Picture this: it’s test day. You’re behind the wheel, feeling prepared but with a twinge of nerves creeping in. The examiner asks you to begin, and everything seems to go smoothly – until it doesn’t. A small lapse in focus or timing catches you off guard, you know you’ve just had a fault marked against you… ( hang on, was it major or minor?) and suddenly, the test isn’t going as planned.
It’s moments like these that make understanding faults so crucial. Knowing what examiners are looking for, the common mistakes learners make, and how to avoid them can transform your confidence and skill behind the wheel.
Many learners struggle with nerves and uncertainty about what constitutes a “fault” during the test. Below, you’ll discover the types of faults, the most common ones, and their classifications (minor, serious, or dangerous), understand why they happen, and come away knowing how to avoid them.
By addressing these areas, you’ll boost your confidence, improve your driving skills, and maximise your chances of avoiding faults and passing your test.
Types of Driving Test Faults
Faults in a driving test are categorised into three types and it’s important to realise which types of faults can fail you immediately and which are okay if they don’t keep happening or are one of many similar faults. Knowing this can make the difference between keeping calm and wondering if the test is already over for you. :
Driving Faults (sometimes called minor faults or minors)
Driving faults are small errors that don’t compromise safety. If you clip a curb, for example, as long as you didn’t ride up it and as long as you don’t keep doing it, you’re going to be fine. Just relax and keep vigilant to make the rest of your test a smooth experience with as few minor driving faults as you can.
Lots of driving faults lead to a fail. It’s also important to realise that multiple minor faults in the same category can lead to a fail (e.g., repeatedly not checking mirrors).
An example of a driving fault : Forgetting to signal when it’s not likely to confuse other road users.
Further down in this article is a list of the most common minor faults and what they are.
Serious Faults (sometimes called major faults)
Serious faults are those that pose a danger to safety or show a lack of control and just one serious fault results in an automatic fail.
An example of a serious fault: Failing to give way at a junction when required.
We go into a more indepth list of serious (or major faults) later in the article
Dangerous Faults
Dangerous faults are those that pose an immediate risks to road safety that could cause accidents. A dangerous fault results in instant failure and you’ll know if you’ve just commited one, because your driving test is likely to be over immediately.
An example of a dangerous fault: Pulling out into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Keep reading to find out more about dangerous faults.
Top 10 Most Common Types of Driving Test Faults
Here are the most common faults and their typical classifications, with examples in each case where they can be classified differently depending upon how bad or minor they are:
- Observation at Junctions (Serious/Dangerous)
Failing to look properly at junctions or prioritising incorrectly.
Example: Not checking both ways at a roundabout or emerging into traffic dangerously.
- Use of Mirrors When Changing Direction (Serious/Minor)
Not checking mirrors before signalling, changing lanes, or manoeuvring.
Minor: Missing a mirror check when it doesn’t affect safety.
Serious: Failing to check mirrors and endangering another road user.
- Steering Control (Minor/Serious)
Losing control of the wheel or improper techniques like oversteering.
Minor: Steering adjustments that don’t affect safety.
Serious: Failing to maintain proper control on bends or during manoeuvres.
- Positioning on the Road (Serious/Dangerous)
Poor lane discipline or incorrect road positioning.
Example: Driving in the wrong lane at a roundabout or veering across lanes.
- Responding to Traffic Lights (Serious)
Hesitating when the lights change or proceeding incorrectly.
Example: Running a red light or stopping beyond the stop line.
- Control During Manoeuvres (Minor/Serious)
Struggling with tasks like parallel parking or bay parking.
Minor: Needing a correction during a manoeuvre.
Serious: Reversing dangerously or into another vehicle.
- Proper Signalling (Minor/Serious)
Forgetting to signal or signalling incorrectly.
Minor: Signalling too early or late without affecting safety.
Serious: Failing to signal when it could confuse or endanger other road users.
- Undue Hesitation (Minor/Serious)
Taking too long to proceed when it’s safe to do so.
Minor: Pausing unnecessarily at a clear junction.
Serious: Causing a hazard by holding up traffic.
- Speed Control (Minor/Serious)
Driving too fast or too slowly for the conditions.
Minor: A small discrepancy in speed without danger.
Serious: Driving at a dangerous speed or failing to adjust to hazards.
- Following Road Signs (Minor/Serious)
Misinterpreting or ignoring traffic signs.
Minor: Missing a sign without immediate safety implications.
Serious: Failing to act on a stop sign or driving into a prohibited area.
A more comprehensive list of Minor faults.
Here’s a comprehensive list of minor driving test faults (correctly referred to as “driving faults”). These are small mistakes that do not pose an immediate danger but can accumulate and lead to a fail if repeated or combined. It’s good to be familiar with minor driving faults, so that if they happen, you don’t put yourself off the remainder of the test. These faults are grouped by categories commonly assessed during the driving test:
1. Control
Clutch Control:
Riding the clutch unnecessarily.
Poor clutch control during gear changes or hill starts.
Gears:
Selecting the wrong gear but quickly correcting it.
Staying in the wrong gear for too long without affecting performance.
Steering:
Slightly crossing hands on the steering wheel.
Making small adjustments too late without affecting safety.
2. Observation
Mirrors:
Not checking mirrors frequently enough but not affecting other road users.
Checking mirrors late before a manoeuvre.
Awareness:
Failing to check blind spots during safe lane changes or starting off.
Delayed reactions to developing hazards, but not endangering anyone.
3. Manoeuvres
Reverse Parking:
Needing small corrections while reversing into a bay or during parallel parking.
Misjudging the angle slightly but completing the manoeuvre safely.
Turning in the Road (Three-Point Turn):
Taking more attempts than usual but completing it safely.
Pulling Up on the Left:
Stopping too close or too far from the kerb without causing an obstruction.
4. Positioning
Lane Discipline:
Slightly drifting in your lane without crossing lines or affecting other vehicles.
Positioning slightly too far from the kerb on narrow roads.
Junctions:
Positioning too far forward or back at a junction but not causing confusion.
5. Signals
Timing:
Indicating slightly too early or too late without confusing other road users.
Cancelling Signals:
Forgetting to cancel a signal briefly after completing a manoeuvre.
6. Speed
Appropriate Speed:
Driving slightly slower than the speed limit but not holding up traffic unnecessarily.
Speed Changes:
Delayed adjustment of speed to match the flow of traffic, without causing inconvenience.
7. Road Signs and Markings
Awareness:
Misjudging a stop or give-way line but stopping safely.
Briefly missing a road marking without causing confusion or danger.
8. Moving Off
Preparation:
Failing to prepare fully before moving off but correcting it promptly.
Observation:
Delayed checks when pulling away, without affecting safety.
9. Other Road Users
Response to Traffic:
Slight hesitation when entering gaps or moving through traffic but without holding up others unnecessarily.
Following Distance:
Driving a little closer than ideal to the vehicle ahead without compromising safety.
10. Environmental Awareness
Eco-Safe Driving:
Over-revving the engine occasionally or using a higher gear than necessary.
11. Vehicle Control
Stalling:
Stalling the car briefly but recovering quickly without causing disruption.
Handbrake:
Not using the handbrake at a brief stop where it’s not strictly necessary.
How Minor Faults Can Add Up
While minor driving faults (or minors) don’t in themselves matter individually, if you keep having lots of minors they can result in a fail.
How many minor faults (minors) makes a fail?
- Accumulating 15 minor faults across different categories results in a fail.
- Repeating the same minor fault too often in one category (e.g., failing to check mirrors consistently) can escalate it to a serious fault, leading to automatic failure.
A more comprehensive list of major faults
Here’s a comprehensive list of major driving test faults (serious or dangerous faults). These faults are categorised based on their severity and the potential risk they pose. A single major fault results in an automatic fail. Major faults are typically divided into serious faults (where safety is compromised but not immediately endangered) and dangerous faults (where there is an immediate risk to safety).
1. Control
Clutch Control:
Repeatedly stalling in a way that disrupts traffic or causes hazards.
Rolling backwards on a hill and endangering other road users.
Steering:
Losing control of the wheel (e.g., oversteering or understeering significantly).
Crossing hands during sharp turns, causing instability.
Gears:
Using the wrong gear in a way that affects vehicle control (e.g., selecting reverse instead of first when moving off).
2. Observation
Mirrors:
Failing to check mirrors before changing lanes, resulting in another road user having to take evasive action.
Not checking mirrors during critical moments, such as before overtaking.
Awareness:
Failing to check blind spots when merging, pulling out, or changing lanes, leading to a dangerous situation.
3. Manoeuvres
Reverse Parking:
Reversing into another vehicle or onto a pavement.
Failing to observe surroundings, leading to potential collisions.
Turning in the Road (Three-Point Turn):
Causing an obstruction or hazard by taking too long or positioning dangerously.
Emergency Stop:
Failing to stop the vehicle promptly when instructed by the examiner.
4. Positioning
Lane Discipline:
Straddling lanes on a dual carriageway or motorway.
Cutting across lanes dangerously at a roundabout.
Junctions:
Positioning too far forward and obstructing traffic.
Being too far back, causing confusion for other road users.
5. Signals
Timing:
Failing to indicate before turning, leading to confusion or danger.
Indicating incorrectly and causing other road users to react inappropriately.
6. Speed
Driving Too Fast:
Exceeding the speed limit significantly, particularly in built-up areas.
Driving too fast for road conditions, such as in heavy rain or fog.
Driving Too Slow:
Driving well below the speed limit without reason, causing disruption or risk to other vehicles.
7. Road Signs and Markings
Awareness:
Ignoring a stop sign or give-way line, endangering other road users.
Entering a prohibited area or driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
8. Moving Off
Observation:
Moving off without checking mirrors or blind spots, causing another vehicle to take evasive action.
Pulling out dangerously in front of oncoming traffic.
Control:
Rolling backwards significantly, causing danger to vehicles or pedestrians behind.
9. Other Road Users
Response to Traffic:
Failing to give way at roundabouts, junctions, or pedestrian crossings.
Dangerous overtaking, such as attempting to pass on a blind corner.
Following Distance:
Driving too close to the vehicle ahead, especially in poor weather conditions.
Tailgating another vehicle, leading to unsafe braking distances.
10. Environmental Awareness
Eco-Safe Driving:
Excessive revving or speeding that increases risk (e.g., approaching a junction too fast).
Ignoring environmental hazards such as large puddles or icy patches.
11. Vehicle Control
Stalling:
Stalling repeatedly at busy junctions or roundabouts, causing significant disruption.
Stalling on a level crossing or at a critical point in traffic flow.
Handbrake:
Failing to use the handbrake where necessary, such as on a steep hill, leading to loss of control.
How Major Faults Lead to Failure
Unfortunately, major faults are an instant fail. They can happen in the following ways:
- Asingle serious fault indicates insufficient skill or safety awareness.
- A dangerous fault is considered a direct threat to road safety and results in an immediate fail.
- Major faults can also arise from repeated minor faults in critical areas, such as failing to check mirrors consistently.
Why These Faults Happen
Faults often occur due to a combination of psychological, technical, and environmental factors:
- Psychological Factors: Nerves and pressure during the test can lead to forgetfulness or hesitation.
- Technical Issues: Insufficient practice or poor preparation for specific test routes and manoeuvres.
- Environmental Challenges: Busy roads, unpredictable weather, or unfamiliar locations can add stress.
- Poor driving by others: This one’s unfortunate and rare, but if someone else drives badly, and you don’t react correctly or in time, this might result in a fault being marked against you.
How to Avoid These Faults
Faults happen. The best way to avoid them is to be as familiar with driving as you can be and to make sure that at all times you practice good and safe driving practices. Remember, this isn’t just about your test. You want to be a safe driver for your own peace of mind going forwards. It helps keep you safe, avoid accidents and keeps your driving insurance down if you don’t need to claim often. Help to avoid faults through:
- Regular Practice
- Focussing on weak areas identified by your instructor.
- Practising in various conditions, including bad weather or heavy traffic.
Take every opportunity to drive – we all prefer to take the easy route – perhaps mum, dad or your partner offer to drive – but driving even on small trips to the shop and back give you more confidence when it comes to driving and makes you better and more relaxed in your driving test.
Remember: The more relaxed and competent you are, the more likely you are to pass. You’ll feel better about the test before and during and your examiner will feel more relaxed if you show confidence and competent safe driving.
Other things you can do to avoid faults:
Simulate Test Conditions
Familiarise yourself with the test routes and practise under timed conditions.
Stay Calm
Use breathing exercises or relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety.
Work with an Instructor
Professional guidance can help refine your skills and address problem areas.
Checklists
Use pre-test checklists to ensure you’re mentally prepared and ready to follow safety habits like mirror checks.
What to Do if You Get Too Many Faults and Fail
Failing your driving test can feel discouraging, but remember, it’s part of the learning process. Here’s what to do next:
- Understand Your Feedback
Review the mark sheet to identify where you need improvement. - Retake Lessons
Work on areas of weakness, particularly if you had serious or dangerous faults. - Prepare for the Next Test
Book your test for a time when you feel confident, and practise diligently until then.
So what next?
Remember faults happen. How Every driver makes mistakes when learning, and even the best drivers might not pass their test the first time. The key is to use the experience as an opportunity to grow. With proper preparation, persistence, and a calm approach, you’ll be on the road to success, and safe driving for life.
Last updated: 20/12/2024