Trailer Test

squiz22

squiz22

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Has anyone got any info on taking the trailer test? I passed my driving test in 1999 so I have to take the test in order to tow above a combined laden weight of 3.5t.
I have the car, the trailer and a big horse and will pip the limit of i take another. I want to be able to take two.
Any advice.. the DVLA website is not an easy read! I am trying to find out the costs involved etc?

Thanks
 
i only had 3hr of lessons before i passed mine and i passed first time, i paid £90 for the lessons but will vary in which area you are in.
you could book in now with no lessons but they explain to you what you have to do to pass and as you have been driving for awhile you probably will have some bad habits, like mirror checks etc.

i could already reverse well, but i found the reverse part very tight (it's supposed to be something like 2 1/2 times length of vehicle or something like that) but then i had a L200 pick-up which are really long and **** steering lock.:)
 
I am doing mine next wednesday!!!.
I had a 4hour session last week then having another tuesday, test wednesay.
I have done lots of towing with L plates so if you have car and trailer I would advise do lots of practicing as it really does help, you wont need as many lessons.
 
I've got mine in 2 weeks. I've paid £115 for the test and am having a whole day's lesson which is costing me £160, I'm using my 4x4 and their trailer as it's smaller than mine so hopefully easier to manage.

You can also buy a book which gives tips and explains the reversing bit called Preparing for the towing test 45:allen photographic guide

I think the hardest part will be driving like a learner again, so many bad habits picked up over time, I keep trying to drive like a learner now whenever in the car, so struggling with not crossing hands on turning!

Good luck!
 
The DSA examiner will expect you to drive at a higher standard on a trailer test than on a car test… a trailer test lasts almost twice as long and you can still only have up to 15 driver errors to pass. Any one serious or dangerous error means you do not pass.

Reverse manoeuvre: Use effective all round observation. You can make two shunts forward, but they must make an improvement to your position, and only a driver error is recorded. If you make 3 shunts or a shunt doesn't improve your position (i.e. you go back to the same place) a serious fault will be recorded and you will not pass.

On road: Make good use of the mirrors available, remember to check blindspots, act on what you see! Make progress when it is safe to do so, but keep a two second gap between you and the vehicle in front and stay within the speed limit!

http://www.johnexley.co.uk/jedttrailer.htm
 
I did my test a couple of weeks ago. I did an intensive three day course (4 hour sessions on two days, last day was a 2hr session and test) and found the tuition useful. I was used to towing a trailer (had towed my own with L plates) and the reverse etc was fairly easy IMO - it was the actual driving part of the test that had me worried. As someone above said, they concentrate more on you driving than your ability to tow a trailer really (obviously if you hit a curb or something that is a fail) but they watch more for correct hand position, timing of signals, advanced planning etc - treat it like a driving test. I really benefitted from the tuition beforehand. To be honest as long as you are a safe driver, and capable of the reverse manouver you will breeze through it.
 
I think the main thing to me was that I was towing the trailer round and round the centre of our county town, not something I would normally do :p and hence increasing the hazards, need for sense of space etc.
 
Good luck to those of you who have your test coming shortly.

I to, have mine booked for about a month away. I haven't had any lessons yet nor driven with my trailer, so I am really scared, though am enlisted the help from Dad and friends OH and of course have lessons booked. Just hate the thought of reversing.

Does anyone know how long the actual test lasts??
 
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