Driving Test Manoeuvres

The practical driving test will involve you taking one of the possible four manoeuvres. Occasionally, time permitting, the examiner may even request two manoeuvres.

You will not know which manoeuvres the driving examiner will request, so you need to learn them all. This section covers in-depth tutorials for all four manoeuvres designed and written by experienced and qualified driving instructors.

The tutorials have every aspect of the manoeuvre covered, including appropriate observations and reference points. It will take time to learn them until proficient, but if followed correctly, you will pass that section of the driving test.

Driving manoeuvre tutorials

The manoeuvre tutorials are written by highly experienced and fully qualified driving instructors. If the tutorials are followed precisely, it will lead to a pass within this section of the driving test. Learner drivers should start manoeuvres at the earliest point in their driver training that they are capable of doing so.

By doing this, manoeuvres should be fluent by the time they reach test standard. A driving test can easily be failed on a manoeuvre. Plenty of practice is required ensuring you are slow, accurate with plenty of observation in order to pass the driving test.

Best cars for manoeuvres

Using a small car although not essential, may prove beneficial whilst attempting a manoeuvre. Using a car that enables you to easily and clearly see all around 360 degrees should also prove beneficial as cyclists and pedestrians are easily spotted. A car that utilises engine management may allow you to move slowly by using the clutch only without the need for the accelerator. This can prove beneficial as it allows you stop quickly as you can place your right foot over the brake and not the accelerator.

Manoeuvre tutorials

The four possible manoeuvres are pulling up on the right, forward parking into a bay, reverse parking into a bay and parallel parking. Straight reverse, hitting the kerb and road camber are additional guides to help. Reverse around a corner and turn in the road are no longer conducted on the driving test. However, we have decided to leave them as they are often useful in real life and some instructors continue to teach them.

Straight reverse

The straight line reverse is the first manoeuvre to be learnt as it helps learner drivers starting off with a key understanding of the driving test manoeuvres listed below. Once the straight line reverse is mastered, the other four manoeuvres become much easier.

Pulling up on the Right

Pulling up on the right is a new driving test manoeuvre and one that many driving instructors have begun teaching. The exercise is potentially hazardous due to parking against the flow of traffic. This tutorial explains the manoeuvre and what the test candidate needs to do in order to succeed. Also covered are the potential complications with pulling up on the right and pulling up on the right reference points.

Forward Bay Parking

One of the new manoeuvres introduced into the driving test is the forward bay park. This tutorial covers forward bay parking in depth, specifically detailing key hazardous areas and what you should be done. Also covered are reference points which are used to help learners complete the manoeuvre.

Bay parking

The reversing into a bay manoeuvre that many struggle with, this bay parking tutorial offer an easy technique to follow with diagrams. This manoeuvre is often failed on the driving test due to a lack of knowing all the facts. This tutorial explains all. Bay parking reference points tutorial offers additional help for establishing reference points in this driving manoeuvre.

Parallel parking / Reverse parking

Commonly known as the most difficult manoeuvre, the parallel parking or reverse parking manoeuvre tutorial as it’s also known, features a complete guide with helpful diagrams. Providing this manoeuvre is taken slowly, with plenty of observation, reverse parallel parking is easy if using all the reference points used. See also the parallel parking reference points guide and once you have read through the tutorials, take a look at the parallel parking quiz test.

Reverse around a corner

Tutorial for reverse round a corner manoeuvre complete with diagrams and reference points. The reverse round a corner manoeuvre is no longer requested on a driving test, but it’s still a useful exercise to learn for when you’ve passed the driving test.

Turn in the road

In-depth tutorial for the turn in the road, previously known as the 3 point turn manoeuvre. No longer requested by driving examiners, but due to this manoeuvre being carried out frequently by full licence holders, it’s a useful exercise to learn. After you have studied the turn in the road tutorial, have a go at the turn in the road knowledge test quiz.

Hit the kerb

Learner drivers are often prone to hitting the kerb in driving lessons, on manoeuvres and quite often during a driving test. This tutorial offers reference points to help avoid hitting the kerb and advice during a driving test if you should hit the kerb either during a manoeuvre, whilst parking or whilst driving.

Road camber

Road cambers combined with the lack of a learner drivers ability to sufficiently control the car cause many driving test failures each year. Explained is what a road camber is, plus the different types of road camber.