Beginner drivers have far more anxiety about the road portion of the test than the written. This is understandable because the written has clear questions off of material from a book with objective measurements. The road test puts you in unpredictable situations and is based on the judgement of your examiner. Learning to avoid the top mistakes can give you the confidence to ace the exam. Here are five of the most common ways that examinees fail the road test.
- Choosing the Wrong Car
This is one of the few ways to fail the exam before it actually begins. Make sure the car is in proper working order including the windshields, head lights, tail lights, turn signals, windshield wipers, seatbelts, and other vital systems. Double check that you have the insurance and registration with you before you head over to the DMV. You can only use a rental car if you get a special kind of insurance that’s not available everywhere, so it’s best to avoid them.
- Failing to Stop
Not obeying posted signs and signals is grounds for failure. When stopping at a red light, for instance, make sure you’re stopping with your car completely behind the limit line. For stop signs, not only do you need to be behind the line, you need to come to a complete stop. This means no forward motion of the vehicle at all for at least two or three seconds. Use this time to turn your head to look for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles. If asked to make a right turn on a red light, you need to treat the situation like a stop sign. This is also a common moving violation, so learn it now or you’ll be searching for “The Ticket Clinic near me.”
- Demonstrating Confusion at Four-Way Stops
Related to the above mistake, four-way intersections can be difficult for even experienced drivers to navigate. Begin by yielding to any pedestrians, as they always have right of way. Next, the vehicle that arrives at the intersection first should also be able to proceed first. If arriving more or less at the same time, the vehicle on the right has right of way. Drivers making left turns should yield to vehicles that may present a danger to the car.
- Forgetting To Check for Bicyclists
Apparently, the difficulty of taking left turns on the drivers license test wasn’t enough for the DMV. Many examiners are now looking for drivers to check over their shoulder for bicyclists on right turns. Even if there is no bike lane, double check there is no bicyclist coming from behind you. Ticket lawyers can tell you how serious violations involving bicyclists can be.
- Making Improper Lane Changes
When you’re nervous about your test, going through the proper procedure for a lane change can feel like it takes years. Relax and take your time, as rushing can cause you to make a mistake. Turn on your signal and check to see if there is space beside you for a lane change. If it is, use your mirrors to check for cars coming up behind you. Look in your blind spot for other vehicles before changing lanes. While doing all of this, make sure you maintain your speed and check in front of you for potential hazards.
Study Hard and Be Confident
If you follow these driving tips, you’ll be way ahead of most of the examinees taking the road test. Make the exam easier by making sure you treat every practice drive like the test. Any one of these mistakes can result in a ticket once you have your license. The Ticket Clinic is there to help no matter when you receive a ticket. Contact them today for a free consultation about their services.
