Examiners have a quota system whereby they can only pass so many each day Sorry, it is a great excuse for failing but it is not true. If you drive well enough you will pass, regardless of other test results earlier in the day.

Dress smartly for the test to create a good impression Examiners have no interest in your attire. Wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. However, examiners can be influenced by your demeanour. When driving, be calm, confident and careful. Don't be angry, agitated or aggressive.

You will not pass unless you use an instructors' car for the test You can take the test in any car that is legal and roadworthy. Examiners might prefer cars with a dual control brake, but they will not be prejudiced against a candidate in a private car without dual controls. If you do use your own car the most common reasons for it to be rejected as unfit for test are illegal tyres, seatbelts and head restraints not properly fitted, no valid road tax disc and no L plates

You will not pass if you cross your hands when steering You do not have to use perfect push/pull wheel-feeding to pass. So long as you are always in full control of your steering, a little overlapping of your hands on the wheel is quite acceptable.

When slowing down you must change through each gear eg from 4th to 3rd to 2nd Examiners actually prefer to see block gear changing when appropriate eg 4th straight to 2nd when going from a main road into a side road. Why do two gear changes when one will do the job? Also, speed reduction should be initiated by braking, not by going into a lower gear.

You should clearly move your head when checking mirrors so that it is obvious to the examiner This is not necessary. The examiner will spot your eye movement. Excessive head movement will take longer, possibly resulting in you missing something happening up ahead.

Always signal when passing parked cars Always check your right door mirror before passing parked cars and signal if you think it would be helpful to other road-users. Then make sure you cancel the signal so as not to mislead people into thinking you are taking the next road on your right.

If you stall the car during the test it is an automatic fail So long as you don't stall in a dangerous place like on a roundabout, you should only get a minor fault. Just make sure you recover the situation properly by ensuring the vehicle is kept stationary while you restart the engine and do necessary observation checks before moving off.

If you drive really slowly and ultra-cautiously in order to avoid mistakes you must pass You will almost certainly fail if you drive too slowly or over-cautiously. In order to pass the test you must show that you can drive at a realistic speed appropriate to the road and traffic conditions. Driving excessively slowly can create dangers for yourself and other drivers.

Bill Huntingford is an independent driving instructor, based in Amersham. If you have any other questions about the driving test you can contact him on 07759 843674.

8:53am Friday 15th February 2008

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