Independent driving is the part of the test where the examiner stops giving turn by turn directions and lets you find your own way, using a sat nav, traffic signs or both. It shows how you will cope once you have passed. Here is exactly what happens, and how to prepare for it in Oxford.
How Independent Driving Works
You will drive independently for 20 to 35 minutes. The examiner will ask you to follow one of these, and they will tell you which before you start.
Directions from a sat nav
The examiner provides the sat nav and sets it up for you. You cannot use your own. Follow the directions, but keep reading the road, as the sat nav will not tell you about hazards, lanes or speed changes in time.
Traffic signs
You may be asked to follow signs to a destination, such as a town or a road number. The examiner will remind you of the destination if you forget it.
A combination of both
Some tests mix the two. Stay flexible, listen carefully to the instructions, and ask the examiner to repeat anything you did not catch.
The examiner will not give you a fault for taking a wrong turning. They will help you get back on the route. What matters is that you deal with it safely: keep to your lane, signal correctly and never make a sudden change of direction to correct a mistake.
What to Practise Before Your Test
Independent driving is not a separate skill. It is your normal driving, with planning added. These are the areas that make the biggest difference.
Plan ahead
Look well down the road and listen for the next instruction early, so you have time to check mirrors, signal and position before you need to turn.
Use your routines
Mirror, signal, manoeuvre and position, speed, look are what keep you in control when you are also thinking about directions.
Read the lanes
Choose your lane early from road markings and signs, especially on multi lane roads and roundabouts. The sat nav is a guide, the markings are the rule.
Understand the signs
Know the difference between primary route (green), local (white) and motorway (blue) signs, so following directions to a place feels natural.
Keep watching others
Directions should never take your attention away from cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers. Safety always comes before the route.
Stay calm after a mistake
If you miss a turn, carry on safely. The examiner will reroute you. Letting a wrong turn unsettle you is far more costly than the wrong turn itself.
Practising Independent Driving in Oxford
Oxford's roads are a good training ground for independent driving, because signs and lane choices change quickly around the ring road and the approach roads into the city.
Independent Driving: Your Questions Answered
How long is the independent driving part of the test?
Can I use my own sat nav on the test?
Do I fail if I go the wrong way?
What if I forget where I am going when following signs?
Feel ready for independent driving
We build independent driving into lessons well before your test, on the kinds of Oxford roads you are likely to meet on the day.
