Following a route
Independent driving means making your own decisions while following directions. Practise reading signs and listening to instructions without rushing. Your priority remains the road around you.
Independent driving
Build the habit of looking ahead, making a plan and following it safely.
If a direction is unclear
Keep driving safely and ask for clarification when you need it. Avoid sudden lane changes or late turns to rescue a route. Practise recovering calmly from a missed turning with your instructor.
Check the current test formatFollowing directions without rushing
Listen, then plan
Give yourself time to understand the next direction. Keep looking at the road and use the information available around you. A route instruction does not make an unsafe move acceptable.
Read signs early
Practise identifying relevant signs before reaching a junction. If you need more time to understand a layout, discuss speed and planning with your instructor.
Using a sat nav
Treat navigation as another source of information. It does not replace signs, restrictions or your observations. In the test, the examiner provides and sets up the device when one is used.
Recovering from a wrong turn
Continue safely rather than making a rushed correction. In the practical test, going the wrong way is not itself a fault and the examiner can help you rejoin the route.
Ask for a lesson exercise where you follow a short route with fewer prompts. Afterwards, discuss which decisions felt comfortable and which needed more time.
Official information: Official independent driving information
Not sure where to start?
Tell us a little about your driving experience and what you would like help with.