The hazard perception test is the second part of the theory test. It is the part many learners find hardest to revise for, because there is nothing to memorise. You are being tested on timing: noticing a situation early enough that a real driver would have time to act. Once you understand how the scoring works, practice becomes much more focused.
What happens in the test
Before the clips start you are shown a short video explaining how the test works. You then watch 14 clips of everyday road scenes. Each one contains at least one developing hazard, and one clip contains two. You respond by clicking the mouse when you see a hazard starting to develop.
You get one attempt at each clip. Unlike the multiple-choice section, you cannot go back, review or change your responses. If you lose focus during a clip, the only thing to do is reset for the next one.
Developing hazards versus everything else
DVSA defines a developing hazard as something that would cause you to take action, like changing speed or direction. That definition is the key to the whole test. A road scene is full of things that could become a problem: parked cars, pedestrians on the pavement, a junction ahead. Most of them never do. Only the ones that actually develop are scored.
GOV.UK gives a simple example. A car is parked at the side of the road and is not doing anything. That is not yet a developing hazard. As you get closer, its right-hand indicator starts to flash and it starts to move away. Now it is, because you would need to slow down or steer around it.
How the scoring works
You can score up to 5 points for each developing hazard. Points are awarded for spotting it as soon as it starts to happen, so the earlier you respond once the hazard begins to develop, the higher the score. A later response can still score, just fewer points, and a response after the moment has passed scores nothing.
- Wrong clicks do not cost points. Clicking when nothing is developing will not reduce your score.
- Pattern clicking scores zero. If you click continuously or in a pattern, you will not score anything for that clip.
GOV.UK does not give a fixed time for each hazard, and hazards develop at different speeds from clip to clip. That is why practising with a range of clips is more useful than trying to learn a fixed rhythm.
Pass marks by category
| Test | Clips | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Car | 14 | 44 out of 75 |
| Motorcycle | 14 | 44 out of 75 |
| Lorry, bus and coach (LGV and PCV) | 19 | 67 out of 100 |
| Approved driving instructor (ADI) part 1 | 14 | 57 out of 75 |
For cars and motorcycles you take both parts of the theory test at the same sitting, and failing either means retaking the whole test. Lorry and bus candidates book the multiple-choice and hazard perception parts separately and must pass both within 2 years of each other.
What the clips look like
The clips are computer-generated. DVSA replaced the old filmed footage with CGI clips in January 2015, partly because it allows scenes involving vulnerable road users, such as children and cyclists, to be shown without putting anyone at risk. Since 2018, clips have also covered a wider range of conditions, including fog, rain, snow and ice, wind, and night-time or low-light driving.
How to practise well
Click when you would act
The most reliable habit is to ask yourself, at every moment, whether you would be covering the brake or changing position if you were really driving. When the answer becomes yes, click. Many learners add one more deliberate click a moment later as the hazard clearly develops, so a slightly early first click is not wasted. Keep it to a couple of considered clicks, never a rhythm.
Read the clues, not just the obvious
Experienced drivers spot hazards early because they read clues: a ball rolling into the road, brake lights two cars ahead, a cyclist glancing over their shoulder, a bus at a stop with its indicator on. When you review a practice clip, look for the first clue that something was about to change. That is roughly where the highest score sits.
Practise in short sets
Hazard perception rewards concentration, and concentration fades. A handful of clips with full attention is worth more than an hour of tired clicking. Try a short set every day in the week or two before your test, and treat a low score as information about where your attention drifted, not as a verdict.
Use the official guide too
DVSA recommends its official guide to hazard perception for preparation, alongside its official apps and theory test kit. Practising across more than one source helps you get used to different scenes and different styles of hazard.
Hazard perception in TheoryIQ
TheoryIQ includes hazard perception practice clips with timed, tap-based scoring of up to 5 points per hazard, so you can get used to responding at the right moment on your phone. Practice scoring is designed to build the habit; it is not DVSA's own marking. Clips are part of full access, alongside topic practice and mock tests. See how it fits with the rest of the app on the features page.
