Becoming a qualified HGV driver is an exciting journey! You will find that the rewards are worth all the efforts. You are probably looking forward to starting a new career and might be wondering how you can reach your goal. You need to obtain a Driver CPC in order to become qualified to drive an HGV in the UK. You will have to study, pass a medical exam and pass four different tests. Two of these tests are theoretical and two are practical. Here is some advice, from HGV Training Centre, on what you need to know to pass the first two tests before you can move on to the practical section of the qualification process.
Book Your Test Date
Booking your first theoretical test is very easy. All you have to do is visit this government website to find out where the nearest testing centre is. Choose a convenient testing centre and book your test date. There are different third-party booking sites that offer this service but keep in mind that they will charge an additional fee. You will only have to pay £7 to pass the theory test. If you have hearing or reading difficulties or need a language interpreter, tell the testing centre in advance so they can accommodate.
What to Expect When You Take the Theory Test
Be on time on the day of the test! You will need to bring your booking confirmation for the test as well as an identification. You can use your provisional licence. You might not be able to take the test if you can’t show a valid ID! A staff member will check your ID and booking confirmation before showing you to an individual computer station with some headphones.
– Multiple choice questions
You will have to answer a few multiple choice questions. This section of the theory test should be easy to complete. All you have to do is read the questions carefully and select the correct answer. There are 100 questions and you will have 115 minutes to take the test. You need to answer 85 questions correctly in order to pass the test. Keep in mind that some questions will have more than one correct answer but you will be notified when you need to select more than one answer. If you are not sure which answer is the right one, you have the possibility of flagging the question so you can come back to it later.
– Hazard perception section
This is the second section of the theory test. You will have to watch a few films and identify the hazardous situations shown. There are 19 different films and 20 hazards that need to be identified since one of the films show two hazards. You can earn more points by identifying the hazards faster. You can score a total of 100 points but you only need 65 to pass this section of the test. Don’t try to pass this section of the test by guessing your answers or by following patterns. The computer will be able to tell if you are clicking at random or going too fast and you will be issued a warning and won’t get any points for that film. You can fail this entire section if you keep clicking at random or trying to follow patterns.
Can I Take the Test Again?
You can take the test again if you fail. You shouldn’t fail if you prepare well for the test and take the time to study and practice. However, some questions might leave you stumped or you might find it difficult to manage your stress on the day of the test. Everybody has bad days. If you fail the theory test, you can apply to take the test again. You won’t be penalised for failing the test since each test score is independently from the previous one. You will be able to take the test again without paying the small fee.
