Passed First Time in Drogheda
I passed my driving test on my first attempt today in Drogheda! 🎉🚗 I thought I’d share my experience and route because posts like these really helped me while preparing.
I arrived at the test centre around 15 to 20 minutes early and waited until they called me, which was roughly 5 minutes before my scheduled time.
Before the drive:
The tester first asked me to demonstrate the hand signals. He then showed me around 8 to 10 road signs and asked me to identify them.
He also asked a few Rules of the Road questions, for example, “What would you do if the traffic light turns amber?” Nothing unexpected or outside what you normally prepare for.
This part took around 5 to 10 minutes.
We then went down to the car. Mine is electric, so I wasn’t asked to open the bonnet. He checked my indicators, brake lights, etc., and asked me to show him things like the rear demister and hazard lights.
He also asked how I would check my tyres for wear or damage. I mentioned checking the tread depth, overall condition and whether they are properly inflated.
The driving route:
We took a left out of the Drogheda Test Centre and headed towards Grangerath.
We did a few left and right turns through the estate, exited and continued towards the roundabout. We went right at the roundabout, straight ahead and then left towards the Wheaton Hall area.
In one of the estates there, he asked me to stop and I did my hill start.
We then went to another quieter road where I did my turnabout. I made sure I was doing clear observations throughout the manoeuvre.
After leaving that estate, we entered another estate where I did the reverse around the corner. Again, I focused heavily on observations before and throughout the manoeuvre.
After that, we exited the estate and headed back towards the test centre.
The actual driving part was probably around 20 to 25 minutes, and the entire test from start to finish was roughly 45 minutes.
When we got back, I genuinely wasn’t sure whether I had passed! Then he handed me my Certificate of Competency and I realised I had passed with only two marks! 🥹🎉
My biggest advice would be to practice the area and focus heavily on observations, especially during your manoeuvres. I had practised these roads quite a lot, which definitely helped me feel more comfortable.
Also, learn your road signs, hand signals and basic Rules of the Road questions. Everything I was asked was something you would normally expect. There were no strange or out of the box questions.
Most importantly, stay calm, make your observations obvious and drive confidently and safely. You don’t need to be absolutely perfect.
Good luck to anyone doing their test soon! 🍀🚗