Common Failure Reasons

• Making effective observations before moving into a new road is a crucial aspect of driving.
• It is important to ensure it is safe before proceeding at a junction.
• Any mistakes made in this area will be counted under the 'Junctions - Observations' fault on your driving test result.
• Examples of mistakes that would count towards this fault include failing to judge the speed of an approaching vehicle when turning either left or right from a minor road.
• When you park in a bay, your final parking position is outside of the lines of the bay, this can lead to a 'Reverse park - Control' fault on your driving test result.
• Not following direction arrows on the road can lead to a 'Response to signals - Road markings' fault on your driving test result.
• Not following road markings at mini-roundabouts can lead to a 'Response to signals - Road markings' fault on your driving test result.
• Ignoring a box junction can lead to a 'Response to signals - Road markings' fault on your driving test result.
• When you park in a bay, you lose control of the car, this can lead to a 'Reverse park - Control' fault on your driving test result.
• Crossing double white lines where the line nearer to you is solid can lead to a 'Response to signals - Road markings' fault on your driving test result.
• Straddling lanes on a roundabout is a mistake that can lead to a 'Response to signals - Road markings' fault on your driving test result.
• When you complete a parallel park, either the front or back wheels (or both) on the passenger side end up on the pavement, this can lead to a 'Reverse park - Control' fault on your driving test result.
• When you park in a bay or at the side of the road, you take too many attempts to either: position the car to park within the bay lines or position the car close and parallel to the kerb, this can lead to a 'Reverse park - Control' fault on your driving test result.
• Not keeping control of the vehicle during reverse parking can lead to a 'Reverse park - Control' fault on your driving test result.
• Not progressing when you’re waiting to turn right at a junction and it’s safe to proceed is a sign of poor driving etiquette.
• Ignoring a ‘stop’ or ‘no entry’ sign can be dangerous as it indicates that the road is closed to traffic.
• Driving in a bus lane when a sign shows that you cannot use it at that time is a sign of disregard for the rules of the road.
• There were 1,683 casualties in Great Britain in 2021 where people disobeying traffic lights was a factor in the collision.
• Driving ahead when a green light is showing but the junction is not clear is a sign of disregard for the safety of others.
• Choosing the wrong lane at a roundabout with clear signage can lead to confusion and accidents.
• Failing to react to a red traffic light is a common mistake that can lead to accidents.
• Understanding and reacting correctly to all traffic signs is a crucial aspect of safe driving.
• Repeatedly driving too close to the kerb or centre of the road can be dangerous as it puts pedestrians and oncoming drivers at risk.
• Unnecessarily driving in the right-hand lane of a dual carriageway can be dangerous as it blocks the lane for oncoming traffic.
• Not responding correctly to road markings can be dangerous as it indicates that the driver is not paying attention to the road.
• Cutting across the normal road position when you go ahead at a roundabout with no lane markings can be dangerous as it puts following vehicles at risk.
• Acting late or not at all to speed limit changes can be dangerous as it indicates that the driver is not paying attention to the road.
• Going to the wrong side of a ‘keep left’ sign is a common mistake that can lead to accidents.
• Poor positioning on the road during normal driving can be dangerous as it indicates that the driver is not paying attention to the road.
• Stopping after the first white line when there are advanced stop lines for cyclists is a sign of disregard for the safety of others.
• Throughout the test, when you turn left, you repeatedly understeer, not following the shape of the kerb, meaning there’s not enough space for vehicles turning right to fit alongside your car.
• More than 1 in 10 reported collisions in Great Britain in 2021 were caused by someone driving making a poor turn or manoeuvre.
• During the test, you repeatedly move off from the side of the road with no blind spot checks in situations where they’re needed.
• When you reach the end of a wide road with no road markings, you position in the left of your lane when you’re actually turning right.
• When you turn right into a minor road, you steer late and not enough, causing a ‘swan neck’ effect, and you drive fully onto the wrong side of the new road to correct your position.
• When you want to turn right into a minor road, you position your car too far to the left while you wait for oncoming traffic to clear, causing severe delays to the following traffic on a road where it was wide enough for the traffic to pass you on the left.
• Throughout the test, when you pull up on the left-hand side of the road, you mount the pavement with both passenger-side wheels before the car returns to the road.
• When you need to turn right at a roundabout, you use the left-hand lane when it’s not appropriate, and continue around the roundabout in that lane, causing confusion to several following vehicles.
• After you do the emergency stop exercise, you move off without making any rear observations, having been stationary in the middle of the lane for some time.
• You must steer the car as smoothly as possible and steer at the appropriate time, as steering too early or late can cause the car to hit the kerb or swing out towards another road user.