Irish Driving Test Myths

by | Aug 23, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Over the years, I have heard every story you can imagine about how someone failed for something innocuous, or it was one specific thing, or how, “My test lasted 10 minutes and the tester just said head back to test centre cos I was so good!” 😂

Below are a few instances where it isn’t (usually) a fail in the test.

  • Conking/Stalling the car. Normally, this would only incur a Grade 2 mark (Grade 3 is a fail). If you were to get panicked, delay, conk again a few times, block the junction, then it could lead to a fail. Generally, as long as you don’t let the car roll, start the car again promptly and do observations before moving off, it should (only) be a Grade 2. I once had a pupil who conked 3 times and still passed the test!
  • Touching the Kerb during a manoeuvre: This is in reference to the Turnabout & Left Reverse Manoeuvres. Again, not (necessarily) a fail. One tester told me once, “if the pupil just slightly tipped it gently, I wouldn’t mark them for it”. Obviously , best advice is ,do not touch the kerb at all, but if it’s a gentle touch, it may not be a mark, but generally it’s a Grade 2 mark, which again, is not a fail. Now, if you tip a kerb at speed driving down the road, this will most likely be a FAIL.
  • You don’t generally fail on Observation! I hear this so much and it my experience it is not true at all. You may have got a number of marks for observations, but it’s rarely ever a fail because of one missed observation.
  • The Test DOES NOT take an hour. The driving part of the test, which is the most important by far, only lasts approximately 30mins. You have to be at the test centre 15 minutes before your time, then there are Rules of the Road/Road Sign questions, plus engine/controls checks, so from the time you enter to the time you leave the test centre, it may be an hour, but not all of that hour is part of the actual test.
  • Lastly, no ones test lasts 10 minutes!! Unless they have an emergency or vehicle malfunction.

Brendan Tierney is a Brand Ambassador of KennCo Insurance.
KennCo Insurance understands that getting car insurance for your first car can be challenging. That’s why they offer affordable and reliable young driver car insurance. KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland.