During your practical driving test, the examiner will ask you vehicle safety questions. These are known as show me tell me questions.
Many learner drivers worry about this part of the test, but it is usually much easier once you understand what the examiner is asking and how to prepare.
At Fast Pass Glasgow, we help learners prepare for every part of the practical driving test, including vehicle safety questions, independent driving, manoeuvres and test-day confidence.
Show me tell me questions are vehicle safety questions asked during the practical driving test.
GOV.UK explains that you will be asked two vehicle safety questions during your car driving test:
A tell me question asks you to explain how you would carry out a safety task. A show me question asks you to demonstrate how you would carry out a safety task.
If you get one or both questions wrong, you will receive one driving fault. A wrong answer does not automatically mean you fail, but it is still worth preparing properly.
A tell me question is asked before you start driving. The examiner asks you to explain how you would check something on the car or carry out a basic safety check.
For example, you may be asked how you would check:
You usually explain the answer rather than physically carrying out the full check. Your instructor can help you practise these before your driving test.
A show me question is asked while you are driving. The examiner asks you to demonstrate how you would operate something safely.
For example, you may be asked to show how you would:
The show me question happens while you are driving, so the most important thing is to keep control of the car and only operate the control when it is safe.
If you are unsure or need a moment, stay calm. Keep your eyes on the road, maintain safe control and do not rush.
You should practise the official tell me questions before your driving test. Your exact answers may depend slightly on the car you use, but you should understand the safety check being asked.
Common tell me topics include:
You do not need to sound like a mechanic. You need to give a clear, safe answer that shows you understand the basic check.
Show me questions are practical demonstrations. You should know where the controls are in the car and how to use them safely while driving.
Common show me tasks include:
The examiner is not trying to catch you out. They want to see that you can operate basic controls safely without losing control of the car.
Practise these controls during lessons so they feel natural before test day.
You do not need long, complicated answers. A simple and accurate answer is usually best.
When answering, try to:
If you are asked a show me question while driving, do not let it distract you from the road. Safety comes first.
If it is not safe to operate the control immediately, stay calm and do it when it is safe.
Show me tell me questions are usually straightforward, but learners can make mistakes if they have not practised them properly.
Common mistakes include:
The easiest way to avoid these mistakes is to practise the questions in the actual car you will use for your test.
Once you know where everything is, this part of the test should feel much less stressful.
Tyre questions are common because tyres are a major part of road safety.
For cars, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire outer circumference.
If asked how you would check tyres are safe, you should be able to explain that you would check:
Your instructor can show you how to check tyres on the car you are learning in.
Some tell me questions may involve checks under the bonnet. You do not need to carry out a full mechanical inspection, but you should know where the main fluid checks are.
Common under-the-bonnet topics include:
You should be able to identify the correct area and explain how you would check the level against the minimum and maximum markers where appropriate.
Every car is slightly different, so practise with your instructor using the vehicle you will take to test.
If you answer one or both show me tell me questions incorrectly, GOV.UK says you will receive one driving fault.
That means a wrong answer does not automatically fail your test. However, you should still prepare properly because it is an easy area to avoid losing a mark.
If you make a mistake, do not panic. Stay calm and focus on the rest of the test.
Many learners cause themselves more problems by worrying about a small mistake. Keep driving safely, listen to instructions and continue as normal.
The best time to learn show me tell me questions is before test week. Do not leave them until the last lesson.
A good preparation plan includes:
Once you have practised them properly, show me tell me questions should feel like a small part of the driving test rather than something to fear.
Fast Pass Glasgow helps learners prepare for practical driving tests across Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire.
We can help with:
Our aim is to help you feel calm, prepared and confident before test day, while building safe driving habits for life.
You will be asked two vehicle safety questions during your car driving test: one tell me question before you start driving and one show me question while you are driving.
If you get one or both questions wrong, you will receive one driving fault. It does not automatically mean you have failed the test.
The tell me question is asked at the start of your practical driving test, before you begin driving.
The show me question is asked while you are driving. You will need to operate a control safely without losing focus on the road.
You should learn the official questions, but it is better to understand the safety checks rather than memorising words without knowing what they mean.
Yes. Your instructor can help you learn the questions, find the controls in the car and practise answering clearly before your test.
The official questions are the same, but the location of controls and fluid checks can vary between cars. Practise in the car you will use for your test where possible.
Show me tell me questions are only one part of your driving test, but good preparation can help you feel more confident from the start.
Fast Pass Glasgow provides calm, professional driving lessons and test preparation across Glasgow and nearby areas, helping learners build confidence, safety and road awareness.
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