Lochgilphead

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Lochgilphead, Lochgilphead Community Centre, Manse Brae

Manse Brae, PA31 8QX

Pass Rate
64.3%
Members
5

Test Statistics

DVSA recorded only 84 practical tests at Lochgilphead in this period — too few to draw a meaningful pass rate from.

Lochgilphead driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
64.3%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
84
~0.4 per day
First Attempt Rate
61.9%
Avg 1.7 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.00
0.0% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.48
35.7% of tests have any
Minor Faults
5.20
98.8% of tests have any

Common faults at Lochgilphead

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation8.3%
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 - 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.
Move off - safely4.8%
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)3.6%
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.
Forward bay park - control2.4%
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 out of the bay.
  • 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.
Awareness / planning2.4%
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.
Reverse bay park - observation1.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not completing 360° observations whilst reversing.
  • Staring at mirrors and not periodically observing all around.
  • Being unaware of pedestrians and other car park users.
Why More Common Here:
  • The most frequently used car parks are cramped or have an uneven surface, thus requiring higher concentration for accuracy and risking sloppy observation.
Vehicle checks1.2%
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.
Forward bay park - observation1.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not completing 360° observations whilst reversing out of the bay.
  • Staring at mirrors and not periodically observing all around.
  • Being unaware of pedestrians and other car park users.
Why More Common Here:
  • The most frequently used car parks are cramped or have an uneven surface, thus requiring higher concentration for accuracy and risking sloppy observation.
Use of speed (too fast)1.2%
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.

Most Common Minor Faults

Progress - speed (too slow)0.64
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 - safely0.56
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.
Signals - correctly0.54
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.
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.
Control - steering0.25
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 - control0.24
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 speed0.23
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.
Junctions - observation0.20
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 - gears0.20
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 - Footbrake0.17
Common Scenarios:
  • Pressing the footbrake too hard when unnecessary.
  • Pressing the footbrake too softly to slow down for a hazard.

Manoeuvres tested at Lochgilphead

Reverse bay parkTested 34.5% of the time
Pass Rate
75.9%
Fail Rate
3.4%
Emergency stopTested 34.5% of the time
Pass Rate
72.4%
Fail Rate
3.4%
Forward bay parkTested 28.6% of the time
Pass Rate
58.3%
Fail Rate
12.5%
Reverse rightTested 19.0% of the time
Pass Rate
43.8%
Fail Rate
6.3%
Parallel parkTested 17.9% of the time
Pass Rate
73.3%
Fail Rate
6.7%

Best times to book at Lochgilphead

Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
92.9%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
69.2%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
66.7%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
64.3%
~0.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
55.6%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
44.4%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
40.0%
~0.0 tests/day

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