I have just failed the Hazard Awareness part of the Car Drivers theory test and I'm obviously upset. However, as I've been practising at home with these CD Rom things you can get and doing OK I don't know what I did wrong on the test as they don't review anything with you afterwards, therefore how can you improve?

I'm sure there are lots of astute young things out there who found Hazard Awareness a breeze so if you've any tips for me I would be eternally grateful. :help: :help:

Hi Bernie M.

When I did my theory test (they had only just started doing hazard perception) I found that the clips used in the test differed greatly from the clips on the CD Rom things. my tip would be to click at least 6 or 7 times for the same hazard. As you may know,you are only marked on one hazard (the developing hazard) even though there are hazards scattered all over the clip. I would suggest that you click, pause for one second and then repeat as many times as you feel that you need to. I used this method and passed my test even though I lost marks on 2 clips for going mad with the clicking.
Hope that I have been of some help.
Let me know how you get on.

Hi Bernie,
I failed my Theory 3 times because of that bloody Hazard Perception...Even my driving instructer says it's a con and just another way of making money..
It was so infuriating cos i got all 35 questions correct every time..just coulnt get the hang of the Hazard Perception
In the end i stopped practising and just relaxed and went in there and passed.
If you press too many times it says ya cheating,if ya dont press it enough you fail...just relax cos if you panic you just will fail again...
Good Luck :)

Many thanks to Sadz and wyseowl. My instructor admitted to having problems with the Hazard Perception as well and thinks it's a daft idea and a licence to print money! I'll try the clicking a lot and see if I do any better next time and until then I'll stop practising and take your advice and try to relax about it.

I'll let you know what happens next.

I think this bit of the test is very confusing and extremely poorly explained. Everything is a potential hazard, so it's not clear which ones you're supposed to be clicking. If you don't click until too late it seems to think you've not noticed the hazard at all, so you end up over-clicking.

When you're actually driving you have to assume anything might happen, so it seems wrong to mark you down for actually noticing potential hazards too much.

Don't click a lot, or you'll lose all the points for a clip. Try to click
first - when you spot a potential hazard
then - as the hazard begins to develop (you would be coming off the gas, the driver in the clip won't be (these guys must have nerves of steel ;) )
finally - as you would be getting on the brakes or taking avoiding action.

The big problem with HPT is that the 'windows', during which you must click to score, often start far too late, so some, often the better perceivers of hazards ironically enough, will click to register a hazard before the scoring window begins.

The big problem with HPT is that the 'windows', during which you must click to score, often start far too late, so some, often the better perceivers of hazards ironically enough, will click to register a hazard before the scoring window begins.[/QUOTE]

Funny you should say that as I wondered if I'd been clicking too early but you can't possibly tell. That's good advice though so will bear it in mind on my subsequent attempts at passing the horrible thing.

Thanks

Good advice from Pumatic. The hazard that will score you the points is the one that you as the driver would have to slow down for. As mentioned, once you see this developing hazard, keep clicking until the car stops. That way you will ensure clicking within the scoring window.

A problem with using the same CD-ROMs or whatever, is that you begin to know when to click as soon as the the clip starts. Over familiarity is not helpful. How many times does the same man walk into the road with his same dog at the same time as the same car passes by him in real life?? On second thoughts in certain areas it's more than likely ;)

A point worth noting is that all Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) have to pass this test, using the same database of clips as their pupils. According to the DSA's own figures, only 41% have done so, and with a pass rate of 64% it would appear even some instructors have problems with remembering to keep clicking.

As an ADI it is vital to see things developing earlier, how else can we alert the pupil to the hazard otherwise. That is the skill we are trying to get our pupils to emulate, being a safe driver.

Bernie M - Better luck with your next attempt.

sorry just doing 5 posts to send a pm