Serial driving test failers - what made you pass?

[Reclining]

Failed my driving test a couple of times, got another go approaching. Definitely more capable this time but nervous about being caught out. Also disheartened at the national pass rate being about 50%!
Any tips for finally passing / not having a breakdown at hearing 'Unfortunately.."?

My advice is

1. Do your test early in the month because they have quotas and if you eg take test on 29 January and a lot of people have passed that month, it’s much harder to pass as the examiner badly wants to fail you.
2. Do test outside London if you can.

Beta blockers on test number 7.

I'd failed a couple of times then realised that the roads were dead early Saturday morning, so I booked my test then. That's how I passed.

Nerves I think.

Passed on fifth attempt. Got the newish examiner who hadn’t yet passed anyone so I went into it thinking I’d fail. I passed.

I had hypnotherapy! Failed three times and was getting more and more anxious each time. My instructor knew someone and suggested it. I was cynical, but had a session and passed on my next attempt. Might have been coincidence, but maybe there was something to it?

Passed 4th time thanks to beta blockers!

I tried hypnotherapy too @Lucy304

Would they give beta blockers now for nerves? I have a practical exam for something coming up.

I went back to my home town and used my own car which made me more relaxed and comfortable. I'd moved a lot and taken my test in 5 different places in 5 different cars with different instructors. Looking back it makes sense that it took me so long with all that change but at the time it felt soul destroying. On the plus side I'm not fazed by new places anymore.

Oh yes they do. Betablockers are the go-to preventative measure for people with exam nerves

I got pregnant with my second child and desperately needed to pass so I could access childcare for both of them! I was quite heavily pregnant when I took the test for the third time and told the examiner I was just going to keep taking tests one after another until I passed. He looked more nervous than me, gave me the slowest and gentlest emergency stop cue in history, and I passed!

I passed on my 8th test. My driving was fine. But my nerves sent me to pieces on every test and I'd mess up. Been driving 20yrs without an issue now.

After failing my 7th test I actually took a 4 month break from driving. I had no lessons, no practice, I just booked that 8th test - turned up on the day and passed without a single error.

I think having lots of lessons and practices beforehand when actually my driving was fine was just making me more nervous and anxious.

By just turning up on the day and passing proved to myself I just needed to turn up in the right mindset and do it!

You can do it too. Good luck!

Is that true about the end of the month? My son has his test soon on 27th of the month.

I passed 3rd time - like others have said, it was nerves with me too. On my 3rd test I made a stupid mistake that should have been an immediate fail as I sailed through an unmarked crossroads at 30mph and realised as I was already halfway over and I said "I've failed now haven't I? I've just driven through those unmarked crossroads too quickly" and he refused to answer and told me to keep driving and at that moment, I thought "Oh sod it! I'm not doing my test again, so I'll just enjoy my drive!"
To my total surprise my examiner said at the end "Contrary to what you believe, you have actually passed your driving test and although technically I should have failed you, you saved yourself by immediately acknowledging your mistake in full and after that, even though you were convinced you had failed, you drove perfectly because you calmed down"

Try to not pin everything on passing and try to just see it as an opportunity to enjoy a drive and don't be afraid to admit your mistakes out loud - good luck

My first 4 tests I had the head examiner at the test centre, my last one I had a lady, drove in my opinion worse than I had ever done in my other tests & passed. I thought I had failed when I had to reverse round a corner but I asked if I could start again, she said it was up to me & I did it perfectly. I took Bach Rescue Remedy by the bucket load, a couple of my tests my legs were shaking that much I couldn't hold the clutch down.

Ds2 had his third test this morning. Due to no tests locally he had booked in another town, so we downloaded an app with possible routes, booked a hotel for the night and spent yesterday driving the routes to try to familiarise him with the town a little.
We also talked about breathing exercises to help keep him calm and I did lots of reaffirming that he can drive.

He passed.