeds as well as on some of your favourite websites.
It’s part of a push to make sure you really are ready and able to pass your test.
The campaign’s current focus is to highlight the 27 skills you need to be assessed on to ensure you’re test ready. Such a large number may sound intimidating so to help you understand what you need to know, here’s our quick-fire breakdown of each and every skill:
The Basics
Skill 1: Legal responsibilities
Make sure you know and understand how driving laws relate to you and your vehicle, and always ensure you’re up to date on the latest rules and regulations.
Skill 2: Safety checks
Always be aware of what, how and how often to check if your car is in good working order before turning on the engine.
Skill 3: Cockpit checks
Check that you are comfortable in your car and that the vehicle is ready to drive before firing up the engine.
Skill 4: Security
Reduce the risk of theft by learning about your car’s security features plus also consider what you keep in your car as well as your own personal security.
Control and Positioning
Skill 5: Controls and instruments
Learn to operate the vehicle’s controls so they become second nature, enabling you to fully concentrate on what’s happening around you.
Skill 6: Moving away and stopping
Make sure you know how to move away and stop safely; after all, they’re the beginning and end of every journey.
Skill 7: Safe positioning
Always drive in the correct position for the road you’re driving on; this keeps you and other road users safe.
Observations, signalling and planning
Skill 8: Mirrors
Use your mirrors so you always know what’s happening around you and can act safely on what you see.
Skill 9: Signals
Learn how to respond safely to signals given by other motorists as well as give clear, well-timed signals to other road users.
Skill 10: Anticipation and planning
Always be aware of what’s going on around you while planning what you need to do in response.
Skill 11: Use of speed
Be aware and adhere to the speed limit as well as adapt your speed depending on current road conditions.
Skill 12: Other traffic
Learn to drive safely and confidently when meeting, crossing and overtaking other vehicles.
Skill 13: Fuel-efficient driving
Understand how to minimise the negative effects of your car’s fuel use by driving more efficiently.
Junctions, roundabouts and crossings
Skill 14: Junctions
Learn to negotiate any junction on any type of road safely, without holding up other traffic unnecessarily.
Skill 15: Roundabouts
Learn all the rules of the road about approaching and negotiating roundabouts safely and confidently.
Skill 16: Pedestrian crossings
Understand the differences between different types of crossing as well as the basic rules that apply to all of them.
Manoeuvres
Skill 17: Reversing
Learn how to reverse smoothly and safely, all while staying in complete control of your car.
Skill 18: Turning the car around
Practise how to turn your vehicle around in the road if no roundabout or option to reverse into a side street is available.
Skill 19: Parking
Gain the skills you need to park safely and confidently in a car park or at the side of the road.
Skill 20: Emergency stop
Learn how to brake as quickly as possible while keeping the car under full control.
Road types
Skill 21: Country roads
Learn how to judge the speed to safely drive at, all while considering the visibility, signs and hazards as well as road and weather conditions.
Skill 22: Dual carriageways
Understand that dual carriageways, unlike motorways, can have junctions and roundabouts that pose greater potential risk.
Skill 23: Motorways
If possible, practise on the motorway – with your instructor – to build confidence; remember, motorway driving is not part of the driving test.
Driving conditions
Skill 24: Driving in the dark
Learning to drive at night helps you understand the greater risks it represents such as judging speeds of other vehicles at junctions.
Skill 25: Weather conditions
Learn how weather conditions, such as fog and low sun, can impact on visibility as well as how snow, ice and rain can affect your car’s handling.
Skill 26: Passengers and loads
Understand the responsibilities you have to your passengers and how to secure items you’re transporting.
Following routes
Skill 27: Independent driving and using a sat nav
Learn how to drive and keep full control when following directions from a sat nav or traffic signs.
- Learn more about the 27 driving skills – and how your instructor assesses each of them – by heading here.
Know Your Code
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Main photo by Dom J on Pexels
Sat nav photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash