Part 3 · Topic 20 of 37
Control and junctions
The 21 control-, mirror-, signal- and junction-related fault categories on the learner's driving test marking sheet, with driving, serious and dangerous examples of each — what you apply when marking a pupil's mock test.
Key facts
- These 21 categories are the control, mirrors, signals and junctions section of the learner's marking sheet — not the whole sheet, and not how your own Part 3 is marked
- Your Part 3 is marked on 17 competencies scored 0-3; this is what YOU mark a pupil against
One thing to be clear about first, because it is easy to conflate the two: these fault categories are how your pupil's driving test is marked. They are not how your Part 3 is marked — that is 17 competencies scored 0 to 3, covered in the National Standard and marking form. You need these categories because you mark mock tests with them and coach against them, not because an examiner will apply them to you.
To teach control and junction work well, and to mark a mock the way an examiner would, you need to know how each category is assessed. The 21 below are the control, mirrors, signals and junctions part of the marking sheet — the full sheet also covers judgement, positioning, pedestrian crossings, clearance, following distance, use of speed, progress, awareness and planning, and response to signs and signals. Each entry below includes an example of a driving fault, a serious fault and a dangerous fault.
Accelerator
The pupil should use the accelerator and clutch to make a smooth start. Record a fault for uncontrolled use of the accelerator or revving excessively.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Uncontrolled or harsh use of the accelerator |
| Serious | Continuous, habitual uncontrolled or harsh use of the accelerator |
| Dangerous | Uncontrolled use of the accelerator leading to a situation involving actual danger |
Clutch
The clutch should be depressed before the car stops. The pupil should not coast in neutral or with the clutch down.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Clutch not depressed in time, causing a stall, with no traffic affected |
| Serious | The same fault habitually throughout the drive |
| Dangerous | The instructor must act to prevent actual danger |
Gears
The pupil should select the correct gear for the road and traffic conditions, without coasting.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Wrong gear selected, causing a reduction in speed, with no risk to following vehicles |
| Serious | Wrong gear causing following traffic to alter speed or direction |
| Dangerous | A control fault causing actual danger to the pupil, instructor, public or property |
Footbrake
The footbrake should be used smoothly and progressively.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Uncontrolled or harsh use of the footbrake |
| Serious | Habitual harsh use of the footbrake |
| Dangerous | No timely attempt to use the footbrake, and the instructor has to take action |
Parking brake
The parking brake should be used fully to prevent the car rolling.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Not applied on a hill start, and the car rolls back a short distance |
| Serious | The car rolls back a significant distance |
| Dangerous | The car rolls back with a road user behind, causing actual danger |
Steering
The pupil should steer smoothly. Steering too early or too late may cause the car to hit the kerb or swing out.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Late steering on a right turn causing a recovered swan-neck line |
| Serious | Early steering on a left turn causing the wheel to mount the pavement |
| Dangerous | Late steering on a right turn, the wheel mounts the pavement with a pedestrian present, and the instructor acts |
Precautions
The pupil should be comfortably seated and able to operate all controls safely before starting the engine.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | After a stall at a junction, the pupil attempts a restart while still in gear, with the handbrake applied |
| Serious | The engine is started in gear and the car enters a new road with potential risk |
| Dangerous | An inability to operate the controls causes actual danger |
Ancillary controls
The pupil should understand the indicators, lights, wipers, demisters and heaters, and operate them without looking down. Record a fault for failing to use a control when necessary, being unable to operate it, being unable to locate it, or losing control of the car while operating it.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Unfamiliar with a control's location or operation, control of the car compromised, but no effect on road safety |
| Serious | Unaware of a control's location or operation, with serious loss of control |
| Dangerous | The fault causes actual danger |
Move off
Record faults here for safety and for control. Safety reasons include not checking the blind spot, checking it at the wrong time, using only a left-shoulder check for normal stops and angle starts, and pulling away with the right signal still on after the pull up on the right and reverse exercise.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Blind spot checked with incorrect timing, with no risk |
| Serious | Moving off into the path of traffic, or with no observation at all |
| Dangerous | The failure causes actual danger |
Control when moving off
The pupil should move off smoothly on a gradient and at an angle, with the correct precautionary observations. Record a fault for stalling, moving off with the handbrake on, rolling back, having no gear engaged or using too high a gear.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Stalls once, with no one affected |
| Serious | Repeatedly stalls |
| Dangerous | Stalls uphill and rolls back onto the vehicle behind |
Use of mirrors
The pupil should make full, effective use of all mirrors, following the mirror-signal-manoeuvre (MSM) routine, before signalling, changing direction and changing speed. Record a fault for not using the exterior mirrors when essential, not reacting to the information seen, not using the mirrors at all, pulling up without checks, speeding up without checks, or using the mirrors late.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | No mirror check before signalling, with no one affected |
| Serious | The same fault repeatedly throughout the drive |
| Dangerous | No mirror check before a right-turn signal, and the vehicle behind has to abandon an overtake |
Mirrors before changing direction
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Late exterior mirror check before changing direction |
| Serious | No exterior mirror check before a significant change of direction |
| Dangerous | Serious mirror neglect causing actual danger |
Mirrors before changing speed
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | No mirror checks before a normal stop, with no one affected |
| Serious | No mirror checks and no signal, significantly affecting following traffic |
| Dangerous | The same fault causing actual danger |
Signals: necessary
The pupil should give clear signals from the Highway Code, only when they help other road users, and in good time, cancelling them after the manoeuvre. Pedestrians should never be beckoned across the road. Record a fault for failing to re-apply a signal that has self-cancelled, or failing to signal where necessary.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Signal cancelled before the change of direction is complete, with a road user present |
| Serious | An essential signal is omitted |
| Dangerous | The omission causes actual danger |
Signals: correctly
Record a fault for signalling unnecessarily, giving wrong arm signals, failing to cancel a signal, signalling left for right or right for left, flashing headlights at another driver, using hazard lights while moving, sounding the horn unnecessarily, or beckoning pedestrians.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Left signal left on after a roundabout, with no effect |
| Serious | Signal left on approaching a junction with a vehicle waiting to emerge, and the pupil has to be asked to cancel it |
| Dangerous | The pupil beckons a pedestrian across and an oncoming vehicle brakes heavily |
Signals: timed
Record a fault for late exit signals at roundabouts, arriving at a junction and then signalling, signalling after starting the manoeuvre, signalling far too early or too late, or giving a misleading signal before a turn.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | A necessary signal given late, with sufficient effect |
| Serious | A very late signal, with traffic significantly affected |
| Dangerous | A very late signal causing actual danger |
Junctions: approach speed
The pupil should judge the correct approach speed so they can enter the junction safely or stop. Record a fault for approaching too fast or too slow.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Approaches quickly and control is compromised |
| Serious | Approaches far too quickly, significantly affecting control |
| Dangerous | The instructor has to take action |
Junctions: observation
The pupil should take effective observation before moving into a junction, watching in particular for cyclists and motorcyclists on the left and for pedestrians crossing. Record a fault for no effective observation before emerging, or for looking both ways but still emerging and affecting other road users.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Misjudges the speed or distance of an approaching vehicle, with safety not compromised |
| Serious | Emerges into the path of other vehicles |
| Dangerous | A severe lack of observation causes actual danger |
Junctions: turning right
The pupil should position the car correctly, in the correct lane, moving as close to the centre of the road as is safe, without cutting the corner. Record a fault for positioning too far left, too far right, stopping short of the turning point when turning major to minor, or taking an incorrect position before turning right.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Part way over the central marking, with no effect on others |
| Serious | Does not use a clear, available right-hand lane at a major roundabout |
| Dangerous | On the wrong side of the road with a high risk to oncoming traffic |
Junctions: turning left
The pupil should keep left and avoid swinging out. Record a fault for being too far right or too close to the kerb, swinging out before the corner, or using an unmarked, inappropriate lane.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Brushes the kerb |
| Serious | Habitually drives extremely close to the kerb or brushes it |
| Dangerous | Brushes the kerb with a pedestrian close to the kerb edge, and the instructor acts |
Junctions: cutting corners
Record a fault if the pupil cuts the corner when turning from a major road into a minor road.
| Fault type | Example |
|---|---|
| Driving | Part way over the central dividing line of the minor road, with no effect on others |
| Serious | Completely on the wrong side of the line, with no mitigating circumstances |
| Dangerous | The same fault, causing the instructor to take action |
Teach control with confidence
Understanding how control faults are assessed at junctions helps you guide learners more effectively and pass ADI Part 3 first time. The next topic, Awareness, covers the remaining fault categories on the marking sheet.