What You Can Expect During Your Driving Test

Taking your practical driving test is a major milestone and feeling nervous is completely normal. This guide covers exactly what to expect on test day – from duration and manoeuvres to ‘show me, tell me’ questions and what examiners are looking for.

We’ll break down the road types you may encounter and help you prepare with confidence, whether you’re testing in a busy city or quieter area. With proper preparation, you’ll know exactly what’s coming and can focus on demonstrating your driving skills.

How Long Does a Driving Test Last?

A common question learners ask is: how long will a driving test take? In most cases, the practical test lasts around 40 minutes and will include:

• 20 minutes of general driving, where you’ll follow directions from the examiner

• 20 minutes of independent driving, where you’ll follow a sat nav or road signs

If you’re taking an extended test due to previously having your licence revoked, the duration will be longer, around 70 minutes.

The time might feel like it flies by, but there’s plenty packed in, and your examiner will be assessing how safely and confidently you handle a range of situations you’ll experience when driving in your day-to-day life.

What Driving Manoeuvres Will You Be Asked to Do?

During your test, you’ll be asked to carry out one of three standard manoeuvres:

• Parallel parking at the side of the road

• Bay parking, either driving in and reversing out or reversing in and driving out

• Pulling up on the right-hand side of the road, reversing for about two car lengths, then rejoining traffic

You won’t know which manoeuvre you’ll be asked to perform until your test, so it’s important to practise all three during your driving lessons. Remember, examiners aren’t looking for perfection – they’re looking for safe, controlled execution and good all-around observation at all times.

Will You Have to Do an Emergency Stop?

The emergency stop is not guaranteed to be included, but there is roughly about a 1-in-3 chance you’ll be asked to perform it. If included, the examiner will ask you to pull over safely before and brief you on the fact you will be expected to perform the manoeuvre. They’ll then instruct you to stop as quickly and safely as possible when they give the signal – normally a hand in there and an exclamation of “Stop!”.

This exercise tests your ability to react swiftly in a simulated emergency situation while maintaining control of the vehicle. So even though you might not want to perform an extra manoeuvre, it’s worth getting this hands-on experience.

Show Me, Tell Me Questions

At the start of your driving test, the examiner will ask you one ‘tell me’ question, which requires you to explain how you’d carry out a basic safety check. For example:

• “Tell me how you’d check the brakes are working before starting a journey.”

• “Tell me how you’d check the headlights and tail lights are working.”

During the drive, you’ll then be asked one ‘show me’ question, where you’ll demonstrate a basic control or safety function. For instance:

• “Show me how you’d wash and clean the rear windscreen.”

• “Show me how you’d open and close your side window.”

Getting one or both questions wrong won’t fail your test, but it will count as a driving fault or a minor – so not the end of the world.

What Sort of Roads Will You Drive On?

Your test route is designed to cover a variety of real-world driving conditions, which means you could encounter:

• Residential areas with parked cars and speed bumps

• Dual carriageways with higher speed limits of up to 70mph

• Rural roads with limited visibility and sharp bends

• Town centres with busy traffic and pedestrian crossings

It’s important to be comfortable navigating all of these, as the examiner will be assessing your ability to adapt to different road types while maintaining control, awareness and safety.

Junctions, Roundabouts and Traffic

Expect to encounter a mix of T-junctions, roundabouts, crossroads and traffic lights. The test is designed to ensure you can handle these common features safely, using correct observation and decision-making.

Multi-lane roundabouts, in particular, can be tricky, so it’s worth asking your instructor to help you practise them in your test area. You might also come across bus lanes, filter lanes and yellow box junctions – so make sure you’re familiar with the rules for each, which you likely will have covered in your Driving Theory test.

Independent Driving Section

The independent driving section lasts around 20 minutes, during which you’ll either:

• Follow directions from a sat nav (used in around 80% of tests), or

• Follow road signs to a specified destination

This part of the test assesses your ability to follow directions independently. Don’t worry if you go the wrong way – as long as you do so safely, it won’t count against you. The key is to remain calm and composed. Many people think you’ll receive a minor for each incorrect navigation, but this isn’t the case at all.

Driving Test Scoring – What Counts as a Fault?

Your examiner will record any driving faults during your test. There are three types:

• Minor faults – not dangerous but still incorrect (e.g. missing a mirror check)

• Serious faults – also referred to as major faults, these could potentially be dangerous

• Dangerous faults – put you, the examiner or others at risk

In a UK driving test, you can pass with up to 15 minor faults, but just one serious or dangerous fault will result in a fail. This highlights the importance of staying calm, making observations and reacting safely to road conditions.

What Happens at the End of a Driving Exam?

Once you’ve returned to the examination centre, parked up and turned off the engine, the only thing left of your driving test is for the examiner to give you your result. If you pass, you’ll receive a pass certificate and your full licence will be posted to you. If not, you’ll get feedback on what went wrong and what to focus on for next time.

Then the process of booking your next driving examination, and starting regular lessons begins.

Conclusion

Understanding what to expect during your driving test can go a long way towards calming your nerves and boosting your confidence. At Rio Driving School, we ensure all our learners are not only test-ready but fully prepared for the challenges of everyday driving. Whether you’re wondering how long a driving test lasts or need help perfecting your manoeuvres, our instructors are here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to take the next step towards passing your test? Get in touch with Rio Driving School today and let us help you drive your future forward.