Girvan

The Carrick Buildings Learning, Centre, Henrietta Street, Girvan

Girvan, KA26 9AL

Pass Rate
61.6%
Members
5

Test Statistics

Girvan is among the stronger places in the country to sit a practical test: 61.6% of candidates pass, against the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 1 tests a day. The most common reason for failing is observation at junctions, which costs 9.3% of candidates their test. It draws mostly first-timers — 55.6% are sitting their first test — and the average candidate passes in 1.7 attempts.

Girvan driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
61.6%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
151
~0.7 per day
First Attempt Rate
55.6%
Avg 1.7 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.01
1.3% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.58
38.4% of tests have any
Minor Faults
4.19
92.7% of tests have any

Common faults at Girvan

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation9.3%
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.
Control - steering7.3%
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 - control6.0%
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.
Move off - safely4.6%
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.
Positioning - normal driving3.3%
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.
Progress - undue hesitation3.3%
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.
Response to traffic signs2.6%
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 direction2.0%
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.
Junctions - turning right2.0%
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.
Signals - correctly1.3%
Common Scenarios:
  • Signalling left or right, but not turning.
  • Signalling right at a roundabout when you want to go ahead.
  • Signalling left at a roundabout when you are not intending to take the first exit.
  • Failing to cancel a signal after turning.
  • Flashing other road users to give way, contrary to the Highway Code.
Why More Common Here:
  • Main roads with many junctions and driveways with little space between them.
  • Roundabouts with more than four exits and/or confusing signs.
  • Roundabouts whose signs contradict the actual road geometry, making the 12 o'clock rule difficult to follow.

Most Common Minor Faults

Control - steering0.44
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 - control0.40
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.30
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.
Junctions - observation0.29
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 - safely0.26
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.
Control - gears0.26
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)0.25
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.
Positioning - normal driving0.21
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.
Clearance / obstructions0.17
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.
Signals - correctly0.13
Common Scenarios:
  • Signalling left or right, but not turning.
  • Signalling right at a roundabout when you want to go ahead.
  • Signalling left at a roundabout when you are not intending to take the first exit.
  • Failing to cancel a signal after turning.
  • Flashing other road users to give way, contrary to the Highway Code.
Why More Common Here:
  • Main roads with many junctions and driveways with little space between them.
  • Roundabouts with more than four exits and/or confusing signs.
  • Roundabouts whose signs contradict the actual road geometry, making the 12 o'clock rule difficult to follow.

Manoeuvres tested at Girvan

Reverse rightTested 28.5% of the time
Pass Rate
76.7%
Fail Rate
7.0%
Emergency stopTested 27.2% of the time
Pass Rate
61.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Forward bay parkTested 23.8% of the time
Pass Rate
63.9%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse bay parkTested 23.2% of the time
Pass Rate
48.6%
Fail Rate
5.7%
Parallel parkTested 22.5% of the time
Pass Rate
58.8%
Fail Rate
11.8%

Best times to book at Girvan

Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
76.7%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
63.3%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
61.6%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
58.1%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
56.7%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
53.3%
~0.2 tests/day

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