Top 10 Reasons for failing a driving test
New research highlights failure to look as the main driver error
IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) research shows that driver and rider error or reaction, are behind the top three causes of fatal and serious crashes. Licensed to skill: Contributory factors in accidents, presents the analysis of five years worth of accident data, recorded by the police between 2005 and 2009.
Factors including ‘failed to look properly’ ‘loss of control’ and ‘poor turn or manoeuvre’, accounted for 65.3 per cent of fatal, 61.8 per cent of serious and 68.6 per cent of slight accidents.
Daft actions – illegal or unwise judgements – such as exceeding the speed limit, following too close, or making an illegal turn, was the second biggest factor, accounting for another 31.4 per cent.
Here are the top 10 reasons for failing a driving test ……..
Observation at road junctions: Not checking before making the decision to go. You must check Right, Left, and Right before crossing the dotted lines. If you need to peep and creep you must see clearly up and down the road before committing to go.
Reverse/Bay Parking: Ineffective observation and / or a lack of accuracy. Be sure when you perform either of these manoeuvres you looking predominantly out of the rear window (70% of the entire time, and regular checks around throughout). As for “lack of accuracy”, make sure you understand and use the reference points and are looking where you are going. If it starts to go wrong, make sure you know how to, and can, fix it. You should finish a tyre’s width from the curb, reasonably parallel and within two car lengths.
When ‘bay parking’ the car must be inside the lines and reasonably parallel, if the white line is clearly underneath the car you should not allow the front wheels to enter the bay, you should ‘shunt’ forwards to correct it. The tyres are allowed to be on the lines but must not be outside the bay. You can go forward and back as many times as is necessary providing you are “making progress” each time.
Use of mirrors: Not checking the mirrors at all, in time or the appropriate mirror or combination of mirrors. You may be marked down for ‘checking the mirror but failing to act properly on the information’. Ask yourself ‘is it clear’ and ‘what can you see’. You will rarely ‘over use’ the mirrors, however you might hesitate as a result of taking too long to make sure it is safe to move off. You must always know what is going on behind and to the side, to make decisions about going forwards. On the test you need to demonstrate to the examiner your awareness of any activity around you and your car.
Reversing round a corner: See Reverse / Bay Parking for the problems and solution. Reasonable accuracy could be considered to be no more than one metre from the kerb and in any case you must not cross the centre line. Of particular concern is your decision making ability when dealing with approaching traffic. So decide if you are “in the way”, and then your best course of action.
Incorrect use of signals: Not cancelling or giving misleading signals. You need to move off in busy situations where you have to think.
Moving away safely: Yet again the problem here is simply observation. Are you checking your mirrors and blind spot properly before moving the vehicle? Can the examiner see your right ear, if not you aren’t looking properly.
Incorrect positioning on the road: At roundabouts and/or on bends. There is a difference between a look and a glance. You need to look early and identify which lane to be in, minimise gear changes – why do something twice when you can get it right first time.
Lack of steering control: Steering too early or leaving it too late. Plan ahead using LADA and control using MSPSL or you won’t have control and may not turn accurately.
Incorrect positioning to turn right: At junctions and in One Way streets. Look ahead-plan ahead, LADA. What are the dangers of cutting corners?
Inappropriate speed: Travelling too slowly or being hesitant. For ‘L’ Test you should reach speeds which are no more than 10 to 15 per cent below that of the maximum for the road.