Test-day nerves
One Sevenoaks examiner summed up most driving tests as "a test of nerves". Geoff Newman lists test-day nerves among the five things he sees fail candidates most often, because they make capable drivers do things they never do in lessons and turn one small mistake into several.[1][2]
Four techniques
- Look forward, not back. After a mistake, focus on the next junction and the next instruction, and try to make that perfect.
- Breathe. Some candidates are so tense they almost forget to. A slow, deep breath before moving off from the kerb helps.
- Focus on what you want. "Don't think of a purple tree" makes you picture one; likewise "don't stall" makes you think of stalling. Say "I'm going to move off smoothly" instead.
- Choose how to feel. Telling yourself you are stressed tends to make the body follow; thinking the word "calm" helps it relax.
Source: [1]
Before the test
- Switch off from driving the night before (see The night before the test).
- Tell few people the test date, to reduce the sense of being watched.
- Visit the test centre beforehand and watch candidates being called, to remove the fear of the unknown.
- Meet the instructor an hour early and warm up on local roads.
Source: [1]
During the test
Candidates are not the best judges of whether they have failed. Many of Newman's learners have been convinced they failed and then been told they passed. The job is to keep driving well until the end.[1] Securing the car after each stop, by taking the foot off the clutch, can also release tension in a shaking leg.
Left and right
Many capable drivers find left and right hard to tell apart, especially under pressure. Writing L and R on the backs of the hands is allowed, and examiners will often offer to point as well as speak. Newman stresses that it has nothing to do with driving ability.[1]
The radio
For most candidates the radio is a distraction, but for those with very high anxiety, quiet, calm music can quieten the internal chatter. It must be low enough to hear every instruction. Fast, high-energy music can encourage rushed driving.[1]
See also
References
- Newman, Geoff (2026). Sevenoaks Driving Test Secrets, chapters 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 22 and 23.
- "Sevenoaks driving test routes". Sevenoaks Driving Lessons.