Isles of Scilly

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Isles of Scilly, Town Hall, St Marys

St Marys, TR21 0LW

Pass Rate
72.7%
Members
4

Test Statistics

DVSA recorded only 11 practical tests at Isles of Scilly in this period — too few to draw a meaningful pass rate from.

Isles of Scilly driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
72.7%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
11
~0.1 per day
First Attempt Rate
27.3%
Avg 2.7 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.00
0.0% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.36
27.3% of tests have any
Minor Faults
2.36
90.9% of tests have any

Common faults at Isles of Scilly

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - cutting corners9.1%
Common Scenarios:
  • Poor steering or positioning when making a turn, causing you to briefly drive on the wrong side of the road.
  • Where parked cars make it impossible to avoid cutting corners, doing so at speed without enhanced observation.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with tight junctions and cars parked near junctions.
Move off - control9.1%
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 - meeting9.1%
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.
Parallel park - control9.1%
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

Awareness / planning0.45
Common Scenarios:
  • Not anticipating the actions of other road users and reacting late to hazards or changes in traffic flow.
  • Waiting behind parked or broken down vehicles without attempting to overtake.
  • Being oblivious or inconsiderate to other drivers when merging in turn.
  • Not anticipating that pedestrians are about to cross, or walk upon the road.
Why More Common Here:
  • Busy or chaotic high streets and city centres.
  • High numbers of cyclists and/or confusing cycle infrastructure.
  • Semi- or fully-pedestrianised roads with pedestrians walking freely around.
Move off - safely0.27
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.
Clearance / obstructions0.18
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 speed0.18
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.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.18
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.
Use of speed (too fast)0.18
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.
Reverse bay park - control0.18
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to accurately park within the marked lines of the bay (it is okay to be crooked).
  • Inability to control the vehicle whilst reversing.
  • Touching or driving over curbs whilst performing the maneuvre.
  • Needing to reposition the car and reattempt the maneuvre multiple times.
Why More Common Here:
  • The most frequently used car parks are cramped or have an uneven surface.
  • Often this maneuvre will be done at the test centre. DTC car parks vary in quality.
Reverse right - observation0.09
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.09
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.
Emergency stop0.09
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'.

Manoeuvres tested at Isles of Scilly

Parallel parkTested 36.4% of the time
Pass Rate
75.0%
Fail Rate
25.0%
Reverse bay parkTested 27.3% of the time
Pass Rate
66.7%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Emergency stopTested 27.3% of the time
Pass Rate
100.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Forward bay parkTested 18.2% of the time
Pass Rate
50.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse rightTested 18.2% of the time
Pass Rate
100.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%

Best times to book at Isles of Scilly

Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
100.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
72.7%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
66.7%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
50.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
0.0%
~0.0 tests/day

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Centres you can move a Isles of Scilly test to

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