Tag Archive: road test
Driving Lesson: Road Parking Tips
May 20, 2012
Parking is as much an important part of driving as driving itself. Learning how to park in different circumstances is an important part of the road test. The road test examiner may ask you to park in a parking lot space, to parallel park, or both. You need to know the proper procedures:
Signaling – Remember that you should signal your intentions at all times; even in a parking lot. Turn on your turn signal before you begin your turn into a parking space to let other drivers know what direction you are turning in. You should also signal as you exit the space to let other drivers know what direction you will be going in as you exit the space.
Parking lot– The examiner may point to a specific parking spot in the parking lot for you to park in. The spot may be lined on either side with orange cones to represent cars in the adjoining spaces. If you were to hit one of the cones, it will mean an automatic failure. Practice parking in a space by looking toward the center of the space before you begin your turn and keeping your eyes on the center of the space as you pull into the parking spot. Don’t look at the hazards on either side; look at where you want to put your car. Keep practicing until it is second nature.
Parallel parking – The examiner will point out a spot and ask you to demonstrate your ability to parallel park and, just like in the parking lot, there may be cones in front and back representing the bumpers of other cars; you don’t want to hit them. Parallel parking is really easy but it takes a lot of practice. Pull up even and about two to three feet away from the vehicle in front. Turn your wheel all the way to the right and slowly start to back up. As you come even with the rear bumper of the car next to you, start turning your wheel to the left. Once you enter the space, adjust your car so that it is parked an even distance between the car ahead and the one in the rear. You should be no more than eighteen inches from the curb.
Parking on a hill – The examiner may ask you to demonstrate or explain the procedures for parking on a hill with or without a curb.
- Downhill with or without a curb – Parking facing downhill is easy. Whether there is a curb or not, you should always turn the front wheels to the right so that, if your brakes should fail, the car will roll off of the roadway.
- Parking uphill without a curb – Parking facing uphill without a curb means you should turn your wheels to the right. Just like parking downhill, if your brakes should fail, the car will roll off of the roadway.
- Parking uphill with a curb – This is where it gets a little different. When parking facing uphill with a curb, you want to turn your front wheels to the left, toward the center of the road. Once you have turned your wheels, you will want to back up just a bit until you feel the wheels bump up against the curb. In this case, if your brakes should fail, the car’s front wheels should jam up against the curb and prevent the car from moving any further.
Parking properly is easy but it does take practice. Make sure you practice each maneuver until it becomes second nature to you before you take your road test.
Need extra practice? Take our behind the wheel road test course. It’s 100% online and shows you exactly what the examiner will be looking for.
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.
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.