In fact, it should be reassuring. It means that people taking their tests at different times of day have roughly the same chance of passing (other factors aside). Essentially, taking an 8am driving test will most likely stand you in good stead for a pass.
Mid-morning driving tests
Between 9am and 11am is generally a decent time to take a driving test because it's outside of rush hour and avoids the traffic increase in the run-up to lunchtime.
The best time of day to find a driving test cancellation is between 9am and 11am in the morning. You are more likely to find a vacant spot at this time of the day as learner drivers that intend on cancelling or rescheduling their driving tests, often do so at the start of the day.
You can expect to be at the test centre for about one hour. Aim to arrive at least 10 minutes early, as you'll have a bit of paperwork to do before the test starts. The actual test takes around 50 minutes, and is broken down into five parts.
When can I rebook my driving test? Don't put off rebooking your driving test retake, try and book it as soon as possible. It will need to be a minimum of 10 days away, which is the perfect amount of time to make improvements on the points you struggled with in your previous attempt.
The best time of day to take your test
The worst time slot is between 11am and 1pm with a pass rate of 48%, while the early morning slot of 7am to 9am – when you would assume people would be at their most alert – returns a 50% pass rate.
Hesitation. If you're unsure when to pull out of a junction, or at a roundabout, you won't fail for not going at the first viable opportunity. Try to keep your cool and pull out the next time it's safe to do so. You won't get a minor for holding up the flow of traffic if you miss the chance once, or even twice.
Generally speaking, most examiners will initiate some kind of conversation to put you at ease during your test. It's not intended to be a method of distraction—just a way to help you relax a little and get rid of those test day nerves.
Don't drink energy drinks or coffee before a test as caffeine can heighten your nerves. Bananas are a great choice as they're full of vitamin B and contain tryptophan, the 'happy hormone', which helps in calming your nerves and keeping your mood uplifted.
“Examiners are never given a target pass rate and every test is assessed on its own merits.” It is a common urban legend that examiners have to fail a certain percentage of tests a month, with overly confident students often believing their failed test was unfair or 'fixed'.
A major fault: These are errors that could cause an accident. Major faults can be dangerous or serious. A dangerous fault is making an error whilst driving that another road user must actively act to avoid it. A serious fault is an error which could have caused an accident if someone was there.
The examiner will look to see that you: Make good observations, in all directions, before emerging. Assess the speed of other vehicles accurately. Take advantage of safe gaps as they arise.
You will face many potentially dangerous obstacles during the test, so with a combination of anxiety, nerves and stress (all while you're sitting next to the examiner) it's certainly not easy for anyone. People fail for a multitude of reasons, and passing requires experience and practice, hard work and determination.
The Safest Times to Drive
As far as times, traffic usually picks up in the U.S. between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays due to work. It's a good idea to arrive at work around 8:30 a.m. and leave at 4:30 p.m. to avoid not only the traffic but potential danger.
Don't worry about the wait, though—you can legally drive independently as soon as you've passed your driving test. All of this means that you're free to hit the road straight from the test centre! However, there are some good reasons why you may want to give it a miss.
While it's unlikely you'll fail if you roll back a couple of centimetres during a hill start, if the car rolls back significantly – or worse still, you hit a pedestrian or other road user while doing so, it will lead to a fail.
Can you drive straight after passing your test? Yes! As soon as you pass your driving test, you're a fully-qualified driver.
No they won't know. I failed first time (grumpy examiner, 12 minors 1 major which even my instructor said was a rubbish excuse for a fail, anyway not bitter anymore) and then the second time my examiner was lovely and chatty and much more relaxed. I got the same manoeuvre the second time too and passed with 1 minor.
It's not meant to be easy, and the fact is that over 50% of candidates are just not up to the standard required. Driving examiners don't fail you: you fail yourself. Myth: Driving examiners enjoy failing learner drivers. Examiners are professionals: their personal feelings do not enter into their assessment of you.
Males are 50% likely to pass their practical, whereas females are more likely to fail with a pass rate of only 43%. In 2020, the average pass rate for both genders was 52%.
Their research shows that “between 7pm and 9pm provided the highest average pass rate of 65.4%, while the worst option was between 11am and 1pm”. Even more compelling; the average pass rate increased even higher to 70.8% for new drivers between 7pm and 8pm specifically.
You'll get one driving fault (sometimes called a 'minor') if you get one or both questions wrong. You'll fail your driving test if your driving is dangerous or potentially dangerous while you answer the 'show me' question.