Tag Archive: Driving test
Tips for Safely Changing Lanes During your Road Test
December 14, 2011
While taking your road test, the examiner may ask you to change lanes. Changing lanes is not a simple operation and the examiner will be looking to see if you follow all of the proper procedures to ensure that you change lanes safely.
Here are some tips on how to safely change lanes:
Assess the situation on the road ahead. Are there other vehicles trying to merge into your lane? Are there pedestrians ahead who are about to cross? Should you even change lanes? A big thing to look out for are vehicles in the lane you are about to change into flashing their brake lights or slowing down, it might indicate that there’s trouble in that lane and that changing lanes wouldn’t be worth it.
Use the rearview mirror to check motorists behind the vehicle. Check all of your mirrors before changing lanes. Is anyone behind you or in the far lane preparing to move into the lane you want to enter? Are there vehicles speeding up to get in on the lane you’re trying to change into?
Make a habit of always signaling other drivers about what you’re about to do on the road. Letting other motorists know your intentions will keep both you and them safe. This is especially true for changing lanes – drivers behind you have to make their driving decisions based on what you do. Make a habit of always giving signals for everybody’s benefit.
Check your blind spot before moving in. Before changing lanes, quickly turn your head with your chin over your shoulder to check your blind spots. It’s amazing how quickly a vehicle can move up and totally disappear in your blind spot.
When it comes to intersections, only change lanes before or after passing them. Remember, it is illegal to change lanes within 100 feet before or after an intersection.
For more practice consider taking a simulated behind-the-wheel online prep course offered through OfficialDMV.com.
Tips for Proper Parallel Parking
July 14, 2011
Probably, the maneuver that most strikes fear in the heart of a new driver facing a behind-the-wheel driving test, is the parallel parking maneuver. Maneuvering your vehicle, backwards, into a tiny parking spot without hitting the vehicle ahead or behind is daunting even for experienced drivers who don’t have to do it very often but it doesn’t have to be all that scary. Just like any other skill, all it takes is practice…. lots and lots of practice.
You shouldn’t start practicing in a real environment with actual cars in front and back; making a mistake while learning to park around real cars could be costly. Instead, you should begin learning how to perform this maneuver in an empty parking lot with a pair of cones or some other type of marker to represent the front and rear bumpers of the car ahead and behind.
Step one – Illuminate your right turn signal to let other drivers know your intentions. Slow down and pull up alongside the other “car” (cone) until your rear bumper is even with the front vehicle’s rear bumper. Check your mirrors for other traffic and don’t begin until you are sure the way is clear.
Step two – Put the car in reverse and turn the wheel to the right. Turn the upper part of your body to the right so that you can clearly see everything behind you. Start backing slowly and steadily into the space behind. When your passenger door comes even with the rear bumper of the front vehicle, stop.
Step three – Turn the steering wheel to the left and continue backing into the space making sure you aren’t coming too close to the vehicle ahead or about to hit the bumper of the vehicle behind. Once your front bumper has completely cleared the vehicle ahead and your car is completely in the space, stop the car.
Step four – Now put the gear shift into drive and ease the car forward until you are completely centered in the space with enough clear space ahead and behind for you to get out later.
Step five – Put the car in park and get out to see if your car is fully centered. There should be roughly, an even amount of space between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead and behind. Your car should be facing straight ahead and not parked at an angle and the side of your car should be no more than 12 to 18 inches away from the curb.
Keep practicing this parallel parking maneuver over and over until it is second nature to you. With enough practice, you will be able to dazzle the DMV examiner with your skill and confidence.
The Two-Step Process of Getting a Driver’s License
July 12, 2011
Though the process of getting a driver’s license may be simplified to a few steps, it does not necessarily mean that it is an easy in-and-out operation. One has to prepare well enough to pass both processes. The process that most states have is the knowledge test and the road skills test.
The first step is the knowledge test – this is for getting a permit.
Knowing the proper rules of the road is important when getting a license, so the first test consists of a written road rules and road signs test. Once the new driver has proved they understand the rules of the road, they can receive their learner’s permit to allow them to actually learn the skills needed behind the wheel of a car. The learner’s permit is designed to give new drivers a period (six months to a year), in which they can learn to drive under the close supervision of an experienced licensed driver (21 years of age or older). Once the new driver has developed their driving skills and gained enough experience, they should be ready to pass their driving skills or road test.
The second step, of course, is the driving skills test.
The behind the wheel road test is designed to test the basic driving skills that everyone needs to safely handle a motor vehicle. The road test is really quite simple. Although the road test is quite simple, approximately twenty five percent of new drivers fail in their first try. The examiner will give the new driver instructions to perform simple driving tasks such as parking, making an emergency stop, and a three-point-turn. The test isn’t designed to try to trick the driver and the test examiner will not ask the new driver to do anything that is illegal. If a minor mistake is made, the examiner will note it on the test form. If enough minor mistakes are made, usually adding up to 30 points, the driver will not pass. However, most of the failures are due to simple but costly mistakes. Mistakes such as failing to stop completely at a stop sign or hitting the cones while trying to park are grounds for an automatic failure. New drivers should practice these maneuvers over and over until they are second nature before attempting to pass the road test.
If you hold a valid license from one state and are trying to get a license in a new state, most states will allow a transfer of licenses without any additional tests but some states may require that a driver take either the written road test or both the written test and the road exam. Check the your state’s DMV driving manual and be prepared.
The key to getting a driver’s license is: study well, practice well and be patient.
Tips for Taking a DMV Practice Test
September 16, 2010
When a driver decides to take a DMV Test for the first time, they’re all supposed to be confident. If they’ve studied the handbook and familiarized themselves with the rules of the road, listened to the lectures, and took up a DMV Practice test, they are bound to pass in no time.
When taking a DMV Test for the first time, confidence is the key. If they’ve studied the handbook, and familiarized themselves with the rules of the road, listened to the lectures, and a have taken a DMV Practice test, they are bound to pass with ease.
A big problem for new drivers is where to start. Knowing which parts of the driving manual are most important and how the information will relate to actual, real life, driving can be confusing. Taking a DMV practice exam can help.
A DMV Practice test is a mock exam that simulates the experience of taking the actual written portion of the exam, without the risk of failing and having to wait the required waiting period before getting to take it again.
To pass the DMV Practice Test, here are a few tips that will help future drivers:
- Treat the DMV Practice Test as if it’s the real thing. If a driver studies as hard for the practice exam as if it’s the real thing, he or she will be better prepared. In the real exam, no two test-takers will get the same set of questions so, for that reason, the practice exam creates a random test from a large data base of questions taken directly from the driving manual.
- Avoid Distractions. Focus on what you learned in driver’s ed and just answer the test. Not only will this help you study, but it will also help you learn the importance of being focused. Distracted driving is fast-becoming one of the most common hazards on the road, and by setting the habit of avoiding it, a driver ensures himself a future of safe driving.
- Be confident in your abilities and what you’ve learned. This is one of the reasons why students fail their DMV test and a practice test is a way for a driver to get rid of that nervousness by getting more informed with what to expect from the real thing.
Enrolling in a DMV Practice Test is always a good idea for new drivers. It builds confidence and helps first-time drivers become guided in where they should start when studying for their driving test.
Cool Driving Incentive Makes a Big Teen Impression at a Georgia Fair
October 23, 2007
The Georgia National Fair this year had its requisite rides, games, entertainment and of course, plenty of cotton candy. However, there was an added element that really drew teen crowds – a safe teen driving booth set up in a joint partnership between the Safe America Foundation and the Houston County District Attorney’s Office. Say what? Teens willingly going to an educational booth about safe driving? Well, if the prize was a new car, would you believe it then?
The partnership between the America Foundation and the Houston County District Attorney’s Office was very successful hundreds of teens got the chance to go through a series of simulated driving tests to gauge their driving skills in a variety of situations. In addition, there were some question and answer sessions as well. There was a different round every day with teens progressing through each round until the final test – with a brand new car as the prize. This time a lucky 15 year old won after she successfully proved her safe driving skills and beat out hundreds of other teens.
It is the hope of both parties in this partnership that all of the teens who participated left with a greater sense of accomplishment and confidence in their skills and also walk away with the knowledge of what they need to brush up on in terms of driving skills. Finally, both the Safe America Foundation and the Houston County District Attorney’s Office hope that these teens feel a great sense of responsibility and realize that driving is a privilege that must be earned by good driving behavior.
A few teens who were interviewed after their participation felt that the experience was worth it. Of course, many of them admitted that they would not have stopped by either if it weren’t for the lure of winning a car. This is an understandable position and expected of many teens that live in the moment and don’t really think ahead to the consequences of some of their actions. However, the Safe America Foundation feels that if even just a few teens leave this experience changed, it would have been worth it.
This approach to promoting safe teenage driving is definitely different and applies a different spin to what so many other foundations and entities are trying to do – save our teens from driving accidents and death. Let’s hope that the lessons learned during this 11-day fair actually make a lasting impact with all the teens who participated.