Common Mistakes: The Top 10 Reasons People Fail Their Driving Tests

Learning to drive is a mix of excitement and nerves and we know that taking your driving test can feel nerve-wracking. The good news? The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) has shared the top 10 reasons why people fail their driving test—so we’re here to help you avoid those common mistakes! This article will explain further the top-ten reasons for failing written by our instructor.

1. Observation at Junctions

A lack of proper observation at junctions is the most common reason for test failures. Always take the time to check your surroundings before pulling out. Look right, left, and right again, and don’t just glance—make sure it’s safe before moving.

The biggest issue here in my experience is not learner drivers missing cars completely and pulling out in front of them (although this does happen and it very dangerous). What you more commonly see is learners pulling out and affecting the speed of the traffic flow. If someone has to brake when you join a road from behind a junction line (give way, stop etc) then this is a serious issue generally. There needs to be enough time for you to get to the speed limit without the car behind catching you and having to brake or slow down as a result. Some tips to help with this are:

Don’t stare in one direction - Making sure you observe properly at the junction, you should be looking both ways, traffic could be on the left building up, people crossing, cars parking on the left and other dangers. If there is a steady stream of traffic on the right or left, take time to look the other way and assess the traffic, if you watch an experienced driver they will hopefully be looking both ways multiple times before making a decision to move.
Use your rear-view mirror - You should be checking mirrors before you change your speed or direction and regularly to know what is behind on top of that. If you check your centre mirror after pulling out you get another chance to assess the speed of traffic behind, if they are catching you quickly then you can increase your speed a little faster to maintain a better distance, being aware of the speed limit and dangers in front too. This will make you aware of any unforeseen issues behind and any hazards to plan for.
Practice moving off at different speeds - If you are frequently stalling or unable to move off at different speeds when necessary then you should go to a quiet road or a large empty car park and practice moving off at different speeds, this is a skill that will really help when coming to more advanced subjects too, roundabouts for example might require you be move a little faster than moving off at a traffic light on a quiet road. Making good progress when exiting from the middle of a junction too can be important. If you are able to move off quicker then you can make better progress out of the junction if necessary. You should only be coming out when there is a good safe gap though, not rushing with fast speed.
Take your time - Learners will commonly look behind them to see a car and then rush as they think they are holding people up. You can only go when it is safe so be aware of the cars behind waiting but do not rush for them. Rushing will only lead to more nerves, more stalls and pulling out when unsafe.
Start slow and build up - It will take time for some people to develop their judgement of gaps and speed of traffic so start with left turns onto a 20 or quiet road then build up to faster roads or right turns to add to the difficulty. A good way to manage nerves is so build slowly.

2. Use of Mirrors When Changing Direction

Mirrors aren’t just for decoration! You must check them before changing lanes, turning, or manoeuvring. The best rule to follow is Mirror – Signal – Manoeuvre (MSM) to ensure safety at all times.

Make sure to check regularly - When driving you want to know the hazards around you at all times but especially when changing speed or direction. It is essential to get into the habit of checking before you turn, but this is the bare minimum, try to add regular checks so you know what is happening before the final mirror check. If you see a cyclist in the mirrors early then you will not be stressed when you get to the turn as you will already know they are coming. The busier and faster the road is, the more unpredictable it will be, practice on the slower roads so the habit is natural on the more dangerous roads.
What are you looking for? - I ask my students what they are looking for and it’s surprisingly common that people of different skill levels are looking simply because they were told to. This doesn’t help you think for yourself and actually means you’re not really looking properly. An experienced examiner or instructor will see through this. You should always know what you are looking for, turning right for example, you want to see that there is no-one overtaking you before you turn. Maybe you have been stationary for 20 second waiting for a gap in traffic to turn, is someone behind getting impatient and passing you? This is common when you have stopped to let someone pass you when there are parked cars too. Emergency vehicles are another example.
Glance don’t stare - A common mistake is staring at the mirrors for long periods of time whilst the car is moving, this will almost certainly lead to the vehicle drifting, sometimes into another lane or the kerb. Mirror checks should be frequent but short so you can watch the direction of your car and for hazards in front, this is why early checking is so important. If you are someone who drifts when checking blind spots, this should be a quick check, no more than a second or two after you think it is safe in your mirrors.
Plan ahead - If the road is busy then changing lanes will be much more difficult, planning ahead will mean you get more time to find a gap. Your sat-nav or instructor should give you lots of notice, if you are a couple of hundred yards away from your turn and you have to change lanes in busy traffic, this leaves very little time for an inexperienced driver. Start by changing lanes early and when more confident you can do it at the right time. If you can’t make your turn then just do the next one, don’t take risks!

3. Control When Steering

You don’t need a vice-like grip, but you do need to be in full control. Keep both hands on the wheel whenever possible and avoid crossing your hands excessively. Smooth and steady movements are key!

Timing - The most common issue I see with steering is bad timing rather than poor control. Trying to find references for when to start the steering in certain situations can be really helpful at the beginning. If you are struggling to stay in your lane when turning left for example you should head back to a quiet road until you are able to do this. If you are unable to control the steering on quiet roads then this it isn’t a good idea to move onto the busier roads, good steering is extremely important, hence its position at number three on this list.
Technique - Take as long as you need to perfect the technique of push pull steering, this technique allows one of your hands to be free quickly if needed for anything. Essentially you are just pointing the wheels where they need to go, once they have the correct amount of steering you are holding them there. Watching experienced drivers and comparing your steering will usually demonstrate how little steering is needed and how smooth it can be even when turning tightly. If your steering is erratic and fast then you will be more stressed and in less control. Go to a quiet car park and do circles and figures of 8 if you have this option and are struggling with the technique.

4. Turning Right at Junctions

Misjudging gaps in traffic or incorrect positioning can lead to faults. Ensure you position yourself correctly, check your mirrors, and only go when it’s safe.

Practice your position - The position at right turns is an extremely common fault in both learner drivers and experienced drivers on the road. You should be moving as far to the right of your lane to turn right to create space on your left for people to pass, this also is a signal of your intentions. The problem is it is quite scary at first to drive towards oncoming traffic, this is why you should practice this at a quiet time, even stopping if there is no-one behind just to check the position. Testing the position when pulling up on the right beside the kerb in a quiet street is the safest way to do this though. Look in your right hand mirror and if there is a big gap between the centre line of the road and the car, you have to be more to the right. You should have a reference in front of you that guides you into the correct position.

Take up position early - Many drivers will steer into the right turn position late which leaves the back of the car sticking out to the left and preventing traffic passing. It is important to steer to the right earlier so you can allow the back of the car to follow the front and straighten up. A good tip for this is to practice pulling up on the right. This is the same reference and position and much safer than testing it on the main roads.
Blind spot mirrors - If you are still struggling to get the position then small circle blind spot mirrors can really help you see the centre lines beside the car, this will help you assess your position. Remember the blind spot mirrors are a wide view and cars will appear much further away than they are.
Know why positioning is important - Your instructor would ask you why it is important to position correctly when turning right. If you don’t know the answer then you are probably less likely to really try and get this right. You will be completely blocking the road behind you on some roads if you position badly and you will stop traffic for no reason. I was behind someone who positioned poorly turning right and when I stopped the car behind me hit me in the back.

5. Response to Traffic Lights

Be aware of changes in traffic lights. Don’t rush through an amber light unless stopping would be dangerous, and be ready to go when the lights turn green—without creeping forward too early.

Amber means stop! - If you watch drivers on the road you might see some people accelerating through the amber lights or even red, this is dangerous. The highway code states ‘Amber means ‘stop’ at the stop line. You may go on only if the Amber appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident’. Some factors to consider here are:
- How fast am I going?
- How close is the car behind?
- What are the weather conditions?
- Is the vehicle behind large and therefore will brake slower?

I often have a discussion in the car about traffic lights and people will say ‘I had no time to react’ or ‘they just changed suddenly’. It is impossible to think if all the above questions if you are waiting for the lights to change to react.

Anticipate the change - Following on from the above, if you do not anticipate the light changing you will always be reactive and not planning ahead, this leads to accidents and collisions behind. We all know that traffic lights will change so if it is green then you should be anticipating a change. On the approach to a traffic light look behind early, assess what vehicle is behind and if they are close, if they’re not close then you can brake a bit harder if needed, if they are close it might not be safe to stop quickly or at all. Easing off the accelerator slightly and covering the brake pedal on approach to the lights will also make you more prepared, be aware of following traffic if doing this, you have no brake lights until you press the brake pedal so a light press on the brake will be a good warning to the following car if needed.
Practice proper braking - Too many people will coast when they brake and as a result will stop slower and have less control, you will end up in the cycle lanes or past the stop lines more frequently if you coast. To avoid coasting brake first and keep the clutch up, only out the clutch down towards the end of the stop, when you put the clutch down slightly increase the brake pressure to keep slowing, be aware of your gear so you do not stall.

6. Proper Use of Signals

Clear, well-timed signals are essential for safe driving. Always signal in good time to let other road users know your intentions, and remember to cancel your indicators once you’ve completed the manoeuvre.

Timing - It is vital to time the signal to give people behind notice BEFORE you slow down, many people will slow down for their turn and then signal, the car behind has already gotten closer to you if this is the way you signal. What if that car was tailgating or distracted.
Avoid confusion - If there is something that might confuse other drivers then it may be better to delay or in some cases not signal. For example signalling to overtake a cyclist when approaching a number of right turns can be confusing, are you turning or overtaking the cyclist? If the signal is really early for a left turn, are you stopping on the left or turning? Some situation will always need a signal, but try to avoid confusing people.
Turn the signal off - If you are signalling for something that doesn’t require much steering then the signal will often stay on, changing lanes or pulling away from the kerb are examples of this. Remember to manually turn the signal off if needed.

7. Response to Road Signs and Markings

Signs and road markings are there to guide you—ignoring them could land you a serious fault. Stay aware, follow speed limits, and make sure you know the meanings of key road signs before your test.

Speed limits - Know the speed limit, this will sound obvious but I frequently ask students the speed limit on the road and they will not know. The highway code information is below. If there are no signs and you are in a built up area (usually street lights are the sign for this) then it is a 30mph road. Other roads will have a speed limit sign. If you are driving in a rural area look for speed limit signs. You may see the national speed limit sign, this will be 60MPH on a single lane road and 70MPH on a dual carriageway for the same sign.
Where are the signs - I always ask my students where they will find the signs, on the floor, on the left, on the lampposts are common answers. These are all true but at the start of the road or junction is what I am looking for, people commonly miss the first speed limit sign, this is the most important one to spot if you want to stick to the speed limit at all times.
Go the wrong way - A common mistake on the test will be using the wrong lane, for example going straight in a left only lane. In real driving this can cause accidents, this will be marked as a serious in most instances on the test. It is important to get comfortable going the way you didn’t intend to go, if you realise late you are in the wrong lane then follow that lane where it goes and get back on the route. It is okay to safely change lane if you have time to check mirrors and signal. If close to the end of the lane you should still follow the lane you are in where it goes.
One-way streets - Many people will miss the signs for a one-way street and as a result be positioned incorrectly or in the wrong lane completely to turn. Make sure to read the one-way street rules in the highway code and look out for the signs and road markings. If you see all the cars parked facing the same way, road markings all pointing in the same direction or give way signs on both sides of the road, these all indicate a one-way street, however the blue sign is the clear sign. Around one-way streets you will find signs for no entries and two-way traffic too, these are important to spot.
Do the hazard perception - If you are consistently missing signs then you should go back and do the hazard perception test again to practice looking further up the road. You should then repeat this in real driving. Reading aloud the signs you are seeing and the speed limits and looking as far up the road as you can for signs will improve your planning and sign awareness.

8. Lane Discipline

Stick to your lane! On roundabouts and dual carriageways, ensure you’re in the correct lane well in advance and don’t drift between lanes unnecessarily. If you do need to change lanes, always check your mirrors and blind spots first.

Know the rules - The highway code states to keep to the left unless overtaking slow moving traffic or turning right. If overtaking you should return back to the left when safe to do so. Watching others on the road you might see people staying in the right hand lane with no intention of moving back to the left, this would be an issue on your driving test. To further understand this the highway code states “do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake.” However, there are exceptions that apply when a car undertakes in slow-moving traffic if its lane is moving faster than a lane on the right. Staying in the right-hand lane could encourage other road users to undertake you.
Avoid unnecessary changes - Moving across the lanes too frequently increases the chance of a collision. Try to plan the lane change in advance and only move over when overtaking, turning right or creating space for someone to join. Getting comfortable driving in the left hand lane and staying behind the car in front (if they are doing the speed limit), it is not a race.

9. Control at Junctions

Rolling over stop lines or hesitating too much at junctions can cost you. If it’s a STOP junction, you must come to a complete stop before proceeding. If it’s a GIVE WAY junction, assess whether it’s safe to go without unnecessary delay.

Know the road markings - It is important to know what the markings for a give-way and stop sign are and how you should treat them differently. Many people will memorise the theory questions just to pass the test rather than learning the theory to understand the roads.
- The STOP marking is a solid white line across the junction with a red octagon-shaped sign with ‘stop’ written on the sign. You must come to a complete stop at the line, observe then move off. You should not slowly creep forward, you need to fully stop.
- The GIVE WAY markings are two lines of small dashes across the junction. There may also be an upside down triangle painted on the floor or an upside down sign with ‘give way’ written on it. The three signs all are ‘give way’. If you approach a give-way and you can clearly see up the road and it is safe to go, then you do not need to stop, you do need to reduce to a safe speed before joining the road.
- If you do not know the signs or markings then you should go back to the theory.
Speed on approach - The speed on approach to the junction is important, if you are approaching too quickly then you are likely to either overshoot or have to stop abruptly. If you drive down a main road and you see someone approaching a junction really quickly on your left, generally this will spook you so it is important not to have this effect on other road users. Your speed should gradually be reducing so the last few metres you are below 5MPH.
Learn your references - If you aren’t sure whether you are on the line, before the line or hanging out, then you need to find a way to know whilst driving. Your mirror should be just in front of the line then usually you will be a little bit behind, make sure to only move slowly and creep in this situation.

10. Safe and Controlled Moving Off

Whether you’re pulling away from the side of the road, a junction, or traffic lights, always check your mirrors and blind spots before moving. Smooth acceleration and clutch control will also help prevent stalling.

Master the basics - If you are onto the more difficult subjects and road scenarios and you are still struggling to move off safely and check the mirrors, this is a sign to go back somewhere quieter and make sure you have control of moving off fully before attempting more challenging scenarios.
Hold the clutch - If the clutch is not fully up then you won’t stall the car. So you should hold the clutch just above the bite whilst the car builds up a little bit of speed (3 or 4 MPH) then slowly bring the clutch up from this point. You should have a little bit of gas on through the process too. Rushing the clutch is commonly nerves or misunderstanding, try and go slower than you already do or hold the bite a bit longer.
Understand the hazards - If you know what hazards you should be looking for then it is a lot easier, try to think through all the potential hazards in different scenarios and where you would see them, expect the unexpected. I have been overtaken by a car on a traffic light whilst turning right before, this is a reason for the right mirror checks before moving. Cyclists are a good example and they can filter through on either side of you, this might be last minute so you need to check before moving.

Final Thoughts

To avoid these common mistakes it is important to be critical of your own driving and put sensible steps in to improve. Repeating the same thing is not normally the most effective way to learn. Take lessons with an instructor, go out with a reliable family member on quiet roads and car parks, watch videos and find somewhere to practice the small things, these will add up to make the big differences.

Try to enjoy driving, I loved my lessons and love to drive, putting the hard work in early makes driving relaxing and safe for the future and you will ace the test.

Good Luck!

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