You’ll have many questions for your driving instructor as you approach the date of your driving test, but what to wear probably won’t be the first thing which comes to mind. Deciding what to wear for your driving test might not sound important, but you need to make sure you’re comfortable and that you’re wearing safe footwear for driving.
Smart or casual?
It’s completely up to you whether you want to dress smartly or casually, and you won’t pass or fail your driving test because of the clothes you’re wearing. You should, however, bear in mind that looking relatively smart and tidy will give a good first impression to your driving examiner and will make you feel confident too.
Loose clothing
There’s no official dress code for your driving test, but, as you'll know from your driving lessons, being comfortable is really important when you're sitting in the car for extended periods of time - and you'll be in the car for your test for around 40 minutes. Wear something loose fitting which isn’t likely to get caught whilst you’re driving.
You’ll also want to make sure that what you’re wearing doesn’t restrict your movement. Being able to change gears and control the pedals is obviously an essential part of your driving test, so ensure you’re able to move around in whatever you choose to wear.
Driving test footwear
Choosing the right footwear for your driving test is essential, as certain shoes aren’t suitable for driving in. Flip flops and high heels, for example, aren’t an appropriate choice for driving. In fact, driving in flip flops can be dangerous as you can’t get a good grip on the pedals whilst wearing them. Wearing heels, similarly, can be risky because the heels might get caught on something, causing you to lose control of the vehicle.
Choose a pair of shoes which are, ideally, flat and stay securely on your feet. Shoes with a slim sole will also allow you to get a better feeling for the pedals, as shoes with a thick sole, like Ugg boots or wellies, for example, can make it tricky to control the car.
Consider the weather
If your driving test is in the height of summer, you’re not going to want to be wearing layers of clothing. Remember you’ll be sat in the car for at least 40 minutes, so you don’t want to be sweating from the second you get in. Likewise, if you’re driving in the winter, wear something which will keep you warm but which won’t be too warm to wear in the car.
If you do get too hot during your driving test, ask the examiner if it’s OK to pull over in a safe place and to remove a layer of clothing. It’s better to do this than to ruin your chances of passing your driving test because you’re too hot to concentrate.
When driving in the summer, however, it’s a good idea to leave the sunglasses at home. Sunglasses can obscure your view and will prevent the driving examiner from being able to see whether you’re checking your mirrors every time you should be.