Memorised the hazard perception clips? How many clips the real test has and how to keep practising

The real hazard perception test has 14 clips, and gov.uk says its practice clips are not used in the real test, so every clip on the day is new to you. Remembering where the hazards are in a small practice set raises your practice score without making you any better at the real test.

This page covers what the real clips are like, why a memorised clip stops being useful practice, and how to keep improving once you know your practice clips by heart. Every rule is from gov.uk, checked on 25 October 2026.

What the real test contains

gov.uk's hazard perception test page sets out the format:

• You watch 14 video clips.
• Each clip contains at least one developing hazard, and one clip has 2 developing hazards.
• You can score up to 5 points for each developing hazard, and the earlier you spot it developing, the higher your score.

That makes 15 scoring hazards and a maximum of 75 points. The pass mark is 44 out of 75 (gov.uk: pass mark and result).

How the clips are made: CGI since 2015

The clips are computer-generated, not filmed. DVSA announced that computer-generated imagery (CGI) clips replaced the old filmed clips on 12 January 2015, because the filmed clips' image quality "wasn't as clear or defined as modern technology allows" (gov.uk: hazard perception clips get a modern makeover).

DVSA also said the pass mark stayed the same, that products you had been using to practise were still relevant, and that you do not need to have practised with CGI clips to take and pass the test. So older filmed practice clips still teach the skill, even if they look grainy next to the real thing.

Why memorising a clip set does not prepare you

The test scores how early you respond to a hazard as it starts to develop. On a clip you have watched several times, you are not spotting anything: you are remembering that the dog appears by the second parked car. Your score on that clip measures your memory, not your hazard perception.

Two facts make this matter:

1. The real clips are not the practice clips. gov.uk's free practice test says its clips "are not used in the real test, but they show you how the test works".
2. You get one attempt at each real clip. You cannot review or change your responses, so there is no second viewing to fall back on.

A high score on clips you know is therefore not a sign you are ready. The useful number is your score on clips you are seeing for the first time.

How many practice clips are enough?

gov.uk does not set a number of practice clips. A better test of readiness than a count is this: are you scoring well on clips you have never seen before? Some practical rules follow from how the test is scored:

• Treat each clip's first viewing as the real score. Write it down. Repeat viewings help you learn what a developing hazard looks like, but do not count them as evidence you are ready.
• Add new clips, not more repeats. Once you can predict every hazard in a set, more runs through that set add little. gov.uk's revision and practice page lists the official guide to hazard perception, the Official DVSA Hazard Perception app and the Official DVSA Theory Test Kit online as practice sources, alongside the 3 free clips on gov.uk.
• Watch a known clip differently. Before the hazard you remember, pause and name the clues that warned of it: a parked car that could pull out, a pedestrian near the kerb, a junction ahead. Those clues are what you will need to spot on new clips.

Practise without clips

Hazard perception is a driving skill, and you can train it away from a screen.

• Talk through hazards as a passenger or on lessons. Say out loud what could happen next and why. gov.uk explains how to practise with family or friends once you have a provisional licence.
• Look for the clue, then the change. gov.uk's example is a car parked at the side of the road: while it is not doing anything, it is not a developing hazard. When its right-hand indicator starts to flash and it starts to move away, you would need to slow down, so it is now a developing hazard. Click when that change starts.
• Learn the rules behind the hazards. Knowing where pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users are likely to appear helps you spot the clue sooner. Our guides to vulnerable road users and the scoring of early clicks cover what to look for.

For the format of the whole test, see the hazard perception test explained.

What theorytest.ai offers

theorytest.ai is a web-based UK car theory test practice site, independent and not affiliated with the DVSA. It does not offer hazard perception clips at the moment, so use the gov.uk free clips and the official DVSA products above for this part. It covers the multiple-choice part, which you must also pass.

Start free

You need to pass both parts of the theory test. Check the multiple-choice half with the free 10-question theorytest.ai diagnostic: no payment and no account, and it shows which topics to work on first.

Frequently asked questions

How many clips are in the real hazard perception test?

14 clips. Each has at least one developing hazard, and one clip has 2, so there are 15 hazards worth up to 5 points each.

Are the real hazard perception clips the same as the practice clips?

No. gov.uk says its practice clips are not used in the real test, but show you how the test works.

Are hazard perception clips real video or CGI?

CGI. Computer-generated clips replaced the filmed clips on 12 January 2015, and the pass mark stayed the same.

Do I need to practise with CGI clips?

No. DVSA said you do not need to have practised with CGI clips to take and pass the test, and older practice products are still relevant.