On the day of your driving test

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Many of us can be nervous going into a test situation and it is no different for the driving test. Rather than saying to yourself “I have to pass this test”, say to yourself “This is my opportunity to prove that I am a confident and competent driver”.  Remember you are not there to prove that you are a perfect driver ... there is no such thing as a perfect driver.

Remember Examiners realise that test applicants may be nervous and part of their job is to do all that they can to help the pupil feel at ease. However do not take it personally that Examiner will not chat to you during your test. The reason for this is that it may influence the marking of the test.

Your entire test takes between 30 – 40 mins and the distance you will cover is 8 – 10km. I try to make sure a pupil has had at least three mock tests before the day of their test. Setting the tone as if it were the real driving test helps when it comes to the day of your test. It can help alleviate some nerves because you are familiar with how the test will be conducted.


ON THE DAY OF YOUR TEST:

Arrive at the test centre 10 – 15 mins early with your Learner Permit and your test confirmation letter.  Take a seat in the waiting area for your name to be called.

When your name is called you will be guided to the Examiners office. The Examiner will ask to see your Learner Permit to make sure that it is indeed yours, it’s valid and it has the correct category of vehicle for which you’ll be doing the test in.

You will be asked to read and sign a document stating that you are covered on the insurance of the vehicle that you will be using for your test and that the same vehicle is roadworthy. The Examiner will ask you theory questions and road signs. All of these are in your rules of the road book and driver theory book.

When back outside at your vehicle, you will be asked to open the bonnet. Below are some things you may be asked to locate. Also you may be asked how to check their levels and how to top them up. Your instructor will have covered this many times with you.  If you cannot locate where the steering fluid is your vehicle may be (EPAS)  Electrically Power Assisted Steering.

Brake Fluid
Power Steering Fluid
Engine Oil
Water (windscreen washer)
Coolant

The Examiner will then ask you to sit into your car as he/she checks that your discs are in date and details are correct on them. Other checks will be that you are displaying L plates on the front and rear of your vehicle and that they are the correct size, your tyre tread depth is above minimum and the general road worthiness of the vehicle. He/She will check your indicators and brake lights are working.  Many newer vehicles have a centre brake light as well as the left and right brake lights.  Even if the centre brake light bulb has blown on your way to the test centre, you will still be allowed sit your test as it is only necessary to have the left and right brake lights working.  Carry spare bulbs for all your car lights so you will never be stuck and ask your local mechanic to show you how to change them if unsure.  Always be familiar with the vehicle you are about to drive.

When the Examiner sits into the car he/she will ask a few questions on the controls. When asked about these things, your Examiner will expect you to answer without hesitation. They may be needed while out driving and this would not be the time for fumbling while your attention should be on the road ahead. Below are a few examples of questions that may be asked.

Where are your window wipers?
How would you demist your front, rear and side windows?
How and when to use the temperature controls?
What is the difference between the air flow controllers?
Where is the window washer for front window and rear window?
Where are the fog lights?
How do you turn on the air conditioning?
Where are you hazard lights?

From that point on your test is on your driving ability and how you put into practice the theory you know. Below you will see a Test Report Form which will show you what categories are covered during the test.

Gradings:
The Green boxes are Grade 1. MINOR FAULTS
These are minor faults and have no affect on your test.

The Blue boxes are Grade 2. MORE SERIOUS FAULTS
9 or more it is a fail.
6 in one category eg: Position it is a fail.
4 for the same fault eg: Position - position turning right it is a fail

The Pink boxes are Grade 3. DANGEROUS OR POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FAULTS
1 of these is an instant fail.

Rules/Checks
Where 3 or more questions are not answered, or are incorrectly answered, a grade 2 fault should be
recorded.
Where a ‘Checks’ fault is incurred in relation to the Doors, Mirrors, Seat, Seat belt, or Head restraint adjustment, it should be recorded opposite Rules/Checks and is inclusive of any Oral Test faults.

Overtaking

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Please remember every aspect of the topics I cover in my Blogs can not be covered or addressed within a short Blog. What I give are some points.

When is it not permitted to overtake?
• When you cannot see the road for a good distance ahead. Eg. On approach to a humpback bridge, a dip or series of dips, a brow of a hill, approaching a junction, or any type of crossings.

(In other words, think of the safety of both you and other road users)


What is the procedure when someone overtakes you?

Hold your speed, don’t accelerate and keep as near to the left as safely possible.


Can I overtake on the left?

Yes but only in the below situations.

• When you intend to turn left and have signalled.
• When traffic in both lanes is moving slowly but the right lane is moving slower than traffic in the left lane.
• When the vehicle in front has signalled to turn right and has moved towards the centre of the road or into a right lane.


What checks must I do before overtaking?

• Check it is legal to overtake for example, obeying road linage and markings.
• Check that you have enough distance to overtake and get back on your own side safely and without cutting in on the vehicle you are overtaking.


Procedure for overtaking;

Check Road ahead is clear to overtake
Glance in left mirror
Glance in rear view mirror while signalling right
Glance in right mirror
Check blind spot (blind spot on right)

Move out, accelerate and overtake without delay. (when moving out to overtake veer gradually rather than swerve).
When you have overtaken the vehicle make sure you have given good clearance before moving back in.

Glance in rear view mirror
Glance in left side mirror
Check blind spot (blind spot on left)

Then veer back in gradually to your own side of the road and again without delay.


The procedure looks like a lot has to be done but all steps should run into each other smoothly and without delay.

When you do not intend to overtake the vehicle in front, hold back, leaving a sufficient space for following traffic to overtake you.

NOTE
Never follow a vehicle that is overtaking. Allow the vehicle to overtake and return to their own side before you overtake.

Never break the speed limit to overtake.

Driving At Night

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Checks:

• Check all bulbs are working
• Check reflectors and number plates are clean
• Check windows are not smeared, as this can make a huge difference between being able to see and not when the lights of an oncoming vehicle shine on your windscreen.
• Check headlights are adjusted properly; if they are aligned to high they can dazzle oncoming traffic which is potentially dangerous.


Driving during dusk

I recommend using headlights during dusk when driving on country roads. Why? When you use your dipped lights during dusk it can create shadows in the hedgerow which can give an untrue view of the roadside. ALWAYS DIP YOUR LIGHTS WHEN MEETING ONCOMING TRAFFIC


Driving in lit up areas such as town/city

Use dipped headlights at all times in lit up areas.


QUESTION

At what stage should I dip my headlights when traffic is oncoming?

Make it your purpose that you don’t dazzle the oncoming driver with your lights. On a country road where there are corners and bends, dip your lights when you see the lights of the oncoming vehicle about to come around the corner. This means that neither of you will be dazzled even momentarily. On a straight road you need to dip your lights when you see the car approaching just before you yourself would become dazzled.


Dazzled by oncoming traffic

Look slightly down and to the left towards the verge of the road if you find you are being dazzled by oncoming traffic. NEVER flash your headlights at the other driver to make them dip their headlights as this can cause a very dangerous situation.


Dazzled by following traffic in rear view mirror.

When you are finding it difficult to see with lights of following traffic shining directly to your rear view mirror and to your eyes. Adjust to night time mode. Night time mode is found on your rear view mirror. It is a little lever or switch which can be found usually directly under the rear view mirror.

How does it work?

When you switch to night time mode, it simply reflects what is in the rear view mirror up onto the ceiling which dulls the lights and images when you look in the mirror. This makes it possible to see behind safely and allows you to drive without being dazzled.


Dazzled by lights from following traffic shining in side mirrors

Pull over somewhere safe and slightly adjust your mirrors for the journey.


IMPORTANT:

Always drive at a speed that you can stop within the distance that your lights show.

One Way Streets

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What is a one way street?

A one way street is a street on which vehicle traffic is only permitted to go in one direction.


How would I recognise a one way street?

There are signs and road markings to let you know;
You may see a round blue sign with a white arrow pointing upwards on it. (Regulatory Sign) This sign means STRAIGHT AHEAD ONLY.

Another sign which you may see is again a Regulatory Sign. It is a round white sign with a red border showing a straight ahead black arrow crossed out with a red line through it. This sign means NO ENTRY.

Road markings such as ONE WAY OR NO ENTRY may be present.

Road linage such as a continuous white line across the road with a broken white line beside it will be seen.


How do I know from the road lines whether or not I can enter it or not?

You may only enter the street if the white line nearest you is broken.

Stopping on the Left Hand Side

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Stopping on the left has three steps involved:

1. Make sure the place where you intend to stop is safe and legal.
2. Use your MSPSL procedure as you bring the vehicle to a controlled stop close to and parallel with the left kerb.
3. Make sure your vehicle is secure after stopping


1. Is it safe and is it legal? Eg. Make sure it’s not near a bend, the brow of a hill, blocking an entrance, close to a junction etc.

2. Using the MSPSL routine.
Mirrors - Since we are moving over to the left, you start with your right wing mirror, rear view then left mirror.

Signal – Indicate left

Position – Steer towards the left.

Speed – adjust your speed to control positioning the car close to the kerb

Look – continue to make good observation around your vehicle as you bring it to a hault.

3. Put gear in neutral, apply parking/hand brake.

Moving Off

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Here is a brief explanation of moving off as you’ll understand an entire lesson cannot realistically be covered in a Blog.

When moving off there is a procedure which has a routine called GOSH
G Gear Select 1st gear
O Observation Glance around your vehicle (360° glance) going from left side to right
S Signal Indicate right
H Handbrake & Blindspot The very last thing you do before moving off is check your right blindspot. (See September Blog on Observation) and release handbrake.

Footnote on Observation
It is important to remember when doing your observation that you do not take too much time looking in one place. By the time you get around to looking on your right something may have happened on your left. Remember we have peripheral vision so you can make good observation in a short time. You’re checking to make sure that there are no pedestrians, traffic, obstacles or hazards which make it unsafe to move off.

Footnote on Handbrake
Make sure you have the biting point before you release your parking brake/handbrake (See October Blog on The Bite)

EDT Lessons

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Many people still have queries with regard to the new EDT Lessons.  I hope this BlogSpot helps. Here are some questions I have been asked regularly. Please phone or e mail me with any questions you may have. I will happy to help.

Is there a form that I get to sign in order to backdate lessons already taken?
No. The new EDT lessons only apply to people who have received their very first learner permit on or after the 4th April 2011.

Can every driving instructor give these EDT lessons?
Registered and approved driving instructors were given an option before the programme was rolled out, as to whether to cover the new EDT programme or continue to give lessons as they had been before.  However, anyone who as I mentioned above has received their very first learner permit on or after 4th April, 2011 must do the EDT programme. So, it is necessary to choose an instructor who is set up to do this programme to ensure that you may sit your driving test.

What is the difference between the EDT lessons and the driving lessons which were given before this new system?
The new programme only covers areas that statistics show are high risk where most collisions occur and does not bring a student from A-Z with what is needed to sit the driving test, for example the turnabout and reverse are not included in the EDT programme.  With the 'old' for want of a better word, lessons. a student could start a first lesson having never sat behind the wheel before.

With the new programme before taking EDT lesson 1, a student must familiarise themselves with, the rules of the road, safety checks.  Know how to use the primary controls such as steering wheel and brakes.  Know how to use the secondary controls such as lights and wipers.  A student must have practised moving off, stopping and driving in safe and quiet conditions for at least three hours.  So, you can see already that there is a lot of preparation to be done by a student before the first lesson should be done.  It is also important where possible that a student practises for three hours in preparation before each of the 12 EDT lessons, practising what had been covered in the previous lesson.

The three hours practise may be done with a Sponsor (someone that you are comfortable with and has held a full drivers licence for at least two years), in fact I recommend this or they may get their practice with their driving instructor or a combination of both.  It is easier on the pocket if you can practice before the first EDT and between EDT lessons with your Sponsor.

Practise is the key.  The lesson time can only show a student the how, why and when and only has a small amount of time to practise but, it's the practise outside of the lesson that makes the big difference on how fast you progress throughout the lessons and will ensure that you are prepared for the next stage involved in learning to drive.  

Remember, it's all about learning in steps.  You cannot be taught how to spell words without first having learned and practised the alphabet.  You cannot be given an essay to write until you have learned and practised the basic skills of writing. And so it is with driving, you cannot be taught more complex driving skills until you have practised what is necessary to get you to that next stage.  Practise, practise, practise.  :)