Independent Driving

For about 10 minutes of the test you will be asked to drive on your own without any help from the examiner. You will be asked to park the car and then be given up to 3 directions top follow such as "Take the next left, 2nd right and then 3rd right".

You may just be asked to drive to the nearest train station or an area of the city following road signs. You do not need to know the area, read maps or use a sat nav as destinations you are given will be signed.

This has been designed with dyslexia and other conditions in mind so you don't worry if you have to ask for more help.

You may also be given a mixture of directions and instructions such as "Take the 3rd left, 2nd right and then follow signs to the railway station".

For some of these directions you will be given a very basic diagram to help recognise the layout of the roads you will come across.
The examiner can write down the place name so you know how it's spelt on signs, if you want them to do this then just ask.
After each set of directions you will be asked to pull over and given another set.

It is important to realise that you are not penalised for going the wrong way. It doesn't matter how many wrong turns you make or if you end up in completely the wrong place, providing you make all your turns correctly.

The worst thing you can do this part of the test is to suddenly change your mind. Suddenly breaking and swerving can be very dangerous.

To sum up, instead of being given step by step directions you will just have to remember up to 3 instructions at a time, or follow signs, or a combination of both.

The test will now include only 1 manoeuvre.

Areas covered include: Gloucester, Cheltenham, Churchdown, Quedegely, Hucclecote, Abbeymead and Hardwicke.