What is the Hazard Perception Test
Try our own Hazard Perception Test and watch our explanation video clip.
FAQ Hazard Perception Test
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Why the need for the hazard perception test?
Each year 3,600 people are killed on Britain's roads. Improved hazard perception skills are expected to play an important part in achieving the Government's challenging casualty reduction targets.Young drivers (17-21) make up only 7% of all licence holders yet they are involved in up to one in seven accidents involving injury.
Young drivers have quicker reactions than older drivers. However, the more experienced driver scans the road better and recognises the clues that show a hazardous situation is developing much earlier and therefore starts to take action before the danger occurs. This is one of the reasons why accident involvement generally reduces as experience is gained.New drivers take much longer (up to two seconds longer) to recognise hazardous situations than more experienced drivers.
How will the hazard perception test work?
The electronic test is taken in front of a normal computer monitor. There are no pedals or steering wheel, just a mouse. The "driver" watches a series of video clips, each about a minute long, filmed on all sorts of roads, from country lanes to suburban high streets to motorways. Each clip will contain one or more developing hazards. Candidates need to click the mouse button as soon as they see a hazard.
You will be asked to indicate as soon as they see a hazard developing which may result in the driver taking some action, such as changing speed or direction. The sooner a response is made the higher the score.
There will be 14 different moving scenes on the Hazard Perception test screen. The scenes will have one or two hazards to identify. The 14 scenes will be taken from a bank of 200.
You will have to identify the moving hazard by clicking a mouse. For example, a car pulling out in front of you, as quickly as possible. You will be given a 'window of time' in which to spot the hazard. The score will depend on how soon you identify the hazard - the longer they take, the lower their score. You will score a zero mark if you either click too late, or repeatedly.
Some recent press reports have compared the test to a video game. DSA feels this is inaccurate and misleading. All the clips are real life video film to make the test experience as realistic as possible. Virtual reality enhancement was not used. The test will not require computer literacy. The reference to a video game might unnecessarily worry people unfamiliar with computers.
The 'touchscreen' system has been carefully designed to make sure it is easy to use.
What Hazards Are We Looking For?
Look for events occurring in front of the car such as:-
- School crossing and bus waiting with children crossing road
- Breakdown vehicle on bend
- Vans parked with hazard warning lights on
- Cyclist on country road
- Vehicle doing U turn on brow of hill
- Furniture vans parked on bend (door open) with oncoming traffic
- Green traffic light turns on approach
- Parked vehicles/road works
- Car emerging from left
- Stray dog by kerb
- Zebra crossing with pedestrians crossing
- Vehicle emerges from left in road dip
- Pedestrian trying to cross road
- Car looking as though it may join traffic from right
- Woman with pushchair ready to cross road
- Blind man with dog by kerb
- Vehicle edging out of side road from right
- Zebra crossing with pedestrian crossing
- Bus pulling out
- Car late stopping at left hand junction
- Vehicle turning right across traffic
- Car stopping in road to collect passenger
- Parked car and oncoming car
A Visit to the Trials of the Hazard Perception Test more
Software to help you 2pass the Hazard Perception Test here
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