Manoeuvres
Explained

The four driving test manoeuvres, how they’re marked, and the emergency stop.

On your test you’ll be asked to do one of four driving test manoeuvres. They all come down to the same three things: control, observation and accuracy. Here’s what each one involves and how to get it right.

The four manoeuvres

The examiner chooses one of these:

Parallel parking at the side of the road, behind a parked car or between two.
Forward bay parking: driving forwards into a bay, then reversing out.
Reverse bay parking: reversing into a bay, then driving out.
Pulling up on the right: pulling up on the right-hand side of the road, reversing about 2 car lengths, then rejoining the traffic.

How they’re marked

The examiner looks at two things:

Control and accuracy: using the controls smoothly and finishing in a sensible position.
Observation: looking all around, all the way through, even if there’s no one about.

Poor observation is the one that catches most people out. Keep looking, and if someone comes along, stop and let them go.

Parallel parking

Pull up alongside the parked car, about a door’s width away.
Check all around, then reverse slowly, steering in when your reference point says so.
Steer back to straighten up, finishing close to the kerb.
You should finish within about two car lengths of the car you parked behind.

Bay parking

Forward: look well ahead, pick your bay, turn in at the right point and stop straight within the lines. Then reverse out slowly with all-round checks.
Reverse: position the car, check all around, then reverse slowly into the bay, keeping an eye on both sides.
You can choose a bay that suits you, and finishing slightly crooked within the lines is fine. Finishing outside the bay isn’t.

Pulling up on the right

Check your mirrors and signal right, then cross safely when there’s a gap.
Pull up close to the kerb on the right.
Reverse about 2 car lengths in a straight line, looking all around.
Rejoin the road safely, with full checks over your left shoulder for traffic from behind and in front.

The emergency stop

The emergency stop isn’t one of the four manoeuvres, and it only comes up on about 1 in 7 tests. If you’re asked, stop quickly and under control, without locking the wheels. Check all around before moving off again.

Practise until it’s calm

Manoeuvres feel tricky at first, but slow and steady wins. We practise all four on lessons until they feel calm and controlled. Read what happens on the day of your driving test to see where the manoeuvre fits in.

Sources: GOV.UK: What happens during the test, DVSA examiner guidance: car driving test, Driving test faults and your result.