There is an obvious connection between your car and taking a driving test, that connection is your driving licence. However this connection is a little more involved than it seems at first.
Part of your driving test includes a section which driving instructors call “Show/Tell questions”. These questions are 2 of a potential 19 and they are all about cars and car maintenance. We call them “Show/Tell questions” because the driving test examiner may ask you to “show” them or “tell” them how to check the oil, or turn on the windscreen wipers. So what is the connection between these questions and your car?
You probably think that you’ll be OK getting your parents or other-half to check these things for you on your car. But as the driver of the vehicle, not necessarily the legal owner, you are legally responsible for the condition of the car whilst driving on the road. So if there is an issue with the car and you’re driving it, in the eyes of the law you are liable and the issue could be dangerous, not just illegal.
Recent communication from the government shows that nearly 50% of vehicles taking an MOT will fail on the 1st attempt. Many of these failures are down to common issues that are very easily fixed.
Common failures include:
- Lightbulbs or lighting – 30% of failures
- Tyre condition or pressure – 10% of failures
- Mirrors, wipers or washers – 8.5% of failures
All of the above issues could be fixed cheaply and easily and all of these are included as part of the driving test show/tell questions.
- Can you show me how you would check your – direction indicators, brake lights or headlights?
- Can you show me how you would check the condition of your tyre tread and know whether it was safe for the road or can you tell me how you would check your tyre pressures and where you would find the recommended pressure details?
- Can you show me how you would clean the front and rear windscreens, using the washers and wipers?
Now you can begin to understand why the show/tell questions are included and why they are so relevant to you as a driver and the car that you are driving.
It is important that all learner drivers take onboard the fact that the car that they are driving is their responsibility and that they could face a fine or points on their licence if something is wrong with the car whilst they are driving it.