This is a subject-review preparation package for the DVSA ADI Part 2 test in Great Britain. The supplied GOV.UK page establishes the published test components: an eyesight check; five 'show me, tell me' safety questions; general driving ability; two reversing exercises chosen from four listed; and about 20 minutes of independent driving. The supplied Northern Ireland DVA guide describes a separate ADI Test of Driving Ability (Part 2) and five safety-check combinations; it is not evidence of current DVSA question combinations, pass marks, fees or availability. The supplied ADI Part 2/3 course timetable is a training document, not an official current test specification; its written-test pass-mark reference is not evidence of a Part 2 pass mark and is not used here. Check current booking, fees and administrative requirements with DVSA (Great Britain) or DVA (Northern Ireland). Use this subject-review guide to train the behaviours the DVSA Part 2 assesses: observation before action, progressive control, early hazard planning, fault correction and calm independent driving. It is not a substitute for current official instructions or in-car instruction.
What the DVSA Part 2 actually assesses
The test is integrated: safety knowledge, control, observation and independent decision-making are assessed together on the road.
The supplied GOV.UK page lists five parts: an eyesight check, five vehicle safety questions, general driving ability, two reversing exercises, and independent driving. It says the test lasts around one hour. The eyesight check uses 27 metres for a new-style number plate and 27.5 metres for an old-style plate. The safety questions comprise three 'tell me' questions before driving and two 'show me' questions while driving; each incorrect answer earns a driving fault, and answering all five incorrectly or losing control during a 'show me' task is a serious fault.
General driving ability is judged through expert handling, correct road procedure, anticipation, judgement of distance, speed and timing, consideration for others, and environmentally friendly driving. The examiner may include motorways or dual carriageways where possible and may ask for an emergency stop. Reversing is two exercises chosen from parallel parking, reversing into a bay and driving out, driving into a bay and reversing out, or pulling up on the right, reversing about two car lengths and rejoining traffic. Independent driving lasts about 20 minutes by sat nav or traffic signs.
This is the Great Britain DVSA position. The supplied Northern Ireland DVA guide concerns a separate ADI Test of Driving Ability (Part 2) and should not be read as a DVSA question list. The supplied course timetable is useful only as training context, not as proof of current official format, weighting or pass rules.
How to prioritise preparation
Spend most time on observation, planning and fault correction, because these shape every junction, manoeuvre and independent-driving decision.
High-yield practice is not route memorisation. Build repeatable habits: mirrors before speed or direction changes; a blind-spot check before moving out; progressive braking; early hazard clues; and a calm recovery after a wrong turn. Safety checks should become a short routine with the manufacturer handbook, not a recital of phrases.
A useful priority order is: first, observation and blind spots; second, smooth control and correct procedure at junctions; third, independent driving and legal re-planning; fourth, reversing exercises. Reversing matters, but candidates often lose more marks through late observation and rushed decisions than through poor clutch control alone. Keep a simple practice log after each drive: what happened, why, and what routine will prevent repetition.
Vehicle control mechanisms examiners can see
Smooth control comes from planning speed early, keeping the vehicle balanced and using the clutch, brake and accelerator progressively.
Progressive use of controls avoids sudden weight transfer. Braking late and sharply pitches the car forward, reduces steering stability and gives following traffic less warning. Coasting with the clutch down removes engine braking and can reduce control, especially downhill. Before a bend or junction, adjust speed while the car is stable, select the appropriate gear, keep observation complete, then steer smoothly and accelerate gently only when the view opens.
Worked scenario: approaching a downhill T-junction at low speed. A strong response is to select a suitable lower gear before the junction, brake progressively with the clutch engaged as appropriate, check mirrors and the junction view, signal if needed, and turn only when the path is clear. A weak response is to coast with the clutch fully down, brake late, or hold the car on the clutch while ignoring the brake.
For moving off, use mirrors, blind-spot checks, a timely signal if needed, and move only when other traffic is not affected. At roundabouts, position according to signs and lane markings, check mirrors and blind spots before any lane change, and do not rush a late lane movement.
Observation and anticipation: build a moving picture
Hazard perception is early clue-spotting plus a planned response, not a late reaction.
Scan far ahead, then middle distance, then near. Check mirrors before slowing, signalling or changing direction, and include blind spots before moving out or changing lane. Anticipate vulnerable road users: a child with a ball, a cyclist approaching parked cars, or a pedestrian waiting at a crossing can move without acknowledging you. Assume uncertainty until their behaviour is clear.
Use time gaps rather than fixed car lengths. For example, at 15 metres per second, a 2-second gap is 15 × 2 = 30 metres; if you deliberately extend the gap to 4 seconds in wet conditions, it becomes 15 × 4 = 60 metres. The GOV.UK guidance does not set out a single wet-weather formula, but stopping distance grows sharply in wet conditions, so extend your gap. This calculation teaches the mechanism; it is not an official passing rule. This knowledge preview is not a simulation.
Cyclist scenario: you are behind a cyclist nearing parked cars. The safest plan is to hang back, expect a swerve or door-zone movement, and overtake only when you can leave a safe passing distance. Do not sound the horn to force the cyclist aside or accelerate into a narrow gap.
Recognising and correcting safety faults
Correction means identifying the cause, stabilising the situation and completing the missing observation or control action before continuing.
Classify faults as control faults (coasting, stalling, harsh or late braking), observation faults (missed mirrors, incomplete blind-spot checks) and procedure faults (wrong lane, late signal, poor positioning). A single minor fault may not be serious, but a repeated or uncorrected pattern becomes a safety concern.
Use a five-step correction routine: recognise the fault; stabilise speed and position; re-scan mirrors and blind spots; apply the correct action when safe; review what triggered it. Example: you signal to change lane, then realise you have not checked the blind spot and have not moved. Correct by cancelling or delaying the signal, completing the blind-spot check, and moving only if safe. Do not 'fix' a missed observation by hurrying the manoeuvre.
For 'show me, tell me' tasks, learn principles from the manufacturer handbook and current official guidance. The supplied Northern Ireland DVA combinations are useful topic examples, not a DVSA list. A safe brake-light check can use an assistant to watch the lights while the driver presses the brake pedal with ignition on and engine off. A head restraint should have its top roughly level with the top of the head and be as close as comfortable. An ABS warning that stays on suggests a possible fault and should lead to checking, not an assumption that ABS is fully available.
Independent driving without route panic
Independent driving tests safe decision-making, not perfect route-following; missed instructions are recovered legally and calmly.
The supplied GOV.UK page says independent driving lasts about 20 minutes and uses either examiner-provided sat-nav directions or traffic signs. You cannot use your own sat nav during the test. A wrong turning does not affect the result by itself unless you make a fault while taking it, and the examiner will help you get back on route. If a sign is obscured, the examiner gives directions until the next sign is visible.
Use a re-planning routine: continue in your lane; keep speed and observation normal; identify a legal turn or a safe route change; signal and move only when checks are complete. Worked calculation: a sat-nav instruction says turn right in 240 metres while you are travelling at 12 metres per second. The approximate time is 240 / 12 = 20 seconds, so start positioning and observation early rather than braking sharply at the junction.
If you miss a turn, do not reverse along the road, make an illegal U-turn or stop in a live lane. Continue safely, re-route legally and reset your plan. Calm recovery is part of the professional standard being assessed.
Common errors and targeted fixes
Most avoidable errors come from late observation, rushed decisions and failure to reset after a mistake.
Common errors include: checking mirrors after braking instead of before; coasting into junctions; braking too late; moving out without a blind-spot check; reacting to the sat nav too late; crossing lanes at roundabouts; failing to extend gaps in wet weather; treating safety questions as trivia; and losing composure after a wrong turn.
Targeted fixes: attach observation to every speed or direction change; brake in good time and finish braking before the steering input; cancel a premature signal; use a short silent plan before manoeuvres; and after any fault say to yourself, 'stabilise, re-scan, correct, review'. Practise these routines until they are automatic, but keep them visible enough for an examiner to see that observation preceded action.
Integrated practice task and self-check rubric
Run a 50-minute integrated session that mirrors the published components without pretending to be an official test.
Session plan: 10 minutes for cockpit drill, eyesight-style plate reading practice with a helper, and safety checks using the handbook; 15 minutes of urban driving with junctions, a roundabout, pedestrian and cyclist hazards; 10 minutes of independent sat-nav driving including one deliberate missed turn; 10 minutes for two reversing exercises from the published list; 5 minutes of debrief. Do not claim this is a mock official test. It is an open-task practice structure.
Self-check rubric, scored 1 to 4 after each segment: observation (mirrors and blind spots before action); control (smooth braking, no coasting or stalling, accurate steering); planning (hazards seen early, gap and speed adjusted); independent driving (legal re-planning after a wrong turn); professional standard (checks, courtesy, composure, vehicle care). A score of 1 means repeated uncorrected fault; 2 means late or partial correction; 3 means safe with minor delay; 4 means early, smooth and consistent.
For oral safety checks, explain the purpose and demonstrate the safe method without reciting a script. For driving, use a short commentary only where it helps you plan: 'mirror, junction, gap, gear, proceed'. Review the rubric immediately after the drive, choose one priority for the next session, and do not invent a pass prediction from the score.
A practical four-week study sequence
Progress from control and checks to observation, then fault correction and independent driving, then integrated practice.
Week 1: vehicle control and safety checks. Practise moving off, stopping, hill starts, low-speed clutch control, steering through bends and lane discipline. Pair each drive with a 15-minute handbook-based check of tyres, lights, fluids and controls. Week 2: observation and anticipation. Build mirror timing, blind-spot routines, hazard commentary and time-gap calculations in dry and wet conditions. Include vulnerable road-user scenarios.
Week 3: fault correction and independent driving. Use sat-nav routes and sign-following routes. Deliberately take a wrong turn in a safe area and practise legal re-planning. Review one repeated fault per session and apply the five-step correction routine. Week 4: integrated practice. Combine checks, urban driving, two reversing exercises and independent driving, followed by a rubric debrief. Keep sessions short and frequent, use an instructor for feedback, and verify current administrative details with DVSA or DVA rather than relying on this subject-review package.
Exam-day decision rules and professional standard
Prepare the vehicle and yourself, protect safety first, and recover from errors without dramatic corrections.
Before the drive, use current official guidance and the manufacturer handbook for roadworthiness checks. Do not assume this guide is an exhaustive legal checklist. During the drive, if you make a minor error, continue safely and correct the underlying routine. The supplied GOV.UK page says the examiner will stop the test only if your driving is a danger to other road users. If independent driving goes off route, keep the car legal and calm; the route itself is not the main assessment.
Professional standard means courteous, legal and composed driving: timely signals, safe gaps, correct lane discipline and respect for vulnerable users. After the drive, reflect on evidence from your practice rubric, not on invented claims about weightings, pass marks or guaranteed outcomes.
FAQ
These FAQs clarify scope and practice, not current fees, availability or pass rules.
See the FAQ entries below for jurisdiction, safety-question, independent-driving and fault-correction answers.
References and further reading
Use these references to explore the concepts and check the latest information from the relevant organizations.