The simple answer is it’s a test of a pupils ability to drive safely. That said, an examiner can only mark what he sees at that time and place. What this means is that a pupil who has been driving brilliantly can fail their test for any number of reasons.
Firstly they may simply choke on the test.
- And what is meant by this is, they do not perform to their normal level
- This is very common amongst athletes and sportsmen
- What would have been easy without anything depending on the result becomes difficult under pressure
Try to get your pupil to drive normally. Before their test, ask them what they are going to do differently. The answer you want to hear is nothing!
Secondly they can be unlucky.
- A while ago I took a pupil to test who should have been a pass
- He was a good pupil and married with a couple of young children
- So as soon as he passed he was not going to be an idiot but drive in a sensible way for the sake of both work and family
- I sat in the back on his test and was able to see exactly why he failed
- And the examiner had no choice but to fail him
- Later that day I re-ran that test route on a lesson with another pupil
- If he had done it then, he would have passed
Some pupils fail by a bit of bad luck and others pass with a bit of good luck. The above example also included the first reason as well. But if the traffic had been in his favour I am sure he would have passed. Your job as an instructor is to replace luck with skill.
Thirdly and most importantly they are not ready.
- If you hear the words from your pupil “I won’t do that on the day of the test” be concerned
- If they are concentrating on one thing they are likely to miss another.
Another problem you will have, is the pupil will be under pressure from family or work to have a go. It’s a great irony of the job that despite all your training and experience they will take advice from someone who has only taken and passed the one test and that was 30 years ago.
There are different ways of handling this.
- Our learning agreements in the reflective logs ask them to agree to accept your decision on whether they are ready or not
- A problem with this is quite often your pupil will announce that they have a test booked and want to go for it
- This will be regardless of what they previously agreed to
You now have to make a decision as to how you are going to proceed.
- Pointing out that they have never successfully parallel parked or the like will be one way
- If a pupil clearly has never done something before and is asked to do it on a test and fails for it
- The driving examiner will be making judgements about you as an instructor and your subsequent pupils
- Remember you will be coming back regularly to the test centre and your reputation with the examiners will affect how they view your pupils.
Another way of dealing with this particularly if the pressure to take the test is coming from friends and family is too:
- Get them to ask the person who is pressuring them if they would lend their car
- Either to do the driving test in or to deal with some busy roads and roundabouts
- Normally the answer is no, along with some reason why that is an unacceptable risk for them
- But somehow okay for you!
Be clear with your pupil early on and also be firm. Never ever take a pupil to test who you might think could be dangerous if they passed. I tend to grade mine:
- Could
- Should
- Should not
The should nots are told very clearly that my car is not available to them for a test. You can tell them that there is nothing stopping them doing the test in someone else’s car. Losing your good reputation and that of driving-pro is not worth it for whatever you may get for taking an unfit candidate to test.
Consider mock tests.
- All pupils should have a realistic mock test before they go for the real thing
- If they cannot perform to the required standard with you on a mock test they are unlikely to perform to that standard with an examiner
Watch out for the pupil who has been driving well then becomes comfortable with it and starts driving the way that they want to.
- As they get nearer the actual test you as an instructor should go a bit more formal
- This will help prepare them for the experience itself and also keep them on top of their game
- The more they practice driving well, the easier it will be for them on tests.
Other ways of looking at if your pupil is ready, is if you are bored with their driving.
- Are they at test standard then some extra for the fall in performance
- The occasional pupil raises their game but mostly it’s a drop
Another way of looking at it is can they drive safely under the following conditions:
- With you in an area that they know
- With you in an area that they don’t know
- With a stranger (examiner) in an area that the don’t know
If having read the above you are thinking let’s get to know the test area. Be aware of the following problems.
- Test routes are going to be anywhere in a 15- 20 minute drive from the test centre. That is a lot of ground.
- For instance The Portsmouth test centre has (or used to have) 18 test routes
- That’s an awful lot of lessons just to get to know them.
- Test routes change all the time due to road works and other things
- A small change in the signs or lines not noticed because you think you know an area can leave your pupil unstuck.
- Your pupil needs to be able to drive safely in areas that they do not know.
Notice with the above that not being ready was by far the biggest section. According to the people that run the driving tests (The DVSA). The overriding criteria is that you can drive safely with a bit of confidence. Confidence being made up of skill, judgement and experience. The last thing you as an instructor want to hear is that your pupil has been involved in an accident
