You should try to avoid touching the kerb at all costs during your driving test, unless the examiner asks you to go up the kerb – though this is extremely rare. The examiner would only ask you to do this if it was an emergency or there was a big obstruction in the road for example.
Many learners have hit the kerb and passed their driving tests and many have hit the kerb and failed. This is why it’s such a debate on forums and between friends who have had different experiences.
Watch the video below to find out more about hitting the kerb on your driving test and how to avoid hitting the kerb too.
Here are some examples where you would most definitely fail your driving test for hitting the kerb:
- Going up the kerb or hitting the kerb at high speeds
- Going up the kerb and driving on the verge during a manoeuvre
- Pulling up by the side of the road and stopping with 1 or both wheels on the kerb – this applies to both flat and raised kerbs and can potentially damage your tyres and wheels
- Clipping the kerb while driving fast enough to pierce the tyre or cause a sudden jolt.
Here are some examples where you should normally fail your test but, in some instances, the examiner might use their discretion:
- Nudging the kerb very gently when pulling up but not going onto it
- Reversing backwards for a manoeuvre and gently touching the kerb
- Scraping the wheel/tyre against the kerb but not going up it
- When turning left, sometimes the back wheel can catch the kerb if it is a sharp turn – if it’s very subtle, you might be okay.
How to avoid hitting the kerb on the driving test
Knowing what you know now from the above, really you just want to avoid hitting the kerb on your driving test completely but at the same time you don’t want to be driving or stopping or parking too far away from the kerb either.
Here are some tips to help you avoid hitting the kerb on your driving test:
- Use focal points at the front of your car. Usually around the windscreen wipers to judge where the kerb is when driving and when parking. Many instructors put two stickers at the front of the windscreen so you can line it up with the kerb.
- Use your door mirrors as you approach the kerb to stop. Make sure you just glance quickly and don’t stare. This will give you an indication if you are too close or too far away. When stopping by the kerb, always ask yourself if you are within a foot length (size 7-8 adult shoe) from the kerb.
- Many short people benefit from raising their seat position and even lowering the steering wheel slightly. If that doesn’t help, then sitting on a pillow can also improve your view of the road ahead.
- If you are losing control when you change gear, then sometimes you may benefit from steering in a straight line with one hand on the steering wheel. This is not normally allowed but if you do it on private land or a large car park where it is quiet, you won’t be braking the law and it may improve your foundation skills.
- Avoid stopping on gradual/subtle bends if possible. If you are using focal points or the door mirrors then these won’t work as well on bends. Obviously avoid stopping on bends where visibility is restricted.
True story…
We once had a learner taking their driving lessons in Farnborough. When he was on his driving test he went up the kerb and back down at 60mph. He controlled the car well and fortunately there was no major impact going up or coming back down as the kerb was quite gradually. He went on to pass his test! The morale of the story is never give up – the examiner can/may use their discretion depending on how serious the incident is.
