Page 7 | How to pass a driving test without lessons

ValidPistachio · 04/02/2026 12:29

Ohmygodmother · 04/02/2026 11:20

Hi OP, I took my test a few years ago mid-Covid (ahem four times...). A large part of the test, around 20 mins, will be spent following a route that the examiner puts into a Satnav. Around 1 in 5 tests are spent following road signs instead - two of my tests were! So, it's absolutely worth practising following a Satnav around some of the test routes, and also getting your daughter to "follow signs to X until I instruct you otherwise". I think in my tests the Satnav/road sign navigation was the first half of the test, up to the point we did the manoeuvre, and then they directed me back to the test centre.
As someone with too much experience of driving tests, the things I slipped up on were twice driving into side roads too quickly, and once mounting the kerb trying to clear a path for a lorry!
I'd really recommend Driving School TV on YouTube, he's great at explaining manoeuvres and test technique.

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The test format has changed significantly since you took yours.

TrustyRusty · 04/02/2026 13:31

The things that really helped my son outside of me & his Dad taking him out were the things that have changed since we took our tests. Handbrake at junctions, auto hand brake, feeding the wheel - & the tips on the test routes. The instructor pointed out places where people have been caught out, missed speed limit sign etc. No

TrustyRusty · 04/02/2026 13:32

The things that really helped my son outside of me & his Dad taking him out were the things that have changed since we took our tests. Handbrake at junctions, auto hand brake, feeding the wheel, following signs, reading sat nav - & the tips on the test routes. The instructor pointed out places where people have been caught out, missed speed limit sign etc. No reason you can’t pass without lessons though - practice driving from the test centre in all directions so that she’s familiar with the roads in the area :-)

MalewhoisLaffinalltheway · 04/02/2026 13:47

Congrats on getting a test for two months time! The waiting list where I live, home counties, is at least 8 months unless you want to pay about £500 to use one of those 3rd party pimps!
The Government keep saying they're going to rectify the problem, but when I looked at becoming a test examiner (I'm recently retired), there are never any vacancies.

2026namechange · 04/02/2026 15:18

Well she’s going to need experience of driving on more than just the one route if she wants to pass her test. You need to take her out driving around the test area and practice and test routes.

NotTonightDeidre · 04/02/2026 15:35

Anononony · 03/02/2026 14:36

Practice reversing into a space, around a corner and emergency stop. She needs to know the show me tell me questions too and be able to independently follow a sat nav

I would also do lots of driving around the test centre area, just to and from one place all the time won't necessarily translate the skill to busier junctions etc

Not rtft but in case noone else has mentioned, reversing around a corner isn't a thing anymore. Reverse/parallel park, reverse/forward bay parking, pull up on the right & reverse 2 car lengths are the current manoeuvres.

Biggest thing for most learners is mirrors! Plus, 4/5 point check when pulling away (3 mirrors, plus over the shoulder for blind spot, can't remember the 5th thing, but it's less important).

Hiphipholiday · 04/02/2026 15:42

2026namechange · 04/02/2026 15:18

Well she’s going to need experience of driving on more than just the one route if she wants to pass her test. You need to take her out driving around the test area and practice and test routes.

Op says she’s driven to other end of country on holiday and back using only A roads and regularly driving around their city.

NotTonightDeidre · 04/02/2026 15:48

Just read your replies OP & noticed in one of the threads someone mentioned "show me, tell me". If you haven't already, just Google it. They're a set of questions that require you to show the examiner something (where the oil fill point is for instance) or tell them something (how you'd check your light were working for example).

There was recently a news article about a lad who taught himself to drive using YouTube & passed his test first time. It's absolutely not impossible to pass driving test without lessons.

Good luck to your daughter!!

stargirl27 · 04/02/2026 16:31

She should be fine but I'd recommend she watches some videos on YouTube too. Conquer Driving is a good channel. She should also watch videos of test routes from your centre. It would be good if she could set up a sat nav, but if this isn't possible, they will ask her to follow signs for her independent driving (such as 'follow signs to X').

Good luck to her! I'm currently learning to drive and it's such a palaver arranging everything. I totally feel your pain with instructors not even responding.

2026namechange · 04/02/2026 16:51

Hiphipholiday · 04/02/2026 15:42

Op says she’s driven to other end of country on holiday and back using only A roads and regularly driving around their city.

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That doesn’t matter - you need to do the routes they do on the test. Practice the confusing roundabouts, the bits where you have to be in a specific lane, the one way systems etc.

MorningActivity · 04/02/2026 17:25

2026namechange · 04/02/2026 16:51

That doesn’t matter - you need to do the routes they do on the test. Practice the confusing roundabouts, the bits where you have to be in a specific lane, the one way systems etc.

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I disagree,
dc1 had a crap instructor who didn’t take him on those routes. He still passed the test.
And yes it meant he did a ‘mistake’ on a roundabout - didn’t know he was supposed to go in that inside lane to get where he wanted. He ended up having to take the previous exit. It was FINE. Stressful for him but fine. Not even a minor.

2026namechange · 04/02/2026 17:27

MorningActivity · 04/02/2026 17:25

I disagree,
dc1 had a crap instructor who didn’t take him on those routes. He still passed the test.
And yes it meant he did a ‘mistake’ on a roundabout - didn’t know he was supposed to go in that inside lane to get where he wanted. He ended up having to take the previous exit. It was FINE. Stressful for him but fine. Not even a minor.

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That’s great - sounds as though your DS was lucky. Many people fail not because they are incompetent drivers but because they are nervous and flustered by strange road layouts in unfamiliar places. Why would you not practice those?

MorningActivity · 04/02/2026 17:38

I wouldn’t call that luck.

And yes knowing the roads the test is on help with stress/not being flustered. It doesn’t mean you can’t do it you haven’t been on those roads before.
The OP dd has been driving in many places, many she didn’t know before. I’m not sure thats going to be her biggest problem.

Teenmumgoingcrazy · 04/02/2026 20:39

Bilster · 03/02/2026 14:27

My daughter is keen to pass her driving test. Her dad lives a 8 miles away, can’t drive for medical reasons and the bus there takes ages, so I drop her off and pick her up with her doing the driving and me sitting next to her. We’ve been doing this for a while and she’s a natural. She’s driving perfectly now.

She’s booked a test for 2 months time amd ever since she booked it I have been trying to get her driving lessons. There are just no instructors near us with any availability. I’ve been trying for a few months with no luck. What would it take for her to pass her test with no lessons? What is she likely to fail on? Any tips very welcome cause I’m feeling desperate and don’t want to have to ask her to put the test back.

My son passed his practical test today with 1 minor, he is a natural but this was his 4th test!