Recomended Study Material

You can book the theory driving test in 3 ways

1. You can book online by clicking this link: [Click here] to go to the www.gov.uk web site. To do this you will need your provisional driving licence number and a form of payment, either credit or debit card.

2. By phone on 03002001122 again you will need your provisional driving licence number and a form of payment, either credit or debit card.

3. Or by post. You can get a form from your local driving test centre or by downloading it [Click here] fill it in and post it to Driving Standards Agency, Booking Department, PO Box 381, Manchester, M50 3UW. enclosing a cheque made payable to Driving Standards Agency.

The current theory driving test fee is £25.00

The theory test centre address in Peterborough is:
Driving theory test centre
First Floor, Zone 4, Stuart House
City Road
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE1 1DD

The theory test has two parts. The first part is 50 multiple choice questions and the second part is a hazard perception test.

Multiple Choice Questions

For the 50 multiple choice questions you have 57 minutes to complete the test. You have to answer 43 questions correctly to achieve a pass in this part of the test and the only way to do this is to study. The questions are classified into four categories.

• Driver attitude and awareness

• Traffic signs and regulations

• Effects of alcohol, drugs and tiredness on driving

• Safety and environmental aspects of the vehicle

The test is conducted on a touch screen computer system. Before the test begins you are given full instructions and have a chance to practice so you can get used to the system. If at anytime during the test you are having problems you just need to raise your hand and a member of DSA staff will come to help. Obviously they can't answer any of the 50 questions for you.

Only one question will be on screen at any one time. Some questions require more than one answer to be marked. If you try to move on without marking the correct number of answers the screen will alert you to this. If you complete a question and you are not sure that chose correctly you can flag the question and go back to it at the end of the 50 questions. You can do this to as many of the questions as you wish. You can move backwards and forward though the questions and at the end you can review the whole test.

At the end of the test you are given the chance to have a short break before starting  the second part of the theory driving test. You will not know the results of the first part of the test until after the second part is completed.

Hazard Perception Test

The next part of the theory driving test is the hazard perception test. For this part of the test, again, you will be given instructions and shown a demonstration.

A hazard is defined as any other road user (pedestrian, cyclist, or motor vehicle) that may potentially cause you to slow down stop or swerve. You will be shown 14 real life film clips, each filmed from a moving vehicle. 13 of the film clips will contain 1 hazard and 1 will contain 2. As soon as you see a hazard developing you must click the mouse button. If you click on the hazard as soon as it appears you will get 5 marks. The longer you leave it without clicking the less marks you get i.e. 4 marks, 3 marks, 2 marks, 1 mark until the hazard has fully developed and you get no marks at all.

The hazard could be a pedestrian, cycle or another motor vehicle. A simple example could be a ball bouncing from the pavement and onto the road, followed by a child. If you click the mouse as soon as it appears on the screen you will get 5 clicks. If you haven't clicked the mouse before the child is in front of the car you will get no marks. There is a possible 75 marks and you must get at least 44 marks to pass.

You will be given your test result on completion of the test and if you have passed you will be given a certificate. The number at the top of the pass certificate will be needed to book your practical driving test. The certificate is valid for two years. If you have not passed your practical driving test within this two years you will have to take the test again.

There are several very good disks available to help you practice this that can be used on a computer or DVD player.