Elgin

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Elgin, Crown Buildings, 21 Trinity Road, Elgin

Elgin, IV30 1UE

Pass Rate
44.2%
Members
3

Test Statistics

Elgin passes 44.2% of candidates, below the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 6 tests a day. One fault dominates: observation at junctions ends 16.7% of tests here, a notably high share. Tests booked on weekdays between 12:00 and 13:00 do best, passing 49.7%.

Elgin driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
44.2%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
1,183
~5.5 per day
First Attempt Rate
45.5%
Avg 2.1 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.03
2.4% of tests have any
Serious Faults
1.11
55.3% of tests have any
Minor Faults
4.52
94.3% of tests have any

Common faults at Elgin

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation16.7%
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 - safely6.2%
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 - undue hesitation6.1%
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.
Judgement - meeting6.1%
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 - steering6.0%
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 driving5.9%
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.
Junctions - turning right5.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions.
  • Not positioning to the right of the road when turning right.
  • Turning right at a roundabout using the incorrect lane.
  • Not using the waiting area in the middle of the road when waiting to turn right, therefore blocking traffic behind.
Why More Common Here:
  • Confusing road layouts, worn road markings and circuitous test routes involving waiting area for right turns.
  • Roundabouts with many exits making lane choice less obvious.
  • Roundabouts whose signs contradict the actual road geometry, making the 12 o'clock rule difficult to follow.
Move off - control5.3%
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.
Response to traffic signs5.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.
  • Attempting to drive through a no-entry sign.
  • Attempting to drive through any other sign that restricts access (e.g. buses only).
  • Ignoring a give way sign and assuming priority.
  • Ignoring a keep left sign.
Why More Common Here:
  • Stop signs are rare in the UK, but may show up in this test centre area.
  • Confusing one-way systems.
  • Complex road signs restricting access (e.g. bus-only at certain times).
Mirrors - change direction5.1%
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.

Most Common Minor Faults

Move off - safely0.47
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 - undue hesitation0.43
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 - control0.37
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 - speed (too slow)0.35
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 - steering0.28
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 - observation0.28
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.
Clearance / obstructions0.16
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space.
  • Driving too close to parked vehicles or other fixed structures.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow roads with limited space for cars to give way to each other.
  • Awkwardly placed width restrictors.
  • High levels of traffic and/or bus routes on narrow roads.
Mirrors - change direction0.15
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.
Vehicle checks0.14
Common Scenarios:
  • Getting either the show me or tell me question wrong (one minor fault).
  • Losing control of the car when answering the show me question.
Mirrors - change speed0.14
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 Elgin

Emergency stopTested 33.5% of the time
Pass Rate
45.7%
Fail Rate
2.3%
Reverse bay parkTested 26.0% of the time
Pass Rate
47.4%
Fail Rate
11.7%
Forward bay parkTested 24.9% of the time
Pass Rate
44.2%
Fail Rate
7.8%
Reverse rightTested 24.7% of the time
Pass Rate
42.8%
Fail Rate
9.9%
Parallel parkTested 23.8% of the time
Pass Rate
43.4%
Fail Rate
19.6%

Best times to book at Elgin

Mon-Fri
16:00-17:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
49.7%
~1.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
47.5%
~0.8 tests/day
Mon-Fri
07:00-08:00
Pass Rate
44.4%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
44.4%
~1.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
44.2%
~7.7 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
43.4%
~1.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
43.2%
~1.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
41.6%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
40.7%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
38.9%
~0.2 tests/day

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