Mirrors and signals on your driving test

Checked against DVSA guidance on GOV.UK in October 2026.

Mirrors, signal, manoeuvre

The Highway Code's reminder is short: mirrors, signal, manoeuvre. The DVSA's marking guide spells out what each step means for the examiner:

• Mirrors: check them to judge the speed and position of vehicles behind you.
• Signal: signal clearly and in good time.
• Manoeuvre: carry out the manoeuvre using position, speed, look: get into position in good time, adjust your speed, then look and act on what you see.

The order matters. A mirror check after you've signalled tells you nothing useful before the signal goes on. "Checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling" is one of the most common mirror faults listed in the DVSA's guide to understanding your driving test result.

When to check your mirrors

Highway Code rule 161 says you should use your mirrors frequently, so you always know what's behind and to each side of you, and use them in good time before you signal, change direction or change speed. Your result splits mirror faults the same way:

• Use of mirrors - Signalling: before you put a signal on
• Use of mirrors - Change direction: before turning, changing lanes, moving out round parked cars or pulling up
• Use of mirrors - Change speed: before slowing down or speeding up, so you know whether anyone is close behind

Check the interior mirror and the door mirror on the side you're moving towards. Rule 161 also reminds you that mirrors don't cover everything: there are blind spots, so look round when you need to, such as when moving off (rule 159) or changing lanes (rule 133).

Act on what you see

A glance that doesn't change what you do isn't an effective check. The DVSA's top 10 reasons for failing include examples where the learner did check, but carried on anyway:

• changing lanes on a dual carriageway when a vehicle is approaching in the lane you want, forcing it to slow down
• trying to change lanes on a roundabout with a vehicle directly alongside, so the examiner has to take the wheel
• moving from the right-hand lane to the left to leave a large roundabout with no mirror checks at all
• leaving a roundabout and cutting across a closely following vehicle on the left

The marking guide shows how the severity builds: a late check of the door mirror before changing direction is an example of a driving fault, and not checking it at all before a significant change in direction is an example of a serious fault. Missing mirror checks again and again across the drive can also be marked as serious, even if each one on its own would only be a driving fault.

Signals

Highway Code rule 103 says you should:

• give clear signals in plenty of time, having checked it isn't misleading to signal at that moment
• use them to tell other road users before changing course or direction, stopping or moving off
• cancel them after use
• make sure they won't confuse anyone

Rule 103 gives a classic example. If you want to stop just after a side road, don't signal until you're passing it, or other drivers may think you're turning in. And remember that signalling doesn't give you priority.

On your result, signal faults are split into three:

• Signals - Necessary: a signal that was needed was left out.
• Signals - Correctly: the wrong or a misleading signal, including not cancelling it.
• Signals - Timed: a signal so early it misleads, or so late it's no use.

The DVSA's most common examples include signalling left or right but not turning, signalling right at a roundabout when you want to go ahead, and signalling too late to be useful. The marking guide gives cancelling a signal before the turn is complete as an example of a driving fault, and leaving out an essential signal as an example of a serious fault. Examiners also expect you not to beckon pedestrians to cross.

Good habits to practise

• Say "mirrors" in your head every time you're about to signal, turn or brake.
• Check that your indicator has cancelled after every turn and roundabout.
• Plan earlier. Most late signals come from late decisions about where you're going.
• Don't make a show of moving your head. The DVSA's driving test myths page says it isn't needed, and it can distract you from what matters.