Clacton-on-Sea

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Clacton-on-Sea, 103/105 Carnarvon Road, Clacton-on- Sea

Clacton-on- Sea, CO15 6QA

Pass Rate
52.8%
Members
1

Test Statistics

Clacton-on-Sea passes 52.8% of candidates, a little above the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 5 tests a day. The most common reason for failing is observation at junctions, which costs 13.5% of candidates their test. Tests booked on weekdays between 09:00 and 10:00 do best, passing 58.9%.

Clacton-on-Sea driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
52.8%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
1,106
~5.1 per day
First Attempt Rate
53.6%
Avg 1.9 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.08
7.3% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.76
44.2% of tests have any
Minor Faults
6.44
98.0% of tests have any

Common faults at Clacton-on-Sea

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation13.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Emerging at a T-junction or roundabout and causing another vehicle to slow down.
  • Emerging from a junction without adequate observations (even if clear).
  • Sailing through a crossroads without stopping and looking.
  • Joining a dual carriageway via a sliproad without sufficient mirror and blind spot checks.
  • Turning right in front of oncoming traffic, causing them to slow down.
Why More Common Here:
  • Junctions onto busy roads with fast flowing traffic, small gaps and the requirement to build speed quickly to avoid slowing others behind.
  • Short, curvy or otherwise awkward sliproads onto dual carriageways.
  • Busy high streets and main roads with poor visibility and bikes overtaking.
Move off - safely7.9%
Common Scenarios:
  • When parked on the road, moving off and causing oncoming traffic to brake or swerve.
  • Not checking mirrors and blindspots when moving off from a parked position.
  • Not completing all 360° observations when continuing after an emergency stop.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes involve stopping on busier roads.
  • Test routes involve stopping on bendy residential roads with restricted visibility.
Mirrors - change direction6.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
  • Failing to check mirrors when changing lanes.
Why More Common Here:
  • Complex multi-lane roundabouts and one-way systems.
Progress - speed (too slow)5.4%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving significantly below the speed limit on a clear road without a valid reason (especially if it impacts drivers behind or causes them to overtake).
  • Being hesitant to build speed on a sliproad so as to merge safely.
  • Slowing down excessively for minor hazards, such as slight bends.
  • Losing speed due to improper gear selection on a hill.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads - learners may 'hedge' their bets by driving at 20 until they are sure the limit is 30.
  • Rural national speed limit roads.
  • Fast roads with hills and bends, requiring frequent gear changes to maintain progress.
  • Short sliproads necessitating confident acceleration.
Control - steering4.9%
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Positioning - normal driving3.1%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not driving in the centre of the lane.
  • Driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason.
  • 'Straight-lining' a roundabout.
  • Not driving in the bus lane when it is allowed at that time.
Why More Common Here:
  • Many timed bus lanes around test centre.
  • Multi-lane roundabouts with worn lane markings.
Move off - control3.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Judgement - crossing3.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Turning right across the path of an oncoming vehicle, failing to anticipate its speed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Certain right turns on fast roads with poor visibility, requiring expert judgement.
Progress - undue hesitation2.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so.
  • Waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you.
  • Failing to maintain momentum when joining a clear roundabout.
  • Ignoring shields and exit signals on mini-roundabouts and therefore missing many opportunities to proceed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Areas and times with fast, flowing traffic and non-obvious gaps.
  • Busy mini-roundabouts.
  • Test routes with stops along busy main roads.
Parallel park - control2.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Inability to control the vehicle whilst reversing.
  • Touching the curb or driving over the pavement.
  • Needing to reposition the car and reattempt the maneuvre multiple times.
  • Finishing too far from the curb or the car in front.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes where the parallel park is performed on roads with a steep road camber, an uneven road surface or less space.

Most Common Minor Faults

Progress - undue hesitation0.67
Common Scenarios:
  • Not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so.
  • Waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you.
  • Failing to maintain momentum when joining a clear roundabout.
  • Ignoring shields and exit signals on mini-roundabouts and therefore missing many opportunities to proceed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Areas and times with fast, flowing traffic and non-obvious gaps.
  • Busy mini-roundabouts.
  • Test routes with stops along busy main roads.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.62
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving significantly below the speed limit on a clear road without a valid reason (especially if it impacts drivers behind or causes them to overtake).
  • Being hesitant to build speed on a sliproad so as to merge safely.
  • Slowing down excessively for minor hazards, such as slight bends.
  • Losing speed due to improper gear selection on a hill.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads - learners may 'hedge' their bets by driving at 20 until they are sure the limit is 30.
  • Rural national speed limit roads.
  • Fast roads with hills and bends, requiring frequent gear changes to maintain progress.
  • Short sliproads necessitating confident acceleration.
Move off - safely0.57
Common Scenarios:
  • When parked on the road, moving off and causing oncoming traffic to brake or swerve.
  • Not checking mirrors and blindspots when moving off from a parked position.
  • Not completing all 360° observations when continuing after an emergency stop.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes involve stopping on busier roads.
  • Test routes involve stopping on bendy residential roads with restricted visibility.
Mirrors - change direction0.50
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
  • Failing to check mirrors when changing lanes.
Why More Common Here:
  • Complex multi-lane roundabouts and one-way systems.
Move off - control0.40
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Mirrors - change speed0.35
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when slowing down.
  • Failing to check mirrors when speeding up, creating danger for anyone overtaking.
  • Accidentally slowing due to improper gear selection.
Why More Common Here:
  • Roads with harsh speed limit changes.
  • Fast hilly roads where learners may forget to downshift as needed, causing accidental slow-downs.
Control - gears0.31
Common Scenarios:
  • Selecting a low gear at high speed, causing a sudden loss of speed and danger for vehicles behind.
  • Selecting a high gear at low speed, and possibly stalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with numerous fast stretches of road, necessitating higher gears and more shifting.
Control - steering0.30
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Mirrors - signalling0.28
Common Scenarios:
  • Checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that involve frequent or rushed lane changes.
Junctions - approach speed0.26
Common Scenarios:
  • Approaching a junction too quickly, making it difficult to make observations and stop safely if necessary.
  • Braking harshly when needing to stop at give way lines.
Why More Common Here:
  • Roundabouts and other junctions that 'appear out of nowhere' on fast roads, possibly due to inadequate signage.
  • Sharp bends or steep inclines on approach to roundabouts.
  • Sharp exits off fast roads (e.g. t-junctions off dual carriageways).

Manoeuvres tested at Clacton-on-Sea

Emergency stopTested 32.9% of the time
Pass Rate
58.0%
Fail Rate
0.5%
Parallel parkTested 27.2% of the time
Pass Rate
47.8%
Fail Rate
11.6%
Reverse bay parkTested 26.5% of the time
Pass Rate
50.9%
Fail Rate
13.7%
Reverse rightTested 24.4% of the time
Pass Rate
54.8%
Fail Rate
7.8%
Forward bay parkTested 21.7% of the time
Pass Rate
59.6%
Fail Rate
2.1%

Best times to book at Clacton-on-Sea

Mon-Fri
16:00-17:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
07:00-08:00
Pass Rate
65.0%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
61.9%
~0.4 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
58.9%
~1.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
55.9%
~1.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
52.8%
~1.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
52.8%
~7.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
50.3%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
47.5%
~1.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
45.9%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
14.3%
~0.0 tests/day

Community Posts

Loading posts...

Centres you can move a Clacton-on-Sea test to

DVSA only lets you swap to one of your three nearest test centres. These are the ones that qualify for Clacton-on-Sea.

Get browser tips, swap updates & news