Learners
Driving test manoeuvres
What are the different driving test manoeuvres?
Ryan Barham
Last updated: 15/10/2025
Ryan Barham
Last updated: 15/10/2025
After many hours of driving lessons and private practice, it’s time to take your driving test. This can be a stressful time and you need to be fully prepared. Whether driving an automatic or manual car, the 40-minute test will follow this outline:
Parking manoeuvres form part of the Reversing your vehicle section of the driving test. Have you mastered the following manoeuvres?
To pass your test, you need less than 15 minor driving faults and no major or dangerous faults. The manoeuvres can play a big part in whether you pass or not…
Now, we’ll let you know what to do for each one, why it’s important and how it will help once you have your full driving licence.
Parallel parking will help you prepare for street parking. With this manoeuvre, you’ll normally reverse into a space in a line of parked vehicles, getting as tight to the kerb as you can. To pass your test, you should know how to reverse accurately and smoothly, steer in the correct manner, observe correctly, be able to reverse without undue delay and take account of the way the car moves while you reverse.
You need to gain the skills to pull up on the right-hand side of the road and park safely before you drive independently. This manoeuvre involves reversing two car lengths and then rejoining traffic. It shows you can coordinate your hand and foot controls, use your observational skills beyond your mirrors and know where you can park legally, safely and conveniently.
There is a three-step process to pulling up on the right-hand side of the road:
Every time you pop to the shops or anywhere with a car park, you’re going to have to park in a bay.
You won’t be told until you’re doing your test whether the examiner wants you to reverse in and drive out or drive forwards and reverse out of the bay. It’s worth mastering both options.
You’ll then have to reverse out. Put your car into reverse and do your observational checks. If all is clear and safe, reverse out slowly and once you’re approximately a third of the way out, steer in the opposite direction that you want to turn. Once out of the space, check your mirrors and blind spot and start driving forward.
Driving out is straightforward. Just check your mirrors and blind spots for dangers or obstructions. Drive forwards slowly and once you’re one-third out of the space, you can drive in the direction you want. Just be aware of your surroundings.
Not necessarily. If you make an error and rectify it, you could receive a minor fault (you’re allowed up to 15 of these) but if you can’t complete the manoeuvre or end up hitting the kerb or another vehicle, this will be classed as a major or dangerous fault. Either of these are a fail.
This depends on the individual. Some people may find parallel parking more of a challenge than parking in a bay. Others may not be entirely comfortable with rejoining traffic after pulling up on the right-hand side of the road. It’s important to practise these manoeuvres during your driving lessons.
The more you do each manoeuvre, the more confidence you will gain. Although it may be repetitive and some of them may take some getting used to, these are all valuable skills that you will be using well beyond your test.
Private practice gives you more time to learn ahead of your test. Buy some learner driver insurance and you can continue to learn in a friend or family member’s car outside of lessons with an instructor. Available from 12 hours to 28 days, this temporary car insurance is fully comprehensive and won’t affect any existing no claims discount.
Following a public consultation and trials, the DVSA made a number of changes to the driving test in 2017 which still remain in place today.
These included increasing the independent driving part of the test from 10 minutes to 20, following directions from a sat nav and the addition of the ‘show me’ (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task while driving), ‘tell me’ (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task ahead of driving) questions.
There’s a one-in-three chance that you will be asked to perform an emergency stop during your driving test. Whether or not you do one will be up to the examiner. If you are going to do a controlled stop, the examiner will first ask you to pull over before explaining that they’re going to raise their hand and say ‘stop’ once you are driving again.
Once you drive off again, you will continue to drive normally until they perform the action. The examiner will be looking out for the following:
Be aware that different conditions may cause the car to skid or swerve. Leave extra space and turn into the skid.
The turn in the road, or three-point turn as it’s often referred to, has not been featured in the driving test since 2017 but is still a skill worth learning. You never know when you might need to change course to get where you need to go.
The first thing to do is ensure it’s safe to perform a turn in the road.
Look for the best location on the road, away from parked cars, junctions and people’s driveways. The wider the road, the better.
Remember that sometimes there will be more than three points to safely turn your car around. You should also always make sure the road is safe. If it’s a busy road, you should head to a roundabout or car park where it will be much safer to turn your car around.
https://readytopass.campaign.gov.uk/driving-skills/manoeuvres/
https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/what-happens-during-test
https://www.passmefast.co.uk/resources/get-test-ready/practical-test/driving-test-manoeuvres
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-test-changes-4-december-2017
https://www.theaa.com/driving-school/driving-lessons/advice/beginners-guide-to-an-emergency-stop
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/learning-to-drive/how-to-do-a-three-point-turn/
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/learning-to-drive/how-to-parallel-park/
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/how-to/how-to-guide-bay-parking-on-your-driving-test/
The DVSA suggests a learner needs an average of 45 hours of lessons with an instructor and 22 hours of private practice to pass their test. If you’re getting extra time with a friend or family member, make sure you have learner insurance. Check out our driving test tips blog post for more advice and recommendations.
Reversing around a corner is no longer a manoeuvre featured in the practical driving test. It’s still a useful skill to have so it is worth practising. This manoeuvre develops both steering control and your observational skills, as well as building confidence when it comes to reversing.
You will be asked to perform one of the following three manoeuvres during your driving test.
There’s also a one-in-three chance you will be asked to perform a controlled stop (also known as emergency stop).
No, you will only have to do one manoeuvre (parallel parking, pulling up on the right-hand side of the road or bay parking) during your test. You may also have to perform an emergency stop.
If you get over 15 minor faults, you will fail your test. These minor faults can add up during a manoeuvre if you are not making the correct observations. If you make a serious or dangerous fault (e.g. hitting the kerb) while performing your manoeuvre, you will fail your test.
The more you drive the car and practise the manoeuvres, the more comfortable and confident you will become. One way of getting in extra time to master the manoeuvres is to get extra private practice with a friend or family member. To do this, buy learner driver insurance and enjoy anything from 12 hours to 28 days’ comprehensive cover.
During your driving test, minor faults may result from small errors or needing a second attempt at a manoeuvre, provided safety is maintained. However, serious mistakes like hitting the kerb, losing control or causing danger will lead to an automatic fail. Stay calm, observe constantly, control your vehicle, and remember that safely corrected errors won't necessarily result in test failure.
The parallel park, considered the most challenging driving test manoeuvre, requires careful distance judgement, precise steering, and skilful clutch control. To master it, maintain slow, precise clutch control; continuously observe, including blind spots; apply the 1-2-1 steering method; and avoid rushing. By staying calm and slow, you can successfully accomplish parallel parking.
A passing manoeuvre is the act of safely overtaking another vehicle on the road to continue your journey. It's important to understand that this manoeuvre does not involve any form of contact like bumping or causing the other vehicle to spin off. It's purely about controlled, non-contact overtaking.
Parallel parking, often considered the toughest driving test manoeuvre, requires mastering clutch control, accurate distance judgement, and speed management, especially in manual cars. It also involves monitoring pedestrians and other vehicles, which can be challenging in busy areas. However, with practice and techniques like the 1-2-1 steering method, thorough observation checks, and patience, you can master it. Always prioritise safety over speed.
Mistakes during your driving test won't always result in failure. Minor faults, like insufficient mirror checks, can accumulate and cause a fail if too frequent. Major faults, such as dangerous driving, lead to automatic failure. Maintaining calmness, focus, and adherence to road rules enhances your success chances.
The UK driving test includes four manoeuvres: reverse bay park (driving into a bay and reversing out), forward bay park (similar to reverse but in forward motion), parallel park (reversing into a road space), and pull up on the right (stopping on the right side, reversing, and rejoining traffic). An emergency stop isn't standard but may be requested.
The 2025 UK driving test requires executing one of three reversing manoeuvres: parallel parking, forward bay parking, or reversing two car lengths from the right-hand side. You may also need to perform an emergency stop. The examiner focuses on vehicle control and observation skills. Mistakes can often be corrected. Using the clutch aids control during manoeuvres. Be prepared for all scenarios.
The UK driving test, since December 2017, no longer includes the 'Turn in the Road' or three-point turn, nor reversing around a corner, to reflect real-world driving. Instead, candidates must execute one of three reversing manoeuvres: parallel parking, bay parking, or pulling up on the right, reversing for two car lengths, and re-joining traffic. Despite not being test requirements, three-point turns remain useful in real-life driving, hence worth learning.
The most challenging aspects of the driving test often include managing busy junctions and roundabouts, executing complex manoeuvres like parallel parking, and mastering clutch control for hill starts. Common pitfalls are ineffective observation at junctions, difficulty with manoeuvres, poor clutch control, and stress management. To succeed, extensive practice, keen observation, calmness, and mastering the basics are essential.
Master parallel parking in five steps: find a suitable space, align your car parallel to the vehicle in front with half a metre's distance, reverse into the space, adjust your position, and ensure safe, considerate parking. Practice is key, and it's acceptable to choose another spot if the first isn't comfortable. Prioritise safe driving.
A common mistake in parallel parking is failing to signal before starting, which can confuse other drivers and increase accident risks. Turning the steering wheel too early is another error, potentially disrupting your parking angle and causing your car to hit the curb or another vehicle.
Parallel parking can be challenging due to the need for strong spatial awareness to accurately judge distances and angles, and the often narrow spaces that allow little room for error. This can be particularly daunting for inexperienced drivers, as mistakes may cause damage to their own or nearby parked cars.
The emergency stop is included in UK driving tests, but not all candidates are asked to perform it. The inclusion is random, typically involving one in three learners. The examiner will signal, requiring a quick, safe response. The aim isn't to halt the vehicle rapidly, but to demonstrate control and safety during an abrupt stop.
In a UK driving test, immediate failure occurs if you commit a dangerous fault (a major safety risk), a serious fault (a risky mistake potentially causing an accident), or over 15 minor faults. Minor faults may include failing to observe at junctions, forcing another car to evade, or ignoring traffic lights.
To perform an emergency stop, apply full pressure to the brake, keeping hands on the steering wheel. In manual cars, press the clutch before stopping to prevent stalling. In automatics, use the handbrake and shift to 'Park'. After halting, check mirrors and blind spots before resuming. If your car has ABS, wheel lock-up isn't a concern. If not, ease off the brake if wheels lock for control.
Failure to execute an emergency stop correctly can lead to a failed driving test. This can be due to loss of control, skidding, slow response to the examiner's command, poor braking, unsafe driving resumption, or inadequate checks before moving off. To pass, secure the car post-stop, conduct thorough traffic checks, and move off only when safe. Avoid mirror checks during the stop, but remember to do so before moving off.
To execute a 3-point turn, signal right and pull over. Next, signal left, check traffic, and turn left across the road. Then, shift to reverse, turn right, and reverse to the opposite kerb. Always check for traffic to ensure safety. It may be challenging initially, but practice makes it easier.
The three-point turn has not been part of the UK driving test since December 2017. It's been replaced with one of three reversing manoeuvres: parallel parking, bay parking, or pulling up on the right and reversing. However, learning a three-point turn remains beneficial for daily driving, such as exiting dead-end roads. Your driving instructor should still teach this practical skill.
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