Positioning in the UK Driving Test

Positioning is a crucial aspect of safe driving. The examiner assesses how well you maintain correct road positioning in various situations. Poor positioning can lead to serious or dangerous faults, resulting in a test failure.

Normal Driving - Proper Vehicle Placement for Safety

1. How to Maintain a Safe Position:
  1. Drive in the centre of your lane unless road conditions require otherwise.
  2. Maintain a safe gap from the curb to avoid hitting pedestrians, parked cars, or obstacles.
  3. Stay within road markings and avoid unnecessary lane straddling.
  4. Adjust your position based on road width, bends, and visibility.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Driving too close to the curb.
  2. Straying into another lane unnecessarily.
  3. Not adjusting the position for parked vehicles or cyclists.
  4. Drifting due to lack of attention.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Maintain a steady, controlled position in the correct lane.
  2. Adjust for road conditions without abrupt movements.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If you were marked down for poor positioning, practice maintaining a consistent road position while checking mirrors frequently.
  2. Work on steering control and lane discipline during practice sessions.

Lane Discipline - Maintaining Lane for Safe Travel

1. How to Maintain Good Lane Discipline:
  1. Stay in the correct lane for your intended route.
  2. Follow road markings and change lanes safely using mirrors and signals.
  3. Keep left unless overtaking (on multi-lane roads).
  4. Do not cut across lanes at roundabouts or junctions.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Drifting between lanes without reason.
  2. Changing lanes without mirror checks or signals.
  3. Incorrect lane positioning at roundabouts.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Clear lane positioning and awareness of surroundings.
  2. Smooth and safe lane changes using proper mirror checks.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If you failed due to lane discipline, practice using the MSM (Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre) routine for lane changes and turns.

Position / Normal Stop - Ensuring Safe and Legal Stopping

1. How to Stop Correctly:
  1. Choose a safe, legal place to stop.
  2. Check mirrors and signal before stopping.
  3. Stop parallel to the curb, about 30cm (1 foot) away.
  4. Apply the handbrake before releasing the foot brake.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Stopping too far from or too close to the curb.
  2. Failing to check mirrors before stopping.
  3. Stopping in an unsafe location (e.g., near a junction or bend).
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Smooth, controlled stops.
  2. Good use of mirrors and signals.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If you struggled with stopping, practice pulling up in various locations while checking for hazards.

Awareness & Planning - Anticipating Hazards for Safer Driving

1. How to Improve Awareness & Planning:
  1. Look well ahead to anticipate hazards.
  2. Adjust speed early for potential stops or turns.
  3. Watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and parked cars opening doors.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Reacting too late to hazards.
  2. Not planning overtakes or lane changes in advance.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Show anticipation of hazards.
  2. Plan movements early and avoid last-minute braking.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If you failed due to poor awareness, work on scanning the road further ahead and identifying hazards earlier.

Clearance - Safe Distance from Parked Cars & Cyclists

1. How to Maintain Safe Clearance:
  1. Leave at least 1 metre when passing parked cars.
  2. Leave 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists.
  3. Slow down when clearance is reduced.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Driving too close to parked cars.
  2. Passing cyclists too closely or too fast.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Maintain safe clearance and adjust speed accordingly.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If you received faults for clearance, practice judging safe gaps before overtaking objects on the road.

Following Distance - Keep Your Distance, Stay Safe

1. How to Maintain a Safe Following Distance:
  1. Follow the 2-second rule in dry conditions.
  2. Double the gap in wet weather.
  3. At least 4 seconds in icy conditions.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Tailgating other vehicles.
  2. Not adjusting for poor weather conditions.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Keep a safe following distance at all times.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If tailgating caused your test failure, focus on keeping the correct gap using time-based measurements.

Use of Speed - Maintaining Safe and Legal Speeds

1. How to Maintain Proper Speed Control:
  1. Drive at or below the speed limit for the road conditions.
  2. Adjust speed early for bends, junctions, or traffic.
  3. Keep to an appropriate speed for road and weather conditions.
2. Common Mistakes:
  1. Driving too fast for conditions.
  2. Failing to adjust speed when necessary.
  3. Going too slowly and becoming an obstruction.
3. Examiner Expectations:
  1. Control your speed appropriately for the situation.
4. Real-Life Learning from a Failed Test:
  1. If speed control was an issue, practice smooth acceleration and deceleration while keeping an eye on speed limit signs.