Duns

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Duns, Scottish Borders Council, 8 Newton Street, Duns

Duns, TD11 3AU

Pass Rate
69.9%
Members
3

Test Statistics

DVSA recorded only 73 practical tests at Duns in this period — too few to draw a meaningful pass rate from.

Duns driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
69.9%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
73
~0.3 per day
First Attempt Rate
43.8%
Avg 2.0 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.01
1.4% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.37
30.1% of tests have any
Minor Faults
4.89
97.3% of tests have any

Common faults at Duns

Most Common Fail Reasons

Control - steering5.5%
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.
Junctions - observation5.5%
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.
Parallel park - control2.7%
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.
Control - gears2.7%
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.
Progress - speed (too slow)2.7%
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.
Reverse right - observation2.7%
Common Scenarios:
  • When asked to pull over to the right of the road and reverse two car lengths, observations were poor.
  • Failing to stop for passing cars and nearby pedestrians.
  • Relying on just the mirrors to check surroundings; no blind spot checks.
  • Not judging oncoming traffic safely when moving across to the right.
Move off - control2.7%
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.
Emergency stop2.7%
Common Scenarios:
  • Reacting too slowly after the examiner shouts 'Stop!'.
  • Stopping too slowly due to improper use of footbrake and clutch.
  • NOTE: 360° observations are required when moving off, but these are marked under 'Move off - safely'.
Move off - safely1.4%
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.
Reverse right - control1.4%
Common Scenarios:
  • When asked to pull over to the right of the road and reverse two car lengths, vehicle control was poor.
  • Touching or driving onto the pavement when reversing.
  • Being too far from the pavement before and/or after the maneuvre.

Most Common Minor Faults

Control - steering0.64
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.
Move off - control0.55
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.49
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.
Move off - safely0.38
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.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.30
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.
Mirrors - signalling0.29
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.
Use of speed (too fast)0.22
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving above the posted speed limit.
  • Failing to reduce speed when approaching a hazard, such as a pedestrian crossing or a bend in the road.
  • Driving too fast on a road with potholes or poor surface condition (regardless of the posted speed limit).
  • Driving too fast on a national speed limit road (60 mph is often too dangerous).
  • Driving at a speed that is unsafe for the weather - rain, fog, or ice.
Why More Common Here:
  • Recently changed speed limits that conflict with old limits displayed on satnav.
  • Sudden speed limit changes, especially on exit sliproads.
  • Inadequate signage, road markings and traffic calming measures.
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads.
  • 20 mph main roads where locals ignore the limit and overtake learners, causing pressure to keep pace.
  • Clearly signed 30/40/50/NSL roads that pressure learners to make progress despite potholes, bends, etc.
Judgement - meeting0.21
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to slow down or adjust your position when approaching an oncoming vehicle on a narrow road.
  • Misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle and failing to allow sufficient space for it to pass safely.
  • Continuing towards other vehicles when they have priority.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow residential roads, particularly those lined with parked cars.
  • Residential roads with hills and bends, requiring faster reaction time.
Control - gears0.19
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.
Mirrors - change speed0.16
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.

Manoeuvres tested at Duns

Forward bay parkTested 30.1% of the time
Pass Rate
68.2%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Emergency stopTested 28.8% of the time
Pass Rate
71.4%
Fail Rate
9.5%
Reverse bay parkTested 24.7% of the time
Pass Rate
77.8%
Fail Rate
5.6%
Reverse rightTested 24.7% of the time
Pass Rate
72.2%
Fail Rate
16.7%
Parallel parkTested 20.5% of the time
Pass Rate
60.0%
Fail Rate
13.3%

Best times to book at Duns

Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
78.6%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
75.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
72.7%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
69.9%
~0.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
64.3%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
64.3%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
61.5%
~0.1 tests/day

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