If you were to get driving test tips by observing the average driver on the road you would probably fail.
So, if you want to impress your test administrator and get back home with your brand new driver’s license in hand, don’t try to imitate bad driver’s habits out there, but take note of the following driving test tips.
- Before you turn the engine on
Before you even move the car, make sure you adjust your seat, your rear view mirrors, your steering wheel, and put your seat belt on of course.
When that’s done there are a few more things you need to check before you can safely move the car.
Assuming that you’re not familiar with the car you’re about to drive, make sure you know where the turning signals, the horn, and wipers are located. Do not wait for the moment when you’re going to need any of these to look for them as this could cost you valuable points.
If you take care of those safety features before you even turn the engine on, you will have already impressed your administrator before moving the car.
- Hold your steering wheel correctly
You may have noticed that many experienced drivers hold their steering wheel at 12 O’clock with one hand, but this is not how you want to hold your steering wheel if you want to pass your driver’s test.
The correct position of the hands on the steering wheel is left hand at 9 O’clock and right hand at 3 O’clock especially on your driver’s test day.
- Keep your rear view mirrors in mind
Always give a quick look into your rear view mirrors every time you’re making a right or left turn and signal even if there isn’t any traffic behind you.
Before changing lane always look back using both left and right mirrors, but also give a quick look over your left shoulder.
But keep in mind that there is a blind spot that can’t be seen from either mirror, and if there happens to be a vehicle in that blind spot then you will not see it. As you move from the right lane to the left lane, look over your shoulder to be able to spot any vehicle that might be in your blind spot.
- Remember safe distance habits
Always keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. The rule of thumb is that you leave enough room to be able to brake safely if the driver in front of you were to break suddenly.
When turning left make a wide turn and do not cut corners by driving on the middle lines. Your test administrator is going to look into that very carefully.
When stopping at a stop sign or red light be sure to stop before the white line on the ground. You should be able to see the line when you’ve stopped. If you can’t it means that you are too far ahead and you may be blocking traffic or pedestrians..
- Drive steadily
When driving your focus needs to be on the road, not just in front of you but behind you and to the sides as well. Keep your eyes moving and on the alert constantly to be able to be proactive while driving.
Keep your driving smooth. No abrupt acceleration or braking. Be sure to respect the speed limit to a tee.
A note of caution, do not go too slow either. Driving way under the speed limit is not considered to be safe driving either, as your DMV handbook will explain. Your test administrator might penalize you for going too slow as well as going too fast.
Conclusion
The tips laid out for you in this article are simple enough, yet many people fail to consider them. Studying these easy to follow steps and applying them to your driving should help you pass your driving test easily.