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Four Common Driver's Test Mistakes

We all remember the nerves. The practice. The studying. The stress. Passing your driver’s test is not a given. Any combination of infractions can result in enough deductions for your instructor to fail you.

Maybe you let your license expire and have to retake the test for renewal. Or maybe you’re a first-time test taker. Regardless, below are four common mistakes to avoid when taking—or retaking—your driver’s test.

Rolling Stop

Everyone has done it. You think you’ve come to a complete standstill. In less than a second’s time, your coordination jumps the gun and you continue, not having fully stopped. It’s a common point deduction on driver’s tests and one that is easily avoided.

Anticipate the stop sign and approach it gradually, applying the brake smoothly. Then, take a second to look to your right and left while stopped—your instructor expects you to survey the intersection for other vehicles anyway. Just remember: stop completely, then look. This will ensure you’ve completely taken the car out of motion before continuing.

Driving Too Fast (Or Too Slowly)

A critical part of driving is simple, common sense. Besides obvious rules like obeying posted speed limits, drivers should always be prepared to make judgment calls and adjust their speed to current road conditions. In California, this is called the Basic Speed Law, which states that a motor vehicle operator “may never drive faster than is safe for current conditions.”

Heading through a fog patch or driving alongside a traffic accident? Then doing the posted speed limit probably isn’t safe. Speed limit signs are only the benchmark: it’s current road conditions that truly dictate which actions are best. So remain agile and alert. Your instructor will notice when you do—and especially when you don’t.

Improper Use of Turning Indicators

Many seasoned drivers are actually lazy signalers. It’s easy to get complacent over time. But on your driver’s test, you need to be precise.

Engage your turning indicator 100 to 200 feet before turning left or right, or with 3 to 5 seconds’ warning before changing lanes. While most indicators automatically turn off after the driver performs a turn or lane change, be aware and deactivate the signal manually if necessary.

Instructors will likely expect test takers to know their hand signals as well, which include actions left and right turns and stopping. Don’t forget to study these and get them right!

Tailgating

No, not the football game kind. Tailgating is so common in everyday driving that many people don’t even realize they’re doing it. The cardinal rule is to allow a 3-second interval between your vehicle and the one in front of you—use a fixed point to measure this distance. Depending on road conditions, weather, and visibility, this interval may increase.

Tailgating is a major cause of rear-end collisions and road rage. Instructors are right to deduct points for this behavior. So just don’t do it.
 

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