You have to take and pass a theory test before you can apply to take the practical driving test.

We at All Class Driving Academy advise you to start studying for your theory test immediately.

You must have a provisional licence before you can apply to take the theory test, also before you can drive on the public roads.

You must be 17yrs of age or over, 16 if you are disabled and in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Mobility component at the highest rate. If you are receiving this benefit you may also get help with your tuition fee. See local department for work and pensions (DWP).

Remember you don’t have to pass your theory test before starting driving lessons, so you can book your driving lessons as soon as you receive your provisional licence and you can start on your seventeenth birthday if your licence arrives in time.

The theory test is a computerised test normally taken at a centre near your home. There are two parts to the test, a multiple-choice test and a hazard perception test.

You need to pass both parts before you are given a certificate. Before you take both parts you will be given some time to practice and familiarise yourself with how to use the computer equipment.

If you get stuck using the computer or have any questions, staff will be on hand to help; they will not answer any questions for you.

With the multiple choice questions you will find they will appear one at a time and you can answer by simply touching the screen.

You may return to any questions later and change your answers if you want or need to.

There are 35 questions of which you will need to achieve 30 correct answers in order to pass the test.

The test questions for this part of the exam will last for 40 minutes, for the second part of the test (the hazard perception element) you will get a series of 14 video clips chosen at random from a selection of 200.

This test will assess your ability to identify potential hazards as they develop.

This test will take about 15mins. You can achieve a maximum of 75 points and you need to gain 42 points as of the 1st July 2003 to pass or 44 points from the 1st September 2003 to pass.

In one of the clips you will have 2 hazards to look for so be alert and click the left mouse button to register your awareness of the developing hazard, if you click too many times on any particular clip you may lose points on that clip and the computer will go to the next clip.

If you finish both parts before the time given is up and you have checked your answers then you may raise you arm and a member of staff will see you out to the waiting area where you will receive your results.

You must wait for your results before leaving the test centre and you will need to have passed both the questions and hazard perception test in the complete session to gain a pass of a whole test.

After passing your theory test you have a period of 2 years in which to pass your practical driving test, failure to do so will mean taking and passing the theory test again.

The current fee for the theory test is £28.50

Book your theory test on-line on www.dsa.gov.uk

Books & CD-ROMS/DVD’s for Pc users (Hazard perception practice).

Whilst there are many books and cd-roms on the market to help you study for your theory and practical tests, we at All Class Driving Academy recommend the following including prices and publishers.

1. The Highway Code – £1.49. The Stationary Office (TSO)

2. Driving the Essential Skills £12.99 (TSO)

3. Know your traffic signs £3.00 (TSO)

4. The Official guide to Learning to drive £ 7.99 (TSO)

5. CD-Rom for Pc users: Driving test success with Theory questions & Hazard perception £9.99 (focus/Image-tech)

6. Hazard Perception Roadsense DVD £15.99 (TSO)

All these can be purchased or rented through your instructor. They can also be bought from most leading Bookstores.
It is essential to practice the video clips on a cd-rom in order to give yourself the best chance of passing the hazard perception part of the theory test.

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