During the test – 1

Steering

The testing officer will be checking that you have enough driving experiencesomake sure when you are driving you drive with your hands on the “10 to 2 position” and on the outside of the steering wheel and keep both hands on the steering wheel except when you need to use a control.

When making turns, use either the ‘hand over hand’ or ‘push-pull’ steering techniques.
The testing officer will be checking to see whether you know the road rules about turning right or left at intersections. Speed and positioning is very important on approach, as you drive through the intersection. So positioning your motor vehicle before the turn and after the turn is very important, ensuring that you do not cut the corners. The testing officer will ask you to turn right, but look out for signs because there might be a NO RIGHT TURN sign or the no right turn sign is during peak hour or it might have a sign, ONE WAY out.

Manoeuvres

The driving test includes a number of manoeuvres including:

• Kerb side stop (Hill start)
• Three-point turn
• Parking, reverse parallel, 90 degree or 45 degree front or rear to kerb
• During the manoeuvres you will be assessed on your ability to position your vehicle legally, safely and accurately

Kerbside Stop (Hill Start)

The testing officer will ask you to pull into the kerb for the kerb side stop this is also a hill start. Ensure you do not stop in a bus stop or a no stopping area and make sure you indicate to the left, check mirrors over your left shoulder for your blind spot and stop the vehicle close and parallel to the kerb. The wheels should be closer than 500 millimetres to the kerb and must not touch the kerb. Park your car and then secure it as if you were going to exit the motor vehicle. You will be asked to restart your vehicle and drive off, make sure you indicate for at least five seconds, check mirrors and over your right shoulder before you move your vehicle and make sure that your vehicle does not roll back when you take off, you will fail if you repeatedly do not check over your shoulder.

If you stopped close to the corner for the kerb side stop and then the testing officer asks you to start your vehicle and turn left, mark sure you indicate to the right first for five seconds and check mirrors and over your shoulder and then indicate to the left to turn left.

You will fail if you repeatedly do not indicate when legally required.
Indicating to the right to pull out before making a left hand turn

Three-Point turn

The testing officer will ask you to pull into the kerb for the three-point turn, make sure you indicate to the left and check mirrors and over your shoulder for your blind spot, you will fail if you repeatedly do not check over your shoulder and you must stop within 500 millimeters of the kerb without touching, ensuring the motor vehicle is also parallel to the kerb.

When the testing officer asks you to do a three-point turn make sure you indicate for at least five seconds before starting your first turn and you must check your mirrors and over your shoulder for your blind spot. You will be expected to get the most turn you can out of each directional change while not reversing too far back across the road. The testing officer will be checking that you make the minimum number of movement necessary to achieve the result, also they are checking to see that you are doing a minimum of FIVE checks throughout the three-point turn.

You will fail if you repeatedly do not indicate when legally required.

PLEASE ASK YOUR DRIVING INSTRUCTOR IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO COMPLETE THE FIVE CHECKS

The testing officer will also be checking that you correctly operate the driving controls for example gears, clutch, brake and accelerator, and that none of your car tyres touch the kerb. Using the driveways to make the turns easier is not allowed and you will fail if you mount the kerb or hit another vehicle. If you can not complete the three-point turn in the three movements you are permitted to do it in five movements.

Reverse or Angle Parking

In most cases this will be a parallel reverse park, the testing officer will ask you to pull over beside a car already parked parallel to the kerb, make sure as you approach the vehicle, you have your indicator on to the left and stop alongside the car about one-metre out, select the reverse gear and check your mirrors and over your right shoulder to see if there are any overtaking vehicles and then start reversing.

The testing officer will be checking several things while you are parking and when you leave the parked position. Such as ensuring you:

• Look in the direction of travel (forward and reverse) while you are moving
• Repeatedly check over your shoulder. You will fail if this requirement is not met
• Operate the controls satisfactorily for example, gears, clutch, brake and accelerator
• Complete the reverse park within four or less directional changes
• Do not touch the kerb with any of your car tyres. You will fail if you touch the adjacent car or if any of your car wheels mount the kerb.
• Do not reverse more than seven-metres during the reverse park manoeuvre, otherwise you will fail.
• Your final parked position of your car is close and parallel to the kerb and closer than 500 millimetres to the kerb. You must make sure your car wheels are no more then one metre from the kerb otherwise you will fail.
• Indicate for at least five seconds before you move after the reverse park is complete.
• Check your mirrors and over your shoulder for your blind spot before you move after the reverse park is complete.

NOTE: It is illegal to park facing the traffic the wrong direction.