Stranraer

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Stranraer, North West Castle Hotel, Stranraer

Stranraer, DG9 8EH

Pass Rate
64.3%
Members
1

Test Statistics

Stranraer is among the stronger places in the country to sit a practical test: 64.3% 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 10.2% of candidates their test. It draws mostly first-timers — 57.1% are sitting their first test — and the average candidate passes in 1.6 attempts.

Stranraer driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
64.3%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
196
~0.9 per day
First Attempt Rate
57.1%
Avg 1.6 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.00
0.0% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.54
35.7% of tests have any
Minor Faults
5.17
98.0% of tests have any

Common faults at Stranraer

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation10.2%
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 - control4.1%
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.
Response to traffic signs4.1%
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).
Control - gears3.1%
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.
Mirrors - change speed3.1%
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.
Parallel park - control2.0%
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.
Signals - correctly2.0%
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.
Move off - safely2.0%
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 - observation2.0%
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.
Control - steering1.5%
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.

Most Common Minor Faults

Control - gears0.54
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.
Move off - control0.53
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 - 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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.46
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 - steering0.33
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)0.27
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.
Junctions - observation0.19
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.
Signals - timed0.17
Common Scenarios:
  • Signalling too late for the signal to be effective.
Why More Common Here:
  • Unclear road markings and signs might lead to last minute rushed lane changes.
  • Hidden junctions on main roads.
Junctions - approach speed0.14
Common Scenarios:
  • Approaching a junction too quickly, making it difficult to make observations and stop safely if necessary.
  • Braking harshly when needing to stop at give way lines.
Why More Common Here:
  • Roundabouts and other junctions that 'appear out of nowhere' on fast roads, possibly due to inadequate signage.
  • Sharp bends or steep inclines on approach to roundabouts.
  • Sharp exits off fast roads (e.g. t-junctions off dual carriageways).
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.

Manoeuvres tested at Stranraer

Emergency stopTested 32.1% of the time
Pass Rate
71.4%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse rightTested 30.1% of the time
Pass Rate
69.5%
Fail Rate
6.8%
Forward bay parkTested 24.5% of the time
Pass Rate
70.8%
Fail Rate
2.1%
Reverse bay parkTested 24.0% of the time
Pass Rate
57.4%
Fail Rate
8.5%
Parallel parkTested 21.4% of the time
Pass Rate
57.1%
Fail Rate
16.7%

Best times to book at Stranraer

Saturday
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
75.0%
~0.3 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
72.7%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
71.4%
~0.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
69.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
68.2%
~0.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
66.3%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
65.5%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
63.3%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
63.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Saturday
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
62.5%
~0.3 tests/day
Mon-Fri
17:00-18:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.0 tests/day
Saturday
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Saturday
All times
Pass Rate
55.6%
~1.2 tests/day
Saturday
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
42.9%
~0.2 tests/day
Saturday
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
37.5%
~0.3 tests/day

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