Oban

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Oban, Cameron House Albany Street, Oban

Oban, PA34 4AE

Pass Rate
57.8%
Members
2

Test Statistics

Oban is among the stronger places in the country to sit a practical test: 57.8% of candidates pass, against the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 1 tests a day. No single fault dominates — the most common, steering at control, accounts for 5.9%. It draws mostly first-timers — 62.2% are sitting their first test — and the average candidate passes in 1.7 attempts.

Oban driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
57.8%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
185
~0.9 per day
First Attempt Rate
62.2%
Avg 1.7 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.00
0.0% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.58
42.2% of tests have any
Minor Faults
5.71
99.5% of tests have any

Common faults at Oban

Most Common Fail Reasons

Control - steering5.9%
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.
Response to traffic signs4.9%
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).
Junctions - observation4.9%
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 - control3.8%
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 - safely3.8%
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.
Parallel park - observation3.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not completing 360° observations whilst reversing.
  • Staring at mirrors and not periodically observing all around.
  • Being unaware of pedestrians and other road users.
  • Getting too close to parked cars and other obstacles when maneuvring.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes where the parallel park is performed on busier roads with more hazards.
Mirrors - change direction2.7%
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.
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.
Clearance / obstructions2.7%
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 - signalling2.7%
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.

Most Common Minor Faults

Mirrors - change speed0.66
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.
Mirrors - signalling0.53
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.
Move off - safely0.53
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 - steering0.47
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.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.37
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 - control0.35
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.
Junctions - observation0.21
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 / obstructions0.19
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.19
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.
Mirrors - change direction0.17
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.

Manoeuvres tested at Oban

Parallel parkTested 30.3% of the time
Pass Rate
53.6%
Fail Rate
19.6%
Emergency stopTested 29.7% of the time
Pass Rate
76.4%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse rightTested 29.2% of the time
Pass Rate
59.3%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse bay parkTested 21.6% of the time
Pass Rate
60.0%
Fail Rate
15.0%
Forward bay parkTested 18.9% of the time
Pass Rate
60.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%

Best times to book at Oban

Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
83.3%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
07:00-08:00
Pass Rate
66.7%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
65.2%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
57.8%
~1.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
56.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
54.3%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
34.8%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
28.6%
~0.0 tests/day

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