GREG LAMB

SCHOOL OF MOTORING

Telephone: 01925 606040

Who needs to take a theory test?
You will need to take a theory test if you want a licence for a new category of vehicle, for example, if you have a car licence and you want a motorcycle licence you will need to take a theory test. 
If, however, you want to upgrade within a vehicle category you will not normally need to take a theory test, for example, if you have a full automatic car licence and you want a manual car licence you will not have to take a theory test.
Please check with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) if you are unsure if you should take a theory test.

The theory test is made up of two parts

Part One - Multiple Choice

You will be given instructions on how the test works before the test starts . You can also choose a practice session of the multiple choice questions to get used to the layout of the test. At the end of the practice session the real test will begin. A question and several answer options will appear onscreen and you have to select the correct answer to the question by touching the screen or using the mouse. Some questions may require more than one answer. You will be asked 50 questions in 57 minutes. You can go back to questions later in the test. The pass mark for the multiple choice part of the theory test is 43 out of 50. After the multiple choice part you can choose to have up to three minutes before the hazard perception part starts.

Part Two - Hazard Perception

After the break you will be shown how the hazard perception part works. The hazard perception part is on a computer and you respond by clicking a button on the mouse. You will be presented with a series of 14 video clips. In each clip there will be at least one hazard, but one of the clips will feature two hazards. To achieve a high score you will need to respond to the hazard as you see it happening. The maximum you can score on each hazard is five. You will not be able to review your answers to the hazard perception test; as on the road, you will only have one chance to respond to the developing hazard. The pass mark for the car and motorcycle hazard perception part of the theory test is 44 out of 75.

Theory Test Revision

There are a number of official and unofficial publications and CD-ROM's to assist you with your revision. Different methods suit different people. Some people prefer to use books and videos and some prefer to use the CD-ROM on a PC. You must ensure that you revise from the complete question bank and also prepare and practice for the Hazard Perception element of the test (you will not be able to practise this using books).

Tuition aids can be purchased from your driving instructor, including Theory books, Discs & Highway Codes.

or practise online with the DSA