How Talking to Your Examiner Can Help on YOUR Test Day TO PASS

​At Richmond Driving School (RDS), we understand the nerves that can come with taking your practical driving test. That's why we encourage our students to engage in friendly conversation with their examiner before and during the assessment. A bit of well-timed chatter can help put you at ease and boost your confidence behind the wheel.
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THE BENEFITS OF OPENING UP​

​In the past, driving test examiners were restricted from making casual conversation to ensure fairness across all their driving tests. However, today's driving test examiners are encouraged to create a more relaxed environment that simulates real-world driving conditions.
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Talking to your driving test examiner serves two key purposes:

1. Easing Nerves - A friendly chat can often help calm your anxiety, increase familiarity and make you feel more comfortable, just as you would with another passenger in the car after passing your test.
2. Realistic Assessment - Conversing with the examiner adds an element of realism, allowing them to evaluate your ability to drive safely while having a conversation which is a common occurrence in everyday motoring.
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Tips for Constructive Conversation 

While we recommend engaging your driving test examiner in dialogue, it's crucial not to let the chat become a distraction that compromises your driving performance. Here are some tips for constructive conversation:

• Ask general or specific questions about the driving test route or procedures if you need clarification,
• Comment on your decision-making process, e.g. "I'm slowing down here due to that parked car's blind spot",
• Discuss general driving topics like road rules, other drivers mistakes or vehicle maintenance,
• Keep it light and avoid controversial subjects that could make either party uncomfortable. And necer talk about politics, race or religion ;).

Remember, the driving test examiner will gently remind you to focus on driving if the conversation wanders or starts to hinder your attention and driving. But likewise driving and talking can show confidence in your own driving ability and also your experience behind the wheel if you are able to essentially multi-task.
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The Right to Remain Silent

​Of course, not every student feels the need for chit-chat during their assessment. If you prefer to remain silent and fully concentrate on operating the vehicle during your driving test, that's perfectly acceptable too. Examiners understand that different candidates have different needs and approaches, and they will not judge you for adopting a quieter approach. In deed some examiners may prefer this as you may prefer not to engage in friendly chat.
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Post-Test Feedback

​Whether you pass your driving test or need a bit more practice, be sure to listen attentively to the examiner's post-test feedback. Their insights can help reinforce good habits or identify areas for improvement to make you an even better driver going forward and ultimately pass your driving test at the next attempt.

The key is to approach your driving test in whatever way makes you feel the most comfortable and confident. At RDS, our driving instructors will fully prepare you to stay calm and composed throughout the entire process. We'll have you cruising the roads of Richmond with skill and poise in no time!

10% of people fail their driving test because they were too nervous

It's really important driving skill to be able to control your nerves. If you are a nervous person or the type that just does not like exams or test we can help.

Our driving instructors can get you to:

• drive in an unfamiliar area or location,
• bring someone along as a passenger you don't know,
• arrange a driving lesson with another instuctor under exam style conditions,
• Give you some helpful tips to helo with your berves such as engage in a conversation with your examiner and ask him a couple of questions not specifically about driving, to break the ice and potentially your nerves.

We can help you get past your driving test exam nerves.

20% of people who fail their driving test say the reason they failed is because they were marked too harshly.

20% of people who fail their driving test say it's because they were marked too harshly.

This is simply untrue, ask your driving instructor to do a mock driving test exam and see how you fair, then get him to get a fellow driving instructor to sit in and see how your nerves fair?!

Most Common Mistakes made when Taking THE Driving Test

It might not suprise you that the most common reason why people fail their driving test is failure to look.

This can be broken down to various scenarios but it is basically due to lack of observation. Looking,
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Especially at key points or potentially dangerous scenarios in your driving test such as at: junctions, roundabouts, pulling out, turning left or even right, or something as simple as breaking. And this includes failing to check mirrors when changing direction.

Most Common Driving Test Failures

Take a Mock Driving Test

At RDS we can arrange mock driving tests with another driving instructor to simulate the kind of experience and atmosphere you will experience in your actual driving test. This has shown to almost double your chance of passing your driving test in London. Are you ready to pass?