You needed to show you can use the car’s secondary features and controls and know when to use them. This includes things like windscreen wipers, and heating.

You needed to show you can use these while driving, without losing control of the car.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not turning on the windscreen wipers when it starts to rain
• losing control of the car when using one of the controls
• not using the demisters to clear the front windscreen when needed

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should read pages 61 to 71 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to show you can:

• anticipate other road users’ actions and potential hazards
• react in good time, not at the last minute

You should have been extra careful around more vulnerable road users. This includes:

• motorcyclists
• cyclists
• horse riders
• pedestrians

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not anticipating or showing awareness of the actions of cyclists and other vulnerable road users
• not anticipating or showing awareness of other road users
• pulling up behind a queue of parked vehicles
• not anticipating that pedestrians are about to cross the road at any time

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 204 to 225 of The Highway Code
• read pages 148 to 153 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to keep a safe amount of distance when passing other road users, stationary vehicles or hazards – at least one metre when possible.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• being too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space
• moving back in too soon after passing the vehicle or hazard

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule of The Highway Code 152
• read pages 181 to 183 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to show you can use all the car’s primary controls smoothly and at the correct time. This includes the:

• accelerator
• clutch
• gears
• brake
• handbrake or parking brake
• steering

Your examiner will have monitored this throughout the test.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• over-steering when making a turn, and mounting the kerb
• keeping the clutch pedal held down (coasting) reducing your control of the car
• selecting the wrong gear causing a sudden reduction in your speed, forcing vehicles behind you to slow down
• pressing the brake too hard, or not hard enough

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 117 to 126 of The Highway Code
• read section 3 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. Use the time to familiarise yourself with the car’s primary controls.

You were marked on how you reacted to the examiner’s signal to stop and your control of the car while stopping.

When the examiner asked you, you needed to safely bring the car to a stop. You should have done this without locking the wheels and losing control of the car.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• reacting too slowly when asked to stop
• locking the wheels causing a skid, particularly for cars without an anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during a test, or if you believe you need to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 118 to 120 of The Highway Code
• read pages 95 to 97 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

Your examiner will have started the test by carrying out an eyesight check. You needed to read out a vehicle registration (number plate) of a parked car. You will have had 3 chances to do this correctly.

If you did not read it correctly, you will have failed and not been allowed to continue with your test.

You have to book another test and pay again if you failed.

If you need glasses or contact lenses, you must bring them to your next test.

If you have dyslexia, you can declare this when you book your test. You can then write down the vehicle registration instead of reading it out.

You needed to keep a safe distance when driving behind other road users.

Your distance from the vehicle in front should have been appropriate for the conditions of the road.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• driving too close to the vehicle in front
• not adjusting your distance when there is bad weather, such as rain, ice or fog

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 126 and rule 151 of The Highway Code
• read pages 170 to 172 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• control – your ability to control the car
• observation – your observation of your surroundings when parking

You should have parked your car in a designated space, then reversed out. Your car should have been straight and central within the space.

You should have been checking your surroundings throughout, proceeding only when it was safe to do so.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not being positioned within the lines, and not attempting to correct position
• steering too closely to vehicle in the next bay
• not making effective all round observations when reversing out

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, read pages 244 to 246 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

The examiner assessed your ability to drive with economy and the environment in mind throughout the test. However, this assessment did not affect the overall result of the test.

You needed to:

• plan well ahead to avoid unnecessary stopping
• choose appropriate gears
• avoid heavy braking
• avoid over-revving the engine

If you had to stop for a long period, such as at roadworks or railway crossings, you should have considered stopping the engine to reduce pollution and save fuel.

Your examiner will have explained how fuel-efficient your driving was.

How you can improve in this area

To improve in this area you should:

• read rule 123 of The Highway Code
• read pages 394 to 408 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• overtaking
• meeting
• crossing

You needed to show good judgement when overtaking, meeting and crossing other road users, such as knowing when to proceed, and when to wait for a safer opportunity.

You needed to make your intentions clear, and understand the intentions of the other road users.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not giving way to road users that have priority
• reacting late when meeting an approaching vehicle
• being too close to a cyclist when overtaking
• crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle when turning right

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 162 to 169 and rules 179 to 183 of The Highway Code
• read section 7 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• approach speed – your ability to approach junctions at an appropriate speed
• observation – your effective observation and judgement of your surroundings
• turning right – your position when turning right
• turning left – your position when turning left
• cutting corners – your ability to avoid cutting corners when turning

You needed to show you can drive through junctions safely. You should have observed your surroundings, made your intentions clear, followed road signs and signals, and properly controlled the car.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• incorrectly judging the speed of an oncoming vehicle, forcing it to slow down when emerging from a junction
• not checking for other road users when emerging from a slip road, onto a dual carriageway
• being positioned too far to the left when turning right onto a minor road, holding up vehicles behind you
• approaching a junction too fast, making it difficult to make observations

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 170 to 190 of The Highway Code
• read section 8 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• control – your ability to control the car
• safety – your ability to perform this action safely

You needed to show you could move off safely and under control throughout your test. This included:

• from the side of the road
• on a slope or hill (gradient)
• from behind a parked vehicle, so you have to move off at an angle
• at junctions

You should have used your mirrors and checked blind spots to observe your surroundings, and signalled when necessary. Your control of the car should have prevented it from rolling backwards or stalling.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• trying to move off without appropriate control and rolling back
• not properly checking your blind spots
• moving off into the path of an oncoming vehicle
• repeatedly stalling when moving off throughout your test

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 159 to 161 of The Highway Code
• read pages 89 to 90 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to recognise each type of pedestrian crossing and react correctly to each.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• stopping on a crossing (not before)
• moving off before a pedestrian has completely cleared the crossing
• approaching a crossing too fast
• failing to stop at a crossing

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 191 to 199 of The Highway Code
• read pages 184 to 188 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

When asked to by your examiner, you needed to pull up and stop at a safe place on the side of the road. This needed to be done in the first safe place available.

When parked, your car should not have been a hazard to other road users.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• partially or completely blocking a driveway
• obstructing other road users
• parking with one or more wheels on the kerb
• parking too far from the kerb

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 239 to 252 of The Highway Code
• read pages 239 to 243 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• normal driving – your position of the car when driving such as not driving too close to the kerb or lines
• lane discipline – your ability to maintain your position within the lane

You needed to show you can keep your car correctly positioned on the road, staying within the correct lane, without driving too close to the lines.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• driving too close to the kerb, putting pedestrians at risk
• driving too close to the centre of the road, putting other road users at risk
• driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason
• straddling lanes causing issues for other road users

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 135 and 137 of the Highway Code
• read pages 154 to 157 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

Before you started driving, you should have performed a few safety checks. This includes making sure:

• your seat is positioned correctly and you can reach all the controls
• your mirrors are positioned correctly
• all doors are shut
• the handbrake or parking brake is on
• the gear is in neutral

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• starting the car with the gear not in neutral
• adjusting seat or mirrors while driving

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 97 of The Highway Code
• read section 3 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• appropriate speed – your ability to drive at an appropriate speed for the road and traffic conditions
• undue hesitation – your ability to maintain progress, and not hesitate and slow down when you did not need to

You should have driven at a speed appropriate for the road and traffic conditions, without holding up other road users.

Your examiner will have monitored this throughout the test.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so
• driving too slow unnecessarily, holding up following traffic
• driving well below the speed limit on clear roads
• waiting unecessairly for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 146 of The Highway Code
• read pages 248 to 250 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You should have recognised and reacted correctly to signs and signals on the road. This included:

• road signs
• road markings
• traffic lights
• traffic controllers
• other road users

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• taking up space meant for cyclists when stopping at a red traffic light
• reacting late or not at all to a speed limit change sign
• not stopping at a compulsory stop sign
• driving in a bus lane when sign says you should not
• driving in an incorrect lane that was clearly marked

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check The Highway Code’s sections on traffic signs, road markings and signals by authorised persons
• read ‘Know Your Traffic Signs’
• read section 6 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• control – your ability to control the car while reversing
• observation – your ability to check your surroundings for other road users or hazards while parking

Your examiner will have asked you to either:

• reverse park into a space on the side of the road, behind another car – you should have been within 2 car lengths of the vehicle in front, and parallel to the kerb
• reverse into a parking bay, then drive out – you should have been straight and central with in the space before exiting

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• having to reposition the car a lot, due to poor control
• touching or driving over the pavement
• not taking all round effective observations
• not finishing within the marked bay

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 239, rule 242 and rule 244 of The Highway Code
• read pages 240 to 245 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• control – your ability to control the car when reversing
• observation – your ability to check your surroundings for other road users or hazards

You needed to pull up on the right hand side of the road, and reverse for 2 car lengths. You should have remained reasonably close to the kerb, without touching it.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• not being aware of a hazard or other road user when reversing
• relying on just the mirrors to check surroundings
• touching or driving onto the kerb
• not judging oncoming traffic safely when moving across to the right
• being too far from the kerb when parked

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 200 to 203 of The Highway Code
• read pages 229 to 235 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You were marked on:

• necessary – your ability to use signals when you needed to
• correctly – your ability to use the correct signals
• timed – your ability to use signals that are not too late or too early

Throughout the test, you should have used appropriate signals to let everyone around know what you were about to do. This should have been done in good time.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• signalling left or right, but not turning
• signalling right at a roundabout when you want to go ahead
• signalling too late for the signal to be effective

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 103 , rule 110 and rule 112 of The Highway Code and the section on signals to other road users
• read pages 110 to 114 and 257 to 260 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to show you can use your rear view mirror and door mirrors (wing mirrors) to see what’s behind or to the side of your car. This should be done in good time, well before appropriate situations.

You needed to show you can use them at the correct time, some situations where you needed to use mirrors include:

• signalling
• changing direction or lanes
• changing speed

Your examiner will monitor this throughout your test.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling
• changing lanes on a roundabout without checking your mirrors effectively
• trying to change lanes on a dual carriageway without checking your mirrors effectively
• pulling up at the side of the road without signalling to following traffic when appropriate

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rule 161 of The Highway Code
• read pages 74 to 82 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You needed to show you can drive at a safe and reasonable speed when appropriate. Your examiner will have assessed this throughout your test.

You should have taken into consideration the conditions of the road, the amount of traffic, road signs and signals, and the speed limit. You should have been driving at a speed where you could stop safely, well within the distance you could see to be clear.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

• driving over the speed limit
• not adjusting your speed to road conditions

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

• check rules 124 to 126 of The Highway Code
• read section 10 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2020 edition)

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

You will have been asked 5 vehicle safety questions during your test.

The examiner will have asked you:

• 3 ‘tell me’ questions (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving
• 2 ‘show me’ questions (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving

Examples of faults

You will have been given a driving fault for every incorrect answer.

You will have been given a serious fault if you answered all 5 questions incorrectly, or lost control of the vehicle when answering a ‘show me’ question.

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

To improve in this area, read:

• the guide to the ‘show me, tell me’ vehicle safety questions
• the vehicle maintenance, safety and security section of The Highway Code

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor trainer.

If you passed

Find out what the next steps are to completing your ADI training.

If you did not pass

You can take the test again if you fail at either your first or second attempt.

You have to pay again to book another test.

If you fail the ADI part 2 test 3 times, you will have to retake and pass the ADI part 1 test again.

Find out more about your rights if you did not pass.

Find a registered trainer (if you do not already have one) to help you prepare for your test.