The three things your examiner is really looking for

Safe, legal, making progress — and why getting those three in the right order matters more than anything else on test day.

Passing your driving test takes lots of hard work and preparation, but on the day your examiner is really looking for three things:

• Are you driving safely?
• Are you driving legally?
• Are you making progress?

It's important to get these three in the correct order though. Your first priority is always safety, then ensuring you are driving legally, and when those two criteria have been satisfied, you should aim to get up to speed and make progress.

For example: if you are driving on a narrow residential street with parked cars on each side, then the speed limit is irrelevant. You need to be driving at a speed that allows you to stop safely within the distance you can see to be safe. Making progress isn't a priority in this situation.

However, if you are driving on a road that is clear ahead with no visible hazards and it is safe for you to get up towards the speed limit, then make progress so that you are keeping the traffic flowing.

When the situation ahead or around you changes, then you revert back to safety first.