KB :: Driving test marking

How are driving tests marked?

Myths and rumours abound about how driving tests are assessed. Having a clearer picture of the real process should help give you confidence that you understand what is required when you are approaching your test date.

The basic principle is that the whole drive is continuously assessed, looking at any moments where your driving deviates from the ideal. When this happens the examiner analyses the fault based on the level of risk it has caused and the impact on others and grades it accordingly.

Faults are marked in a number of broad categories such as Control, Junctions, Positioning. Within these categories are individual faults, in the case of Junctions for example these are Approach speed, Observation, Turning right, Turning left and Cutting corners. You can see the up to date version of the test report form online, although the examiner will actually do the marking on a tablet.

How are faults graded?

You usually hear people talking about minor and major faults, but in practice there are four categories.

The first is known as a "not worthy" fault. Something has happened where the outcome isn't perfect, but it is sufficiently minor that the examiner doesn't feel that anything needs noting - it isn't worthy of recording.

The next level is a driving fault. Here, your driving may have increases risk slightly or impacts someone else unnecessarily to a small degree. You are allowed a maximum of 15 driving faults, more than this results in an unsuccessful test, even if no fault in itself is considered more serious. Repeatedly making the same kind of driving fault, can also become a serious fault without an outright serious fault occurring. This is typically when the same problem occurs for the fourth time, but is at the discretion of the examiner and may be affected by the overall impact on your driving and whether the same problem is also being seen at a not worthy level as well.

Then we have serious and dangerous faults, collectively known more widely as major faults. This is where the outcome from your driving increases risk significantly or has a pronounced unnecessary effect on others. The difference between the two categories is to do with the actual level of risk. Where there is actual danger, a dangerous fault is recorded, otherwise it will be a serious fault. In either case, just one of these faults results in an unsuccessful test.

What are examples of each type of fault?

Driving instructors are regularly asked "What is a serious fault? What is a driving fault?" as pupils like to be able to categorise actions in their heads accordingly, but it isn't that simple as it all depends on context and road situation. Lets look at an example and see how the overall context affects the grading of the fault.

A pupil approaches a give way junction a little quickly. Realising they are too fast they end up having to brake reasonably firmly, but slow enough to have good observations and pull out safely. The outcome isn't perfect as there has been firmer braking than absolutely necessary, but the candidate has dealt with their slight misjudgement safely. This would be considered a not worthy fault.

In the next example the pupil is a little quicker approaching or slower to realise their problem. They slow a bit and look, but their observation is slightly rushed, but they still pull out safely. Here the level of risk is beginning to increase. although they have looked and pulled out safely, the rapid observation makes it more likely that a mistake will be made and another road user missed.

Moving it on a bit further, the student doesn't really see where the give way lines are, approaches quite quickly and emerges across the give way lines without observing. Clearly this has a lot of potential danger as the pupil isn't in control of the situation at all, but luckily on this occasion there wasn't another road user in a dangerous position, so a serious fault is recorded.

If the last situation is repeated, but this time the examiner intervenes to prevent an accident with an approaching car which hasn't been seen then a dangerous fault would be recorded.