Theory Test Advice
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The DSA theory test is in two parts . . . the multiple
choice question section and the hazard
perception video section. You have to take and pass both
sections on the same visit to the test centre. You cannot take and
pass the multiple choice part one week and go back to take the hazard
perception test the next. Shame!!
All the books and CD rom's you need to pass the theory test can
be
found
in our online book shop, in association with Amazon
The multiple
choice test
This
part of the DSA theory test consists of 35 multiple choice questions.
The test is completely computer based and you do not actually write
anything down. With each question is a list of potential answers. You
need to select the correct answer, or answers, by touching the appropriate
area of the computer screen. You will be given 40 minutes to complete
the test.
To pass you
need to correctly answer 30 out of the 35 questions, which is about
86%.
Before you start, a video tutorial will explain how the test works
and what you have to do. You will be given the opportunity to do some
practice questions to make sure you are comfortable with the computer
screens.
You move from one question to the next by touching the arrowed buttons
at the bottom of the screen. To select an answer you press the button
on the screen which is next to it. The answer will then be highlighted
with a blue background. To deselect an answer simply touch the answer
button on the screen again. This will cause the highlighted blue background
to disappear, and you will be free to make a different selection.
The
red text in the top left hand corner will tell you how many answers
to mark (i.e. to select). The red text will flash if you have not selected
sufficient answers and try to move onto another screen. If you press
again it will let you move on even if you still haven't supplied sufficient
answers. In this case the question will be recorded as incomplete.
You can flag a question so that you can review it later. To do this
you will need to press the flag button at the bottom of the screen.
This will cause the flag button to turn red.
At
any point you can call up the review screen by pressing the review
button. This screen enables you to check all the questions and your
answers from the start of the test. Or you can just review the questions
you flagged or those questions that are incomplete. You will also need
to press the review button so that you can end the test. To end the
test you press the end test button on the review screen.
The test will end if you run
out of time. The time you have left to finish answering the questions
is shown at the top right hand side of the question and answer screen.
Before you press on the end test button in the review screen make sure
that the number of complete questions equals 35, the same as the total
number of test questions.
If you haven't answered all the questions, review those questions not
fully answered or not attempted, and any that you have flagged. Incomplete
questions require you to select one or more answers until you have
marked the required number as indicated by the red text in the top
left hand corner of the question and answer screen.
If
you have completed all the questions in the test, and provided you
have the time, it is worth the effort of reviewing all your answers
again before pressing the end test button. You can do this by pressing
the “Review All” button on the review screen.
Once you have completed the test you will be given the option of taking
a 3 minute break before you move on to the next part of the test, the
hazard perception test.
The
hazard perception test
For this part of the test you will view 14 video clips on the computer
screen. They last for approximately one minute each. You need to watch
these clips as if you were the driver. In all there will be 15 hazards
to find - at least one on each clip, but one clip will have 2 hazards.
 |
You can click the left or right mouse button whenever you think you can see a hazard developing. The test requires you to spot what the DSA call ‘developing hazards'. These are hazards that could become dangerous situations very soon, just as you are driving up to them! The speed at which you click the mouse button as a hazard develops will determine your score for each hazard clip. You can score between 0 and 5 on each hazard. Therefore the maximum you can score is 75 (i.e. 15 hazards x 5). To pass you need a score of 44.
The hazard perception test will start with a short video played on the computer screen that will explain how the hazard perception test works and what you need to do. At the end of this clip you have the option to go onto the test or play the tutorial again.
The
hazard clips start with a freeze frame of the
start of the video sequence and a count down
from 10. At the end of the count down the clip
will start to play and you will need to click
the mouse button each time you see a developing
hazard. Each time you click the mouse a red flag will appear at the bottom of the screen - one flag appears for each click you make in any clip. At the end of the clip all the flags will be removed before you start the next clip.
Each clip contains several potential hazards, but only the one that materialises into a real hazard involving other road users is marked.
This is known as a “developing hazard”. In practice, the developing hazard is quite obvious . . . once you've seen it!! You will only receive a score if you spot the hazard before it develops.
The score you obtain depends on how quickly you spot the developing hazard. The time from when you could potentially spot the hazard, to the time when the vehicle actually arrives at the hazard is the time frame used to determine your score.
This
period of time is divided into 5 equal sections.
If you click the mouse while in the first section
when the developing hazard first appears, you
will obtain a score of 5 points. If you click
in the second segment you will score 4 points,
then 3, then 2 and then in the last segment,
1. You can click the mouse several times during this period, and the computer will always take your highest score and record that for the clip. If you don't click the mouse button at all in this period of time you will score zero for that hazard clip.
Don't try to cheat the system by clicking the button repeatedly throughout the video clip because the computer will pick this up. If the computer believes you are cheating you will score zero for that clip.
There is a certain maximum number of clicks that you can make for each clip. but this is far higher than the number of clicks that anyone is likely to make. If the computer thinks that you are cheating a message will appear at the end of the clip letting you know that irregular activity was detected and that as a result your score for that clip will be zero.
At
the end of the test you will have to leave the
room and collect your score for the two parts
of the exam. The maximum score that can be obtained
for the hazard perception part of the theory
test is 75 (i.e. 15x5). To pass the hazard perception part of the car, moped and motorcycle theory test you need to score 44 points.
To pass the theory test you must pass both the multiple choice part and the hazard perception part. If you fail either part you will need to take both parts of the test again.
So, do not be frightened to click the mouse button whenever you think you have seen a potential developing hazard. Keep your eyes open and if it continues to develop, continue to click the mouse button. This will ensure that you click within the scoring period.
Some of these hazards will not develop any further so you will not receive a score for spotting them.
Of course, the developing hazard only
becomes obvious AFTER it's developed . . . so
you need to make sure that you click as
early as possible for each and every hazard that
you think might develop into a dangerous
situation. This way, you ensure that you maximise
your potential marks for the hazard clip. In the example
shown here (supplied by the DSA) you
should see a very young child riding a bike along
the pavement. This clearly may be classified
as a potential hazard, and it could develop further
as we drive along. The scoring period for this clip doesn't start until the child turns towards the road to cross it as shown here (the blue circle). This is the point at which the potential hazard becomes a developing hazard and the scoring window opens.
Therefore if you clicked your mouse button once as you saw the child riding her bike along the pavement, you would have scored nothing. That's why it's important to remember to click the button a few times as the hazard develops to avoid this problem.
We can't tell you exactly what type of hazards you will see in the video clips, but our experience is that you will find that the following frequently pop up . . . pedestrians and cyclists crossing the road without warning or looking . . . cars and vans pulling out of side roads . . . trucks and long vehicles making wide turns . . . vehicles on narrow roads or where there are other obstructions and cars crossing your path on country roads.
If you get hold of the Focus hazard perception practice CD rom's, you'll be well prepared. Some of their clips are harder than the real thing!
Dash wish you the very best of luck with your theory test. Please e-mail us and let us know how you got on and share any hints and tips you may have with the world!