The hazard perception test — how it works and how to pass

Hazard perception is the second part of the theory test, taken right after the multiple-choice questions in the same sitting. No questions here — just video clips and your reactions.

The format

• 14 video clips, each about a minute long, filmed from a driver's point of view.
• Every clip contains at least one developing hazard — one clip contains two, so there are 15 scoreable hazards in total.
• You click the moment you see a hazard starting to develop.
• Car and motorcycle pass mark: 44 out of 75. (Lorry and bus tests use more clips and a different pass mark.)

How the scoring works

Each hazard has a scoring window. Click at the earliest moment the hazard starts developing and you score 5 points; the later you click within the window, the fewer points you get — down to 0 if you miss it entirely.

What counts as a "developing hazard"?

A potential hazard is something that could cause trouble: a parked car, a pedestrian on the pavement, a junction ahead. It becomes a developing hazard when it starts to happen: the parked car's door opens, the pedestrian steps toward the road, a vehicle noses out of the junction. You score by reacting to the developing moment — that is when to click.

Five tips that actually help

1. Scan the whole scene the way you would on a real drive: far ahead, the sides, parked cars, side roads — not just the middle of the screen.
2. Click 2–3 times as a hazard develops (start, then as it worsens). That covers the scoring window without looking like spam.
3. Expect the classics: children near parked cars, cyclists at junctions, vehicles pulling out, buses stopping, oncoming vehicles on narrow roads.
4. Do not relax after scoring one hazard — one clip has a second scoreable hazard, and every clip keeps testing you to the end.
5. Watch real hazard-perception practice clips before test day so the format holds no surprises — and remember you cannot review or retake individual clips.

Both parts, one sitting

You must pass the multiple-choice part (43/50) and hazard perception (44/75) in the same sitting — fail either and you retake both. Solid question practice is half the exam, and that part you can do here, free.