If you’re looking to become a fully qualified HGV driver, you have quite a journey ahead of you. In order to earn the right to drive HGV’s along British roads, you must first pass the 4 part Driver CPC. This is made up of 2 parts theory and 2 parts practical and will test your knowledge and ability to handle these huge vehicles. In this post, we will look at the theory section of these tests – how to book, what happens on the day, and what happens if you fail.
How To Book
When you feel you are ready to take your Driver CPC theory test, booking on is a simple process. Unless you are learning through a registered training centre (who may book you on themselves), we recommend going to this government website to find your nearest testing centre. We say this because using third party booking sites often end up hiking the price, and you don’t want to pay more than you have to. The multiple choice section will cost £26, and the hazard perception will cost £11. If you need special considerations, for example, hearing or reading difficulties, or need the test translating into another language, just tell your testing centre and they will be able to help.
Taking The Test
On the day of your theory test, make sure you have your booking form and identification with you. You may not be able to take the test if you don’t have this information. Each test is done on a computer, and you will be given a set of headphones for concentration, and for the hazard perception section.
Multiple-Choice Section. This is perhaps the most simple and straightforward element of the entire Driver CPC testing process. You are given a question and a selection of answers to choose from. All you have to do is choose the right one. For some questions, there may be more than one correct answer, and the question will inform you of how many answers you need to choose. There is a total of 100 points available, and to pass you need to get at least 85. You are given 115 minutes to take the test, and you can ‘flag’ questions if you need to come back to them later.
Hazard Perception Section. In this section, you will be shown 19 different films and asked to identify the hazard developing in each one – a hazard being defined as any event or object that would require you to make driving changes. Each film contains just 1 hazard, with the exception of one film, which contains 2. The earlier n you spot the hazard, the more points you will score for it, with a maximum of 5 points per hazard. That adds up to 100 points to gain, and a minimum of 65 correct to qualify you for a pass. The hazard perception test also has an ‘anti-cheat’ system built it – clicking too often or in a pattern around the screen will produce a warning and give you 0 points for that film. Continue and your total score will be 0.
Retaking The Test
Even the best of us have bad days, and if you happen to have one on the day of your theory tests, it’s a possibility that you will fail. Whether it’s because of personal problems, having an off day or simply not being prepared enough, HGV drivers fail their theory tests almost as often as new car drivers do. Luckily, retaking your test is simple. All you need to do is rebook a testing slot, at no extra cost.
At CPC Training, we help new drivers learn everything they need to know in order to pass their Driver CPC theory with flying colours. Our team of expert drivers have all taken and passed these tests themselves and can help you understand the process, know the answers and even tackle nerves. For more information, or to book your training course, get in touch with our team today.
