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Driving test tips

To pass the Irish driving test it is necessary to:

* Maintain proper control over the vehicle at all times.

* Show anticipation and awareness.

* Take proper precautions when moving off, stopping, overtaking, changing direction and meeting other traffic.

* Maintain safe and reasonable progress when driving and when meeting and crossing the path of other vehicles.

* In order to sit the Driving Test you must hold a valid Irish provisional licence or Learner Permit and you must have held it for at least 6 months on the day of the test.

* All other learner drivers must complete EDT before taking their driving test. A date for the driving test will not be allocated to a learner driver until the full EDT programme (12 lessons) has been completed and their driving instructor has logged all these lessons on to the RSA records system.
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The Day Of the Driving Test:

* You should be present in the test centre before the appointed time of your test. If you are late, the test cannot be conducted and fee will be forfeited.

* The Driving Tester will check your Learner Permit to establish that it:

- Relates to you
- Is current
- Is correct category of vehicle

* You will be asked to read and sign a statement confirming that:

- The vehicle insurance cover is in place and adequate
- Your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.
Further information in relation to vehicle road worthiness will be provided with your test appointment letter.

Test:

The Driving Test is straightforward. For Cars it will last about 40 minutes and will include:

* Questions on the rules of the road including road signs.
* Reversing around a left corner.
* A turnabout in the road.
* A hill start
* Driving approximately 10 km under a variety of road and traffic conditions.

Your driving will be assessed in the following situations:

* Moving off.
* Driving in traffic.
* Stopping.
* Reversing round a left corner.
* Turing about to face in the opposite direction.
* Starting on a hill.

Aspects of your driving assessed in:

* Road positioning.
* Overtaking and passing.
* Anticipation and observation.
* Use of mirrors and signals.
* Progress.
* Speed.
* Compliances with traffic lights road signs and markings.
* Use of the vehicle controls accelerator clutch gears breaks and steering.
* Use of secondary controls.

Useful information to help you:

* The driving tester will realise that you may be nervous and will try to put you at ease.
* Unlike your instructor the driving tester will not offer you encouragement or advice. You should not be put off by this formal approach which is designed to ensure fairness to all applicants.
* While you will be given clear directions throughout the test should you not understand a particular direction ask the driving tester to clarify it.
* If you make a mistake do not worry unduly. It may not be as serious as it appears and may not mean you have failed your test.
* A supervisory tester may accompany the tester this is quite normal.

Common faults contributing to test failure:

* Inadequate observations moving off at junctions, at roundabouts and when changing lanes.
* Failure to anticipate the actions of other drivers.
* Incorrect road position on the straight, on bends, turning left, turning right, at roundabouts and when overtaking.
* Inadequate progress at junctions roundabouts on the straight and when turning right and when overtaking.
* Incorrect or inadequate use of mirrors and signals.
* Non compliance with traffic controls eg. road markings, road signs, traffic lights.
* Incorrect, inadequate or inappropriate use of vehicle controls including gears, clutch, accelerator, steering, handbrake, foot brake and secondary controls.
* Excessive speed for the road or traffic conditions.
* Failure to yield right of way to others.
* Lack of competence in the reverse and turnabout maneuvers.

If you pass:

* You will receive a certificate of competency to drive. This enables you to apply to your local motor taxation office for a full driving licence.

If you fail:

* You will receive a detailed report on which faults occurred on the test. Pay particular attention to these when preparing for your next test without of course neglecting other aspects of your driving.
* A person aggrieved by a decision of a driving tester may appeal to the appropriate District Court under section 33 of the road traffic act 1961 . The District Court may either refuse the appeal or if satisfied the test was not properly conducted direct that the applicant be given a further test without payment of another fee.