There are two ways that you will fail your driver's test:
1) an action that causes an automatic fail;
2) you accumulate points for errors during the driving test.
On most test, you are allowed a maximum of 30 demerit points before you fail your driver's test.
Most drivers fail their test because they accumulate too many points. Few drivers fail outright.
Practice in and around the test centre at the time you are going to take your test. DO NOT go into the DMV to practice during business hours. However, you can go in during the evenings and weekends. In some locations, they'll even leave the places where they do the parallel parking and other slow-speed maneuvers test accessible.
First impressions
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. In readiness for your driver’s test, be sure that you take a shower and put on nice clothes. These don’t have to be your Sunday best, but jeans that aren’t ripped and a good shirt. And in these post-COVID days, be sure that you wash your car, get out all the garbage and give it a vacuum.
Consistency – develop habits, skills and techniques that will keep you safe when you get tired or you make mistakes. Shoulder (head) checking is something that you must do every time you change direction of the vehicle. The same with signaling. Every time you change directions, in both forward and reverse, signal to communicate your intentions to other road users. And use your turn signals in parking lots.
Here you find a lot of vulnerable road users. Driving is a social activity. Apply the parking brake every time you park the vehicle.
The 8 Reasons to Fail Your Driver's Test
#8 – Primary Controls
You’re abrupt or rough on the brake, accelerator, or steering wheel. Your turns are too wide. You simply don’t have mastery of the vehicle’s primary controls.
#7 – Lane Positioning
On a driver’s test you must move back to the right lane after turning left on multi-lane roads. “Slower traffic move right” is a regulatory sign in all states and provinces. And no, it’s not a suggestion or recommendations.
#6 – Too Cautious
Get the vehicle up to the posted speed limit as quickly as possible. If there is a sufficient gap, you must go. And no, going slow is NOT being cautious. Going too slow on a driver’s test indicated to the driving examiner that you haven’t had enough driving experience.
#5 – Observation
Shoulder (Head) Checks – seeing and being seen is one of the cornerstones of driving. You must look and look again to keep yourself and others on the roadway safe. Not shoulder checking is to driving what NOT checking to see if a weapon is loaded is to gun safety.
#4 – Road Signs
Action contrary to a sign – signs are to traffic what instructions are to an Ikea cabinet. Most drivers are NOT reading and gleaning information from traffic signs. Know the road signs categories. And definitely know the difference between 2- and 4-Way STOP signed intersections. And often traffic signs work in concert with traffic lights and road markings.
#3 – Strike a fixed object
Strike a fixed object. You hit a cone when parallel parking or the Ohio Maneuverability Test. If you back the tires up over the curb when parallel parking, that is an automatic fail on the driver’s test.
#2 – Dangerous Action
You move into an intersection you can’t clear. In other words, you’re in “the Box” of the intersection and the traffic light turns red. Another driver has to take evasive action due to something that you do. You make a right turn on a multi-lane and drift over to the left lane.
#1 – Don’t Know what’s on the test
The parallel parking at your DMV is done with cones, and you’re unaware of this maneuver. You don’t know where the school zones are located and whether school is in session or not. Take driving lessons with a local driving instructor if you’re not already taking lessons.
Move-over-laws -slow down to 40mph (60kph) when emergency vehicles or service vehicles are on the side of the vehicle.
Speed control of the vehicle is tied to your forward scanning pattern. In other words, speed control and observation dovetail. You need to adjust your speed every 10-15 seconds.
The 4 Pillars to Passing Your Driver’s Test
- Space management
- Speed management
- Observation
- Communication
Also, we'll give you information about passing your driver's license, and being a safer, smarter driver.
Smart Drive Test is about empowerment and helps you achieve your success. We can have a discussion around issues of driving. And with these discussions, we all learn and grow.
If you're working toward your first license, check out the smarter driver course package. Guaranteed to pass your driver's test first time.
https://www.smartdrivetest.com/new-drivers/smarter-driver-course-package