30/12/2009
The practical driving test is a pivotal moment for anyone aspiring to get behind the wheel. It’s a comprehensive assessment of your skills, judgement, and ability to drive safely and competently on public roads. It's also a situation where nerves can play a significant role, and making a mistake is not uncommon. Crucially, not every error will lead to a failure. Your success hinges on understanding how your examiner classifies these mistakes, distinguishing between what are commonly referred to as major and minor faults. This guide will thoroughly explain these classifications, giving you the clarity needed to approach your test effectively.
While the goal is always to deliver a flawless performance, the reality is that very few candidates achieve a 'clean sheet'. The good news is that the system allows for a certain degree of human error. It’s important to remember that the driving test isn't just about technical perfection; it's primarily about demonstrating a safe and controlled driving style. Understanding the nuances of faults will help you identify areas for improvement and, ultimately, increase your chances of securing that full driving licence.
The Classification of Driving Test Faults
When you make an error during your practical driving test, the examiner will record it. However, it's worth noting that technically, the terms 'major fault' and 'minor fault' are informal. The official classifications used by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are more specific. If you make a mistake, your examiner will categorise it as one of the following:
- A dangerous fault: This is an error that involves actual danger to the examiner, the public, or property.
- A serious fault: This is an error that has the potential to be dangerous.
- A driving fault: This is an error that is not potentially dangerous, but if you keep making the same fault, it could become a serious fault.
For ease of understanding, both dangerous and serious faults are generally grouped together and referred to as 'major faults'. A driving fault is what is commonly known as a 'minor fault'. Committing either a dangerous or a serious fault will result in an instant failure of your driving test. Even if you commit one of these faults, you will typically be expected to continue with the test until the end, and your result will be disclosed once you return to the test centre.
Understanding Major Faults: The Instant Failures
Major faults are the most critical errors you can make during your driving test. They indicate a significant lack of control, poor judgment, or a disregard for safety that could lead to dangerous situations on the road. These types of faults are why it's paramount to take your time, remain calm, and apply everything you've learned during your driving lessons. One major fault, and your test is over, regardless of how impeccably you may have driven otherwise.
Common Examples of Major Faults:
- Failing to Observe Traffic Signals or Road Signs: This is a fundamental aspect of safe driving. Ignoring a red light, a stop sign, or a 'give way' sign can have immediate and severe consequences. For instance, driving through a red light puts you at risk of colliding with cross-traffic, while failing to stop at a stop sign could lead to an impact with vehicles on the main road. Similarly, not adhering to speed limits or lane discipline signs can be deemed serious.
- Endangering Other Road Users: This category is broad and covers any action that puts pedestrians, cyclists, or other motorists at risk. Examples include pulling out unsafely from a junction, cutting off another vehicle, making a turn without adequate observation, or taking insufficient precautions around vulnerable road users like children or elderly pedestrians. Any manoeuvre that causes another road user to take evasive action to avoid a collision would fall into this category.
- Losing Control of the Vehicle: This could manifest in various ways, such as excessive speed for the conditions, uncontrolled braking, erratic steering, or mounting the pavement during general driving (not just during a manoeuvre). While a slight touch of the kerb during a manoeuvre might be minor, a significant loss of control that requires the examiner to intervene, or that clearly indicates you cannot manage the vehicle safely, will be a major fault.
It is also crucial to remember the eyesight test at the beginning of your practical driving test. If you fail to read a number plate from the required distance (20 metres for new-style number plates), you will fail the entire test immediately. This is a legal requirement for driving, and without meeting it, you cannot proceed with the driving assessment.
Minor faults, or 'driving faults', are mistakes that, whilst not immediately dangerous, can cause inconvenience to other drivers or indicate a slight lack of precision or observation. They are typically less severe than major faults, but they are still noted by the examiner because repeated minor faults, or a series of minor faults in a particular area, can suggest a pattern of unsafe habits or a potential for a serious error if not corrected.
You are allowed to accumulate up to 15 minor faults during your driving test and still pass. However, if you receive 16 or more minor faults, it will result in a test failure. This threshold highlights the importance of consistent, precise driving throughout the test.
Common Examples of Minor Faults:
- Not Checking Mirrors Frequently Enough: While not immediately dangerous, insufficient mirror checks can lead to a lack of awareness of your surroundings. This includes not checking your mirrors before signalling, changing speed, or changing direction. It shows a passive approach to observation rather than an active one.
- Driving Too Slow: While driving too fast is dangerous, driving significantly below the speed limit when conditions allow can also be a minor fault. It can impede the flow of traffic and frustrate other road users. However, driving slowly when conditions dictate (e.g., bad weather, heavy traffic) is appropriate and would not be a fault.
- Stalling: Stalling the vehicle is a common occurrence, especially for learners. A single stall, if recovered safely and promptly, is typically a minor fault. However, repeated stalling, or stalling in a dangerous position (e.g., on a busy roundabout where it causes a significant obstruction), could escalate to a serious fault.
- Hesitating: Being overly cautious or hesitant at junctions, roundabouts, or when making decisions can cause delays and inconvenience to other road users. While safety is paramount, undue hesitation can also create dangerous situations by making your intentions unclear.
- Touching the Kerb: During manoeuvres like parallel parking or reversing around a corner, lightly touching the kerb is usually a minor fault. However, mounting the kerb, or doing so with significant force, could be considered a serious or even dangerous fault depending on the context and the potential risk created.
- Incorrect Use of Handbrake: This could include failing to apply the handbrake when stationary for a significant period (e.g., at traffic lights), or not releasing it fully when moving off, causing the vehicle to strain. It indicates a lack of precision in vehicle control.
- Crossing Hands Over on the Wheel: While some instructors teach different steering methods, the 'pull-push' method is generally preferred for its smooth and controlled steering input. Crossing your hands over can sometimes lead to a loss of control, especially in an emergency situation where quick, precise steering is required.
It’s important to understand that a minor fault, if repeated multiple times, can be upgraded to a serious fault. For example, if you consistently fail to check your mirrors, it demonstrates a habit that could eventually lead to a dangerous situation, thus becoming a serious fault.
Your Driving Test Result: Passing and Learning
The criteria for passing the practical driving test are clear: you must accumulate 0 major faults and no more than 15 minor faults. Achieving a 'clean card' with no faults at all is exceptionally difficult, so the leeway for minor errors is there to acknowledge the pressure and learning curve of the test environment.
In some rare instances, your examiner might have to intervene physically or verbally to prevent an accident. If this happens, your result will show that the 'examiner took action (ETA)'. This is always recorded as a serious or dangerous fault, leading to an automatic test failure.
Table: Major vs. Minor Driving Faults
| Feature | Minor Fault (Driving Fault) | Major Fault (Serious/Dangerous Fault) |
|---|---|---|
| Impact | Inconvenience, slight lack of control, potential danger if repeated. | Immediate or potential danger to examiner, public, or property. |
| Tolerance | Up to 15 allowed to pass. | Zero allowed; one results in instant failure. |
| Escalation | Can become a major fault if repeated or in a dangerous context. | Always an instant fail from the first instance. |
| Examples | Minor mirror checks, slight hesitation, single stall, touching kerb. | Ignoring signals, endangering others, losing control, failing eyesight test. |
Beyond the Test: Continuous Improvement
If you find that you have failed your driving test, it's not the end of the road. It's a learning opportunity. The most constructive step you can take is to discuss your result thoroughly with your driving instructor. They will have access to your test report, detailing all the faults you incurred.
This feedback is invaluable. Your instructor can identify specific areas where you need further practice or refinement, especially if most of your minor faults focused on a particular aspect of driving, or if you committed a major fault that needs significant attention. They can then tailor future lessons to address these weaknesses, helping you to develop the right skills and confidence for your next attempt.
Consider additional training such as Pass Plus, even after passing your test. This scheme helps new drivers gain experience in situations not covered in the standard driving test, such as motorway driving or driving in adverse weather conditions. Continuous learning and a commitment to safe driving practices are essential throughout your driving career.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I pass my driving test with one major fault?
A: No, absolutely not. Committing even one major fault (classified as a serious or dangerous fault by the examiner) will result in an instant failure of your driving test, regardless of how many minor faults you may or may not have accumulated.
Q: What happens if I get 16 minor faults?
A: If you accumulate 16 or more minor faults (driving faults), you will fail your driving test. The maximum number of minor faults permitted to pass is 15.
Q: Does stalling the car automatically mean I fail?
A: Not necessarily. A single stall, if recovered safely and promptly without causing danger or significant inconvenience, is typically recorded as a minor fault. However, repeated stalling, or stalling in a dangerous position that causes a serious obstruction or risk, could be marked as a serious (major) fault, leading to a failure.
Q: What does 'examiner took action (ETA)' mean on my test report?
A: 'Examiner took action' (ETA) means that your driving examiner had to physically or verbally intervene to prevent a dangerous situation or accident during your test. This always counts as a serious or dangerous fault, resulting in an automatic test failure.
Q: What should I do if I fail my driving test?
A: The best course of action is to talk to your driving instructor immediately after receiving your result. They can review your test report with you, identify the specific faults you made, and help you plan future lessons to focus on improving those areas before you rebook your test.
Understanding the distinction between major and minor faults, and what each implies for your test result, is a crucial part of preparing for your driving test. By focusing on safe, confident, and consistent driving, you can minimise your errors and significantly improve your chances of passing and enjoying the freedom that comes with a full UK driving licence.
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