Drive well, drive smart!
© London Advanced Motorists, 2023. London Advanced Motorists is a registered charity, no. 1043684, affiliated to IAM Roadsmart.
The test The advanced driving test is not a repetition of your original driving test - for a start it should be a lot more enjoyable! It takes takes approximately 90 minutes to complete - about 1 hour of driving with a half hour debrief and your examiner will probably be a police (or ex-police) driver - a highly trained & professional driver. Typically you'll arrange the date & time with him or her directly at a location convenient to you both and from there you'll be taken on a route that covers all sorts of road conditions and regulations - very similar to the roads you'll have been round on your LAM observed drives. Of course it's a test, but the atmosphere is much more relaxed than you might expect and the examiner will make you feel at ease throughout your drive. They will probably make notes throughout but don't worry because these will be good points as well as the not- so-good! Overall, the advanced driving test is designed to give you a thorough workout of driving ability, allowing you to alter your driving style according to the conditions and environment of the road and allowing you to show your driving skills. The types of road vary from quiet country roads, to motorways and busy town centres.
The debrief At the end of the drive you'll arrive back at your starting point. The examiner will then go through his or her notes with you, outlining where you did well and possibly areas you might continue to improve on. These are then used to complete the test report, which is shown below. It is the answers given on this report that determine whether you pass your advanced driving test. The test report is divided into sections, similar to your observed drive reports. The examiner will be assess your competency level in each category based on your performance throughout the entire drive. Based on these scores, you will be recommended for membership of the IAM. 
What they’re looking for Above all, the examiner will be looking for a good & safe standard of driving throughout the entire test, including ... Good all round observation & awareness of what and who is around you Maintaining good progress within the prevailing conditions Remaining legal Allowing for the actions - or potential actions of others at all times As part of your drive, you may also be ... Asked to perform one or more manoeuvres, designed to show your car control skills Asked one or more questions relating to the Highway Code or road signs Invited to talk about what you are seeing and doing as part of your drive. Don't worry if you’re concerned by any of these. All of them are demonstrated, discussed and practised as part of your observed drives. If you have any questions on any of these, just ask your observer - they've all done it themselves and will be happy to help.
The result Our observed drives are designed to ensure you have exceeded the expected levels of skill before we suggest you should apply for your test. Before the test you will also have the option of driving with one of our national observers, just to make sure you're "test ready". By running our programme in this way, we are proud of the high success rate achieved. If you're not quite ready for this just yet, or you're new to advanced motoring, we can help! Alternatively, why not book a free assessment drive and see what's involved for yourself ?!
The advanced driving test Full membership of IAM Roadsmart is based around passing the advanced driving test and our observed drive programme is designed to help you achieve this. But what exactly happens during the test ? Is it like an ordinary driving test, who are the examiners and what are they looking for ?
Next: You’ve passed! Next: You’ve passed! Prev: About observed drives Prev: About observed drives
About the advanced driving test Full membership of IAM Roadsmart is based around passing the advanced driving test and our observed drive programme is designed to help you achieve this. But what exactly happens during the test ? Is it like an ordinary driving test, who are the examiners and what are they looking for ? The test The advanced driving test is not a repetition of your original driving test - for a start it should be a lot more enjoyable! It takes takes approximately 90 minutes to complete - about 1 hour of driving with a half hour debrief and your examiner will probably be a police (or ex-police) driver - a highly trained & professional driver. Although it's a test, but the atmosphere is much more relaxed than you might expect and the examiner will make you feel at ease throughout your drive. They will probably make notes throughout but don't worry because these will be good points as well as the not-so-good! Overall, the advanced driving test is designed to give you a thorough workout of driving ability, allowing you to alter your driving style according to the conditions and environment of the road and allowing you to show your driving skills. The types of road vary from quiet country roads, to motorways and busy town centres. What they’re looking for Above all, the examiner will be looking for a good & safe standard of driving throughout the entire test, including ... Good all round observation & awareness of what and who is around you Maintaining good progress within the prevailing conditions Remaining legal Allowing for the actions - or potential actions of others at all times As part of your drive, you may also be ... Asked to perform one or more manoeuvres, designed to show your car control skills Asked one or more questions relating to the Highway Code or road signs Invited to talk about what you are seeing and doing as part of your drive. Don't worry if you’re concerned by any of these. All of them are demonstrated, discussed and practised as part of your observed drives.
You’ve passed! What next? You’ve passed! What next? © London Advanced Motorists, 2023.  Registered charity, affiliated to IAM Roadsmart.
LAM  London Advanced Motorists