Closed junctions

A closed junction is one where walls, hedges, buildings or parked cars hide the main road until the driver reaches the line. Geoff Newman calls them one of the biggest reasons people struggle in Sevenoaks, an older town with many more of them than modern developments, and says they catch out a lot of otherwise good drivers.^[1]

Technique

Because visibility on the approach is poor, it isn't always right to keep rolling forward as a driver might elsewhere. The approach is to slow early, stop if necessary, then creep forward until the road can be seen, often described as "creep and peep".^[1][2] Rolling into closed junctions is among the five mistakes Newman sees most from the back seat.^[2]

Listening for traffic

At some junctions visibility is so limited that it helps to open the window and listen for approaching traffic. Newman teaches all his learners to do this. His examples are:^[1]

• turning left from Burntwood Road into Ashgrove Road;
• the end of Brittains Lane, turning into Oak Lane.

This is why "open and close the side window" is one of the official "show me" questions: drivers are expected to be able to open the window and listen when they cannot see. An examiner opening their own window for fresh air can also help.^[1]

STOP junctions

Not stopping at a STOP junction, even when the road looks clear, is one of the three most common failure reasons named by the Sevenoaks test centre manager. A STOP sign requires the wheels to stop completely every time.^[2]

Seeing the gap

When another driver flashes or waves a candidate out, the candidate must still judge it safe for themselves. If they go, a brief "they've said they'll wait" helps an examiner who may not have seen the signal.^[1] On Route 1, a mirror mounted on a building helps with the turn onto Seal High Street from Park Lane.^[1]

References

1. Newman, Geoff (2026). Sevenoaks Driving Test Secrets, chapters 2, 18, 20 and 23 and Appendix B.
2. "Sevenoaks driving test routes". Sevenoaks Driving Lessons.