Motors DSA Theory test & Practical Test help and advice thread

I'm looking to do my theory test soon, I've read the highway code and im trying to learn all the signs, I'm getting only around 36/50 in mock tests and im not doing too well on the hazard perception either

Is there anyone who has passed recently who has any advice they can share, I would really appreciate it

Also how much revising should I be looking at doing and for how long

 

Do you have a software mock test version? I've never read the highway code and just did the mock test quite a few times over, and passed quite easily. I probably only did around 3-5 hours of revision but at that point I was having regular driving lessons and driving my own car with supervision so I had a lot of the practical experience already.

A few of the cleverest people I have known who have gone on to be fine drivers have failed the test first time so don't worry if you are struggling a bit.

 

I passed mine just before Xmas, I used the practice tests from here (and a few others but these two were the ones I did a few times)

https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/learners/i-want-drive/car-practice-theory-tests

When I did take the test the questions were so similar, to the 2 practice tests from the site above, I'd say 75% were covered near exactly in the actual test. If you just drill these in along with your highway code reading you'll be fine.

For the hazard perception I practised using the AA website but it seems to be down at the moment. Any which run you through the correct answers at the end will be good practice so you then know what you may have missed or not recognised as a hazard.

Good luck

 

A hundred times this for the question bit, just keep answering until you get 90% plus every time.

Regarding hazard perception it's just a case of keeping your eyes peeled. If in doubt press the button, but do not press it repeatedly for one hazard!

 

Get the DVD if you've not got it - it even looks the same as it looks in the test centre. And just do it every night.

I mean, everyone is different, but I have passed it 2 out of 2 times - once when I was 17 and once when I was 25, and I just sat there and did the DVD over and over again.

My girlfriend did hers at the end of last year and spent loads of time reading and re-reading the highway code, and doing the DVD and she passed first time.

the hazard perception bit I found hard to understand, both times I did it. The second time I got higher marks, but once again if you have the DVD it has all the videos on it, so just practice The hardest thing I found with hazard perception was sitting there and keeping my attention focused through the 10 million videos they make you watch.

 

As a 33-year old man who still hasn't passed his test, this thread is relevant to my interests.

 

I let my g1 license expire after 5 years (In Canada you have 5 years from g1 to full g license, or you have to start over). The g1 is also theory, and I just used online tests and read through the book once or twice. Maybe a few hours of studying was all it took to pass the 1st time. I do need to get around to re-writing it.

 

I have just done the first sample test, from the link above and scored 48 from 50, most of it seems to be just simple common sense and it beats me why some people find it so hard.

BTW, I passed my test 31 years ago, 25 minutes driving round the city (Wells in Somerset) and answered 2 questions. Easy.

 

I failed 4-5 times and found that installing a app on my phone and just using it every time i was either bored or on the toilet helped did this for a couple days and passed first time after that...

The hazard perception test was hit and miss and a right pain the back side from the beginning.

 

thanks for the helpful replies, I think i will be good to go for the theory once ive learned a little more but the hazard perception i thought would be easy but its the hazard perception which im failing by a bigger margin in the mock tests

 

my instructor told me that for your hazard perception, you need to click every time you need to put an input into the car. (steering or brakes) the videos are set up, so just be aware of pedestrians and cars pulling out, and click when you are braking or pulling into another lane.
That was the advice i was given and i passed my car theory and motorcycle theory first time.

Also using apps on your phone does help you get used to the questions. good luck, hope you pass soon

 

I've did the first clip on hazard perception tody using the official app, on the first clip i scored 0 points because i spotted the runner too early if i clicked a few seconds later i would've got 5 but as i was slightly quicker i got 0

 

My 2p
I tried to learn to drive, past my theory test, but then failed the practical twice.
A few years later I tried again, past the theory and past the practical with 3 minors.

Read the highway code, buy a book of sample questions, now there are undoubtedly online places that you can test yourself, although I can't comment. Keep plodding away at it. Don't obsess about it just keep trying, it'll happen. If you have the opportunity, sit in a car with an experienced and competent driver, parent/relative etc. Ask them to talk through the reasons for their behaviour whilst driving. I was fortunate in that my dad has been driving as a career choice (HGV driver) for 40 odd years when I was learning, but before that, even as a kid, my brother and I were tested and being taught, what is this sign, what does that mean, why is this ... what does that do etc

The benefit of probing a seasoned driver is that they will explain why to do something and other ways to think about stuff. A book can only tell you so much.

What is the difference between a triangle sign and a circle sign?
Why is a stop sign octagonal?
etc etc

In answer to post #12
It is not necessarily about spotting what may be a hazard, but what is a hazard.
In other words, the runner may not have been a hazard when you spotted it, but did become a hazard a couple of seconds later, though having not seen the clip I can't say for sure...


Anyway, good luck!

 

As a 32 year old man who is regularly nearly killed by young idiots driving tinny hatchbacks, me too.

 

As a man that passed my test 43 years ago I regularly try my best to run as many young idiots off the road as possible.

 

Sorry if this is too late but I have recently took and passed my theory test. The best way my partner and I found was to buy the dvd and literally just keep doing them over and over again. You just learn so quickly, baring in mind I cant revise what so ever. Just make sure you fully understand how the hazard perception point system works. There a time interval where it counts down from 5-1 in which you have to click to get the relevant points.

 

not late at all thank you for your advice I haven't took my test yet as im still revising but i am hoping to take it soon in the near future

 

Not sure if youre aware of this but the questions on the official dvd you can buy and the questions on the test are pretty much exactly the same. I literally just memorized the answers to the questions as they are even worded the same. If you just keep going over and over every night you will pass with ease.

 

thanks, i think i will be ok for the multiple choice questions, its the hazard perception where i am no good, I did all 10 clips on the official app today on some i clicked to early, im thinking from now on if i click as usual then click again after a second or two just incase i am to early the first the first time only problem with this is i don't want to get disqualified for clicking too many times

 

iiRC it was A LOT of clicks to get the clip disqualified, it's more in place to stop you mashing the mouse for the whole clip or pressing them at 1 sec intervals so you hit every hazard without actually seeing it.