Theory Test Articles
Here is a list of all the articles on the driving theory test website:
Before Learning to Drive
The minimum age at which you are allowed to learn to drive a car on public roads is 17. As you probably know, you are not allowed to drive legally on your own until you pass your test. This means...
Being aware of potential hazards
Having the maximum time possible to react to hazards is important and can be the difference between an awkward situation or even an accident and continuing safe driving.
This requires you not...
Car Driving Test Fees
This article looks at the costs, which were correct as of October 2009.
A standard car and motorcycle theory test costs £31.
In terms of the practical test, the price is a good deal...
Car Driving Theory Topics
When studying for the car theory test it is important to understand the types of topics that will be covered.
The theory test is there to satisfy European Community regulations and so the...
Cost of a driving theory test
If you are learning to drive a car in the UK, then there is not just the practical test to think about.
You must also pass a theory test in order to be able to take the driving practical test...
Dealing with nerves
Learning to drive can make people nervous, and even if you are a confident
driver then you may get nervous before the driving test itself. If this
happens to you, then don't worry. It is only...
Driving and Eyesight Requirements
If you require glasses in order to meet the requirements for driving legally, then you must ensure that you wear them whilst you drive (or corrective lenses).
There are some conditions that...
Driving and mobile phones
Some people are confused about the rules about using a mobile whilst
driving, whilst others know the rules and break them. You might see other
people driving with a phone to their ear but you...
Driving Test and Independent Driving
Independent driving - where the candidate is not following the directions given at each stage by the instructor but rather following a route, e.g. following road signs to Town X until the instructor...
Driving Theory
Practice makes perfect. It is a known fact that if you practice a particular skill, you get better at it. This is true of mental skills such as performing mental arithmetic: the more you try to do...
Driving Theory Centres
Finding the nearest driving theory centre to you is easy as the government makes this information available to you online.
There is a website that enables you to find the nearest driving...
Driving Theory Stopping Distances
Stopping distances refer to the distance that you car is going to travel from the time that you decide that you need to press the brake through the time that the vehicle physically stops...
Driving Theory Test
Until relatively recently in driving history, there was no theory test. From the time the first person passed a driving test in the UK in 1935 through to 1996, there was no separate theory test. ...
DSA Driving Theory Test
Do not view the DSA Driving Theory Test as something of an inconvenience. Instead view it as a way to develop useful knowledge that could save your life or that of someone else. If that seems like...
Hazard Perception
There has been a significant increase in the focus of hazard perception and hazard awareness in the last few years since the introduction by the DSA of a separate hazard perception element to the...
How does the hazard perception test work
The hazard perception test is the second part of the driving theory test, and it was introduced towards the end of 2002.
There are two parts to the theory test, and the second part of the test...
How hazard perception scoring works
For each hazard there is a possible score of zero to five that is available. With a total of 15 hazards to find that makes a total possible score of 75 being available on the hazard test.
The...
How Pass Plus Works
What does pass plus contain? Well, it has six different modules and each of these ones focuses on a different set of conditions in which you might have to drive. These are in and around the town,...
How to book your driving theory test
There is now an online booking system in place that will allow you to book a driving theory test online.
There are also other ways to book a driving theory test: over the phone and you can...
How to cancel a theory test
When you book a theory test, you of course choose a date that you think you are going to be able to make.
However with the best will in the world, there are a whole range of reasons why on...
How to deal with bus lanes
If you see a bus lane then you will see a range of different attitudes from drivers. Mainly there will be frustration that they are stuck in a huge queue and there is a perfectly good lane that is...
How to get your provisional driving license
In order to take the theory test, and ultimately the practical driving test, you will need to have a valid provisional driving license. Indeed you need the provisional license in order to be able...
How to help yourself stay safe whilst driving
It is a sad fact, but a fact nonetheless, that there are very rare occasions on which you can just get unlucky and be involved in an accident, whether minor or major, that you are powerful to do...
How to learn UK road signs
Learning UK road signs is something that will unfortunately require you to
take the time to study them all. Many signs turn up in the theory test so
you do need to take the time to do this. But...
How to pass the hazard perception test
First you need to understand just what a hazard is. Broadly, it is any element that can introduce risk into the driving scenario.
There are various different types of hazard that are...
Insurance for learner drivers
If you wish to learn to drive and you ever plan to use a private car then
you need to ensure the car you are going to use has the appropriate cover.
There are various levels of cover, the...
Maintaining your car
It is essential that you look after your car and keep it in good condition. Not only is this paramount for your safety and that of other road users, but also it means that the longevity of your car...
Medical rules and driving
There are a wide range of conditions that you can hold and still be a safe driver. However there are certain conditions that will may impact on your ability to be a safe driver and therefore could...
Mock Driving Theory
On our Mock Driving Theory page you can practice no fewer than fifteen different mock tests.
Each of them...
Mock Driving Theory Test
Many learner drivers are in the process of finishing A-levels or at university, and so the process of exams and tests is very familiar to you. For those that tests and exams are a distant memory, a...
More on Motorway Driving
Signs that let you know there is a motorway ahead are rectangular, and they have a green background. This shows that they are information signs on a primary road.
The part with the reference...
Motorway Driving Tips
Driving on a motorway for the first time can be both exciting and a little daunting - exciting as it is something new whilst daunting as you won't have experienced driving on a motorway before...
Nervous Driver Tips
Many people who learn to drive have a combination of nerves and excitement. Even if someone says they have no nerves and are perfectly confident when it comes to driving, the first time you get...
Oil in your car and oil pressure
Oil is not something that you might think is essential to the operation of a car, but infact it is. Oil acts as a lubricant for the moving parts such as the moving parts of the engine, and it is...
Online Driving Theory
Why use an online driving theory website when there are also some books in publication that will help you study for your theory test? Well, there are several advantages to online driving theory,...
Overtaking cyclists safely
You need to constantly be on the lookout for cyclists because they are a lot less visible than cars and motor vehicles.
Whilst cyclists should have lights in poor light conditions or in the...
Pass Plus Explained
There is an old saying of driving instructors which they state once you've passed your test, and that is that now you really learn to drive. The idea is that you are about to start driving...
Penalty Points
There are different offence codes for different types of offences, and penalty points come in lumps from one single point right up to eleven, depending on the type and severity of an offence that...
Practical Driving Test
There is an online booking system available for a practical driving test which you can access from the DirectGov website.
The web address to do this is: ...
Prepare for driving theory tests
In order to pass tests, whether they are academic tests at school such as english, geography, spanish, french and so on, or to pass some other one - like theory tests - the methodology that can be...
Professional driving instructors
When you learn to drive, you have the choice who teaches you. The majority of people decide to learn through a professional driving instructor and often through a major school of...
Reading or hearing difficulties and the theory test
If you have some sort of reading difficulty, which might be but is not limited to dyslexia, then do not panic. You can get the questions read to you in English or Welsh (or indeed if you want the...
Regular car checks to perform
In addition to the daily checks that you should perform on core elements of your car such as the tyres (see article entitled 'what to check on your car daily') there are various other elements that...
Regulations relating to stopping
When you are driving you may not necessarily think much about stopping and simply stop automatically when a light is on red. But infact knowing when you should stop on the road is very important...
Reversing Exercises in the driving test
There are three reversing exercises that you could be tested on in the driving practical test.
You will be asked to perform two out of these three so that the person undertaking your test (the...
Risk factors when driving: snow and ice
When the snow is falling, there is one big problem - it is hard to see far infront. So like fog, reduced visibility is the problem with snow. And when there is heavy snowfall it can be very hard...
Risks when driving: bright or low sun
When the sun is low and bright, it can be very hard indeed to drive. This is because we may have to squint and the bright light can make it hard to pick out objects and to see, sometimes right in...
Road conditions: dealing with fog
Fogs and mists are much more common at some times of the year than others. Particularly in the mornings and in the Autumn time of the year, fog can be commonplace, but whenever it occurs it is...
Road conditions: driving in rain
Driving in rain is something that you can be sure you will experience regularly once you are an actual driver, although depending where you live and the time of year you learnt, you might have...
Road position and large vehicles
In a car there are of course blind spots, but as soon as you drive a lorry you realise how significant the blind spots are for those vehicles.
For one simple thing even with vans you can't...
Road Tax Disc Explained
You might hear to this referred as to something called excise licence, but in common parlance (speech!) this is called road tax.
And you will have a circular piece of paper that comes to show...
Rules for learner drivers
The minimum ages and restrictions vary from one type of vehicle to another.
When you are learning to drive, you must ensure that the vehicle you are learning to drive in is roadworthy and also...
Rules regarding the use of seat belts
When it comes to seat belts, you should be certain of what the rules are with regard to seat belt usage, and your responsibilities as the driver in terms of other passengers in your vehicle and...
Selecting low gears when driving
When you are driving, you will just learn to change gears without really thinking about what you are doing and when. But generally you will change up gears the faster you are going, and this is...
Show me tell me test
If you've not heard of the "show me tell me" test, then this is something
that happens at the start of the driving practical test as opposed to on the
theory test. They ask one of each of the two...
Skidding: what to do if you skid
No-one wants to skid, because skidding is a hazard that can lead to potential damage for you and other road users; in other words it is a dangerous situation to be in.
However sometimes it...
Some common engine faults
It is beyond the scope of the articles here to go into detail about how the engine works and what the various parts of it are. For the theory test you won't need to know a great detail about the...
Speed limits on motorways
The speed limits on the motorway are something that you will no doubt be aware of for cars, but is the limit the same for a motorbike? And what about if you are bus or a coach driver?
Another...
Staying calm in your driving test
There is no doubt that many people get extremely nervous before the driving practical test, and whilst this can be frustrating or disconcerting, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Many people...
Switching to driving an automatic
When you switch to an automatic car it could be for a wide range of reasons. Of course number one on that list could be that you are simply given an automatic car or you are driving in a country...
Taking the theory test if you don't speak English
Not everyone who takes the Driving Theory Test will be confident enough in their ability to speak and understand English to take the test. Whilst some people in Wales will want to take the test in...
Test your Driving Theory
Want to test your driving theory knowledge? We have all the multiple choice revision questions for car drivers together with a range of hazard perception clips.
With our unique feedback and...
Testing your driving ability
The driving part of the test to assess if you are safe to let on the roads is called the practical test, and it lasts in the region of 40 minutes in total. The purpose is to assess if you can drive...
The ABC of dealing with casualties
The ABC refers to how to treat casualties if you are involved in an accident but not injured, or indeed if you are at the scene where an accident occurs.
The A refers to the word airway. This...
The Advanced Driving Test
There are advantages to continuing to study driving by means of a course like the advanced driving test, because it will help to give you the chance to develop your skills even further than you had...
The automatic car explained
In most cases, you will learn to drive with a car that has gears in the United Kingdom.
However there are people who prefer to learn in an automatic car, and there are various driving schools...
The automatic transmission explained
Whilst the automatic transmission system is very clever, you still need to have some control over it, and this is where the selector lever comes into play, which is in the place that you would have...
The day of the theory test
On the day of the theory test you may well feel nervous. As with any test or examination of any kind this is of course natural as everybody is anxious to do their best and to pass the...
The different types of tyre and maintenance
You might tire of talking about tyres, but these are extremely important elements of your car, being the only part that touches the road.
And they need to be in good working order to do their...
The Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency has a website at www.dsa.gov.uk.
They are an executive agency within the Department for Transport in the UK.
They deliver tests for theory and practical...
The lane discipline of a motorway
Driving on a motorway is not something you will be able to do until you pass your test, and therefore it is important to understand as much about motorway driving as you can before your first...
The multiple choice theory test
This is the first part of the theory test, and is done at a computer rather than on paper. There are many places around the country whereby you are able to take the theory test. Your driving...
The New Drivers Act
The New Drivers Act is legislation that applies to those who have just passed their test and are categorised as new drivers, which in this legal definition refers to the first two years of passing...
The photocard driving licence
The new type of driving licence is a photocard, and it has several features on it that it is worth understanding once you are issued with your photocard driving licence.
It contains your...
The risk of accidents - some statistics
No-one wants to think that they will be involved in an accident, but being aware that an accident could happen to you and the statistics is important. Accidents happen to ordinary people, so anyone...
Theory test case studies
One of the relatively new elements added to the driving theory test is what is called the case study element. This was introduced on 28th September 2009, and there is one case study in the theory...
Things to look for when checking tyre condition
The tyres are extremely important elements of the car, yet many people do not think much about them when checking that their vehicle is roadworthy.
However, in addition to checking the amount...
Thinking about a greener car
It is interesting to note that a signficant amount of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire country comes from simply car travel: noticeably over 10% does.
Therefore if you have a type of...
Tips on braking on snow and ice
Braking on snow and ice takes a lot longer than it does on a normal road in ordinary conditions. But you might be very surprised at how long it can take.
Infact tests have shown that it can...
Tips on buying a vehicle
When it comes to buying a car, many people buy second hand in order to save the costs of a new car which of course often come at a premium having had no previous owner.
However there are risks...
Tips on driving in half light
Most drivers prefer driving in the day in good light in optimum road conditions, because these are the best conditions in which to see exactly what is going on in the road.
However there are...
Tips on driving in the country
Driving in the country can be quite a different experience to driving around towns and on motorways.
Firstly, depending where you are, the road quality can be very variable and bumpy and...
Tips on driving with a heavy load
When you have passed your test and been driving for a while, you might find yourself driving with a heavy load.
For instance if you are going on holiday then you might have lots of stuff that...
Tips on joining a motorway
Joining and leaving the motorway are generally considered the more tricky elements of the journey. When it comes to leaving the motorway, it is all about selecting the right exit and moving over to...
Tips on passing your theory test
It is up to each individual who takes a theory test to do the necessary work and preparation to put themselves in the best position to pass the test.
Rather than attempting to 'cram' the night...
Tips on preventing car crime
It is an obvious statement that nobody wants their car to be broken into or have items stolen from their car. Yet despite this some drivers take little care in discouraging theft.
There are...
Towing a load such as a caravan
When you tow a vehicle such as a caravan, it is clearly the case that driving conditions will be very different, and much more so again than simply having a heavier load or having a roof rack...
Types of brakes and braking system
The brakes on your car are one of the most important elements of the car, and when you learn the ABC of accelerator, brake and clutch you realise if you hadn't already how to standardly operate the...
Typical brake faults outlined
The brakes are a mechanical object and so it is possible that they will develop problems and not function the way that they should be. This is clearly very dangerous because brakes are one of the...
Tyre pressure checking
The one check that everyone knows to perform is to check the pressure of their tyres, but a visual inspection is not enough. Clearly you can spot something really obvious this way, such as if a...
Understanding illuminated signals on motorways
The location of the signs and signals that you see on motorway itself tells you some information: who it applies to.
Signs at the edge of the road will apply to all drivers, whilst those that...
Using emergency telephones
There are emergency telephones along motorways. There are telephones that occur roughly once per mile along the motorway which are connected to the emergency services.
There are also blue and...
Using head restraints
Your car will have head restraints in it, but do you take the time to adjust these before using the vehicle and ensuring they are set at the correct level for you? Head restraints in vehicles are...
Using the foot controls in an automatic
When driving an automatic car, there is one less pedal to think about: there is no clutch pedal so the ABC of accelerator, brake, clutch becomes instead simply accelerator and brake.
That's...
Various road markings you might find
Many drivers who are good at interpreting and understanding what a large range of road signs mean are not so good when it comes to road markings.
Some drivers appear to not even really be...
Vehicle Test Certificate Explained
The MOT test is no doubt something you have heard of before, but you don't pay that much interest to what it actually is before you are a car driver and faced with the prospect of requiring such a...
Vehicle's registration certificate
A vehicle has a document called a V5C, and this is the registration certificate for the vehicle. However this document by itself is not alone proof that the person selling you a vehicle actually...
Vehicles that cannot be used for a practical test
The vast majority of drivers will of course use the vehicle of their instructor or driving school when they take their practical test and so will not need to worry about the vehicle.
However...
Vulnerable road users - pedestrians
Pedestrians whether old or young are all potentially vulnerable. Any impact at all on a pedestrian is potentially fatal, and that goes for a pedestrian of any age.
Of course within the class...
Watching others whilst on the road
You can't rely on other road users not to do something wrong. Whilst most articles on this site tend to focus on cars, there are other and particularly vulnerable road uesrs out there.
These...
Ways to drive in a greener way
There are several methods that you can employ to ensure that you drive in a green way. The advantages of this are that you consume less fuel pro rata so it is good for your bank balance too, and...
What a slippery road surface sign could mean
The problem with a slippery road surface sign is this: whilst you know what it means, you don't know what it means. If that sounds confusing, then the point is simply this - what is it that is...
What are driving offences
Driving offences are what happens when you do not meet your obligations as a road user.
This could be something like not having the correct documentation that you require or something much...
What are greener fuels
One of the most well known of the green fuels is something that is called Biofuel.
Biofuel is a group of different fuels rather than an individual fuel in itself, and the class contains things...
What causes accidents: junctions
An alarmingly high proportion of accidents happen in and around junctions.
This is because of the combination of busy roads, traffic that can be nose to tail and people crossing all sorts of...
What causes accidents: overtaking
When you overtake a vehicle, there are often many things to consider.
First of all you need to ensure that it is, as far as you are aware, safe to do so. Therefore don't overtake close to...
What causes accidents: pulling out
One of the most typically seen accident that happens between vehicles in and around towns and city centres is the situation where two or more roads join each other.
At these there will be...
What causes accidents: speed
There is a well known saying from safety campaigns which simply says that "speed kills".
Although many people think that you have to be travelling really quickly in order to make an impact...
What causes accidents: tailgating
Driving too close to a vehicle is dangerous for the very simple reason that you have too little time to react should something unexpected happen. And when you consider how many road journeys there...
What details to get at an accident
When you swap details with a driver, here are the things that you should be sure to obtain from the other driver:
You need to of course get their name, their address and a contact telephone...
What different cats eyes mean
There are market studs, which are usually referred to as multi-coloured studs or even more usually as cats eyes, along certain areas of motorways and optionally on other parts of motorways...
What happens after the practical test
At the end of the test, you may have had your driving instructor in the back but taking no part in the test. If not, you can call them over before you receive the feedback and result to your...
What is driving test theory?
Theory is something we understand when it comes to maths or science. A theory is a prediction as to why something that has usually been observed to happen does happen, and scientists use theories...
What signs with a percentage mean
When you are driving in some places, the roads will be up and down in terms of gradient, which refers to how the height of the road changes as you move along it, just like on a hill.
When you...
What time of day should I book my driving test?
This is entirely up to you and so there is no right or wrong answer to this.
Many of us function either better in the morning or in the afternoon. If
you are a morning person then you will...
What to check on your car daily
A car is a sophisticated piece of machinery, although it is commonplace and therefore taken for granted by many there are considerable elements working together to make it work.
And if one...
What to do at a box junction
The box junction is quite common but despite this there are a whole wide range of ways in which different drivers interpret what they are supposed to do at them so you will see different behaviours...
What to do at a ford
This article is about driving through a ford, not about driving a Ford car.
When you see a warning sign for a ford you should naturally slow down. Then look at the ford and assess the depth...
What to do at a roundabout
Roundabouts come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic rules that govern roundabouts are simple.
However that doesn't stop people interpreting the rules and indicating and lines in all sorts...
What to do at level crossings
When you are learning to drive you may well not come across a level crossing, depending where you live. But as a driver you certainly will come across level crossings and will need to know how to...
What to do if horses are on the road
It may sound quite rare, but actually on country journeys you will from time to time encounter horses and their riders using the road. And you may also come across other animals too.
When you...
What to do if you breakdown at a level crossing
Driving is potentially dangerous, but it is important not to worry about things that could happen when driving but at the same time you should know what to do in the unlikely event that something...
What to do in an accident situation
If you do have an accident, then you must stop. Whilst you may read about people driving away from the scene of an accident, you should always stop and face up to any responsibilities involving...
What to do when you sell a vehicle
When you sell a vehicle, there are some things that you have to do straight away. As soon as the vehicle is sold you have to tell the DVLA, which stands for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency,...
What to do with keep clear markings
Keep clear markings are quite straightforward to understand, although amazingly some people either ignore them or do not appear to understand what they mean!
You will often seen keep clear...
What to expect at a hazard perception test
The test has fourteen different clips, as outlined in the article entitled 'how to pass the hazard perception test'.
Each of those clips starts counting down from ten to zero, in order to...
What to look for when you see a vehicle
Here is a simple check list of things to take into account when you check a used vehicle that you are considering purchasing.
Firstly, look at the engine carefully, and see if you think it has...
What's the point of the theory test?
The official theory test is a relatively recent addition to the driving test, and has evolved and become more comprehensive over time. For many of us who ask our parents about the driving test,...
When to expect your licence
The answer to this question depends on whether you have a licence issued after March 2004 or not, which was a photocard driving licence. If so, then you h'll have the option to get it...
When to use hazard warning lamps
Hazard warning lamps, are by their nature, lamps that you should not use routinely. However it is important to know when is the correct time to use them, and how to switch them on.
They are...
When you must not stop when driving
The regulations relating to stopping article looks at when you must stop, now it is time to look at when you must not stop as a driver...
There are times when you need to stop, but also many...
Who needs to take a theory test
A theory test is part of the process required for anyone who wants to become a qualified driver in the UK. There are two stages to being a standard car driver: first passing a theory test, and then...
Why communication matters
When you are driving, in the vast majority of occasions there will be at least a fair number of other road users on them at the same time as you. This means that they will be reacting to how YOU...
Why is there a Hazard Perception Test
The statistics have long shown that the newer the driver, the more likely they are to be involved in accidents on the roads. This is probably because they are inexperienced as drivers, although...
Why new drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident
It is a well known statistic that new drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, and indeed insurance companies definitely know this as you'll see by comparing premiums as a new driver...
Working out what a road sign means
There are many signs that you will see day in day out as a driver and are obvious to understand. For instance signs that tell you the maximum speed limit on the road you're on. For some reason,...
Your car and the lights on it
We are all used to seeing cars in the dark, and also seeing their indicators in the day to communicate to other car drivers. But what must you ensure with regard to the lighting of your...
Your driving licence: getting it back
As the New Drivers Act article outlines, if you get six penalty points or more in the first two years of having a licence, then it is revoked and you have to retake both tests: the theory and the...
Your engine temperature gauge
These days many of us get into a car without really understanding how any of it works, and even the engine and how it operates and powers the car is a mystery to many.
Well, essentially it...
Your ignition system explained
The ignition system is of course an essential part of the technology that allows cars to function, and without it you would not get very far. But what does it do? Well the system provides the...
Your ignition warning light
When you turn on the electrical circuits in your car, then the ignition warning light will come on: make sure that this does indeed happen.
Once the engine itself is started, then the ignition...
Your legal obligations as a driver
There are some basics that everyone knows when it comes to being able to behind the wheel of a vehicle. These are of course meeting the legal eyesight requirements, being older than the minimum age...
Your steering system
When it comes to driving the car, it is safe to say that the steering wheel is clearly an essential part! If you can't steer your vehicle, then you clearly cannot drive it.
There are two...
Your vehicle and driving
There is a lot to take in when you are learning to drive and when you are preparing for the driving theory test. Whilst a lot of it is common sense there is a considerable amount of information you...
Your vehicle's age is important
The age of your car is important for several reasons.
The main reason is that if your car is under three years old, there are four documents that you must be in possession of in relation to...