What does the independent drive part of the driving test involve?
An ‘independent drive’ section was added to the learner (and taxi) test on 4th October 2010. For this part of the test, you will drive for about 10 minutes without step-by-step directions from your examiner. Before the introduction of the independent driving section, examiners gave candidates step-by-step directions throughout the whole the test. But during the independent driving section of the test, the examiner will ask you to drive by either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both. (For rest of the test, the examiner will give you directions as normal.) At the start of the independent section, to help you understand where you’re going, the examiner may show you a diagram. It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember every direction, or if you go the wrong way – that can happen to even the most experienced drivers. Independent driving is not a test of your orientation and navigation skills; it is a test of making your own decisions (planning, c
