Sitting for a driving test is already nerve-wracking and when you fail the test, you can feel worse. Knowing that you have failed can impact your confidence and make you shy away from sitting in the test again. However, you should not let failure stop you from going behind the wheel again. The best way is to keep taking driving lessons and going out on rides with an experienced driver to help you get a hang of it. You can enroll for driving lessons for proper instructions.  Read more about how much does driving lessons cost?. 

Here are some of the top driving test fails so that you can avoid them in your next driving test. 

Junction Observations 

One of the primary reasons why beginners fail a driving test is not making proper observations while moving toward and using junctions.  

Here are some of the common ‘Junction Observations’ faults:

  • Judging the speed of a vehicle approaching you
  • Making poor dual carriageway observations when arriving from a slip road 
  • Making poor observations when entering a roundabout 
  • Failing to make observations at crossroads
  • Making no observations
  • Not looking left while taking a left turn
  • Making junction observations too late while turning

Not Using Mirrors Properly 

Not checking your mirrors correctly before changing directions can cause you to fail your driving test. Known as ‘Mirrors – Change direction’, this usually happens when you don’t check mirrors when changing direction, changing speed, or before signalling. 

Some of the common incorrect mirror uses include:

  • Not using or checking mirrors while leaving roundabouts
  • Not using mirrors when changing lanes on a roundabout
  • Failing to use mirrors and causing an approaching vehicle to slow down when changing lanes

Failing to have proper steering control

Poor control of your control will be noted as a ‘Control – Steering’ fault and may be a reason for you failing your driving test. 

Common reasons for failure owing to poor steering control include:

  • Steering too late or not steering enough when turning
  • Steering too late when passing vehicles
  • Poor steering at a roundabout 
  • Mounting the pavements multiple times while trying to pull up on the left

According to Gov.uk reports, 1 out of 10 vehicle accidents in 2019 was caused by poor steering during manoeuvres or turns. You must have control to stop yourself from hitting pedestrians, approaching vehicles, or parked cars. 

Incorrect Vehicle Positioning at Junctions 

Failing to position your vehicle properly when approaching junctions is another common cause of driving test failures. Positioning your car when turning right usually creates a problem with beginners and is noted as a ‘Junctions – Turning Right’ fault. 

The main reasons for incorrect vehicle positioning include:

  • Obstructing traffic while waiting to turn right
  • Incorrectly positioning your car to the left at the end of a road while turning right
  • Positioning your vehicle in the left-hand lane at a roundabout while turning right 

Moving Off unsafely 

If you are positioned behind another car or you are on a hill, it is of utmost importance to move off safely using the available side of the road. The most common faults for moving off unsafely include:

  • Pulling off and causing another vehicle/car to slow down
  • Moving off into the road of an approaching vehicle
  • Repeatedly failing to check blind spots when moving off

Not Following Traffic Light Signals 

Noted as a ‘Response to signs – Traffic lights’ fault happens when you don’t follow traffic light signals properly during the test. Moreover, when the signal turns green you must proceed to move only after making sure that the road is clear. 

Top mistakes when following traffic light signals include:

  • Not stopping when the traffic light turns red
  • Moving your vehicle when the traffic light turns green but the junction is still not clear
  • Stopping at traffic lights after the cyclist’s advanced stop line
  • Not moving your vehicle forward when the traffic light turns green and the junction is clear
Poor Lane Discipline and Positioning

Vehicle positioning and lane discipline are important factors that can cause you to fail your driving test. Some of the reasons for the ‘Positioning – Normal driving’ mistake include:

  • Driving into the right-hand lane unnecessarily on a dual carriageway
  • Going too close to the kerb or closing line repeatedly
  • Failing to follow lane disciplines when using a roundabout 
Not Following Traffic Signs

Not reading and following traffic signs can cause you to fail your driving test. Some common fails relating to responding to traffic signs include:

  • Not stopping at a stop sign
  • Entering a busy lane
  • Not following a no-entry sign 
  • Getting on the wrong side while there is a keep left sign
  • Not following lane signs at a roundabout 
  • Going above the speed limit mentioned in the speed sign 
Poor Vehicle Control when Moving Off 

When moving off you must have proper control of your vehicle. Some people struggle to have proper control when setting off on a gradient, slope, or hill. 

Some of the top poor vehicle control faults include:

  • Stalling or rolling back when moving off
  • Moving off without choosing a gear and causing your car to roll back
  • Repeatedly rolling or stalling when setting off
Not Having Proper Control of Your vehicle/car during Reverse Park 

If you don’t properly control your vehicle/car during reverse parking, it can result in accidents and also cause you to fail your test. You must use reverse parking when you are parking in a nay or doing a parallel parking manoeuvre. 

Some of the common reasons for poor vehicle control during reverse park:

  • Making too many attempts while repositioning
  • Losing control of your vehicle
  • Parking outside of a parking bay

Top Driving Test Fails: Summing Up 

Some faults in the driving test can result in an instant failure. Common reasons for instant failures in a driving test include failing the vision test, crossing over a solid white line, or mounting the kerb. However, it is important to learn from your mistakes and do better the next time you sit for your driving test. If you make more than 15 driver faults, it will result in a test fail. Keep practising till you get confident behind the wheel.