1. Initial LGV assessment – comprising a 2 hr driving ability assessment on either a Cat C or Cat C+E vehicle to make sure that you are capable of completing the course and how much training you require to meet the DSA requirements.

2. DSA Registration – each candidate will need to be DSA registered before they can attend course although they can do the assessment prior to registration if desired.

3. DSA Theory Exam. This 100 question multiple choice exam must be passed before practical tests can be applied for. The overall pass mark is 85% but each of the four areas of the test carry a pass mark of 80% Personal driving standard training – approximately 2 days training to instructor standard.

4. DSA driving ability test.

1. Personal driving standard training – approximately 5 days training to instructor standard.

2. DSA driving ability test.

Test of Driving Ability

This test is more advanced than the normal LGV driving test and a very high standard of competence is required. It consists of a test of the candidate’s driving technique and will last for approximately 1½ hours and will include all the elements of the practical LGV test. Candidates must show that they have a thorough knowledge of the principles of good driving and road safety and that they can apply them in practice.

Candidates will pass the Driving Ability test if they commit six or fewer driving faults recorded as (/) on the marking sheet and will fail if they commit a serious fault (S), a dangerous fault (D) or seven or more driving faults.

This part of the course will cover the following:

1. Responsibilities and duties of a driving instructor.

2. Demonstration and commentary driving – candidates will be required to demonstrate driving instructional abilities together with the competence to give a full commentary of the correct driving procedures.

3. Instructional techniques – “in-class” teaching – “in-cab” teaching (DSA examinable).

4. DSA Instructional ability test – based on one of nine set exercises – e.g. meeting / overtaking other traffic, anticipating the action of other road users, etc.

Test of Instructional Ability

The object of this test is to assess the candidate’s ability to give driving instruction to a pupil. To do this, the examiner will adopt the role of a pupil who is learning to drive a Large Goods Vehicle (Cat C or C+E) or a pupil wanting remedial tuition having failed an LGV test.

(All DSA tests are conducted by supervising examiners and are pass / fail. The maximum attempts on tests are three at each part after which there will be no further attempts until a 12 month period has elapsed.)