To acquire a restricted driving licence or a full driving license in New Zealand, you’ll be required to take and pass a practical driving test meant to gauge your ability to drive competently and safely. Passing this test is not guaranteed.

Statistics show that up to 40% of all Kiwi learner drivers fail their practical driving exam for either the restricted or full licence. Failing your practical driving licence is a pain because it means having to reschedule and retake the test which can be hugely inconveniencing. You’ll also have to part with a few more dollars as you will need to pay to retake the test.

But even if money and time are not an issue, having to retake your driving test can be frustrating.

For these reasons, it’s important that you ace your test the first time so that you can get your licence and get on with your life. To help you pass your test on the first attempt, like a champion, we have put together a list of the 13 most common driving test mistakes that gets many leaner drivers disqualified. Avoid them and the licence is yours.

1. Unfit test car. It’s amazing the number of people who have to retake their test because the car they brought for their practical driving exam does not meet the necessary requirements. Your test vehicle should be ready for the test as well.

A proper test vehicle should have a current license and warrant of fitness (WoF). For diesel cars the road user charges (RUC) label needs to be current. You should also put enough fuel in it and tidy up the passenger sit for the examiner. If you’re on a learner licence, make sure to have a supervisor with you and your L plates properly displayed when you pull up.

2. Rolling stops. Incomplete stops during your driving test will result in disqualification. It’s not enough to just slow down, you need to bring your vehicle to a complete stop behind the demarcation. If your car remains in motion and doesn’t stop before the line, that will often mean trouble.

3. Distractions when driving. Distractions are dangerous in any driving situation, but they could mean failure when they occur during a driving test. Keep your stereo and mobile phone off during the test to avoid getting distracted.

It’s important that you maintain full attention on the task at hand, so avoid fidgeting or thinking about unrelated things while on the test.

4. Incorrect motorway merging. Sometimes your testing officer might take you to a highway, which makes it important for you to know how to join high-speed traffic from the acceleration lane. A common mistake is drivers stopping at the end of the merging lane instead of merging. This could be dangerous and shouldn’t happen.

5. Driving too slowly. New drivers are often afraid to drive at normal speeds when on the road. Driving way below the speed limit shows the testing officer that you lack confidence and could create a dangerous situation for both you and other motorists.

6. Speeding. While driving too slowly is not the way to go, neither is driving too fast in certain conditions. Make sure that you adhere to the speed limit. For situations where there is fog, rain, traffic congestion or slow down, driving at the speed limit is unsafe hence the need to drive at a safe speed.

7. Braking too hard. Before you report to the testing station, make sure you have spent some time with your test vehicle so as to understand how much grip the brakes provide. Although hard braking is allowed in case of emergencies, braking should be smooth and gradual during regular driving. You don’t want to be braking so hard that yourself and the passenger get thrown forward.

8. Inadequate following gap. For safety and to allow yourself adequate time to react to hazards, it’s important that you maintain a safe following distance with the car in front of you. Ideally, there should be a 3-second gap between you and the car ahead. But this distance can be shorter in slow moving traffic where less distance is needed to stop the car if you need to.

9. Forgotten mirrors. To know what is going on around your car, you need to check your mirrors constantly. During your test, a good idea would be to check your mirrors more than you normally would as a precaution. Make sure to especially remember to check your side and rear-view mirrors every time you’re changing lanes or slowing down.

10. Changing lanes incorrectly. It’s a common mistake with learner drivers to forget to indicate and check their mirrors and blind spot when changing lanes. Make sure you’re changing lanes properly.

When instructed to change lanes, turn on your indicator, check the rear view and side mirrors, do a shoulder check for the blind spot and then proceed with the change only if it’s safe to do so. Keep an eye out for the traffic in front and make sure to maintain your speed.

11. Intersection lane changes. Changing lanes at an intersection is not allowed and will lead to a fail if you do it. Even if the next lane is clear and you’ve followed all the lane changing rules, never change lanes at an intersection. Wait until you’re past the intersection before you initiate any lane changes.

12. Wrong lane at intersections and roundabouts. Using the wrong lane at an intersection or roundabout will cause you to fail your driving test. Depending on the direction you want to go, you should select the lane you need to be in and change lanes safely to position your car in the proper lane before you get to the roundabout or intersection. Don’t use the wrong lane to make a turn.

13. Four-way stop confusion. Getting confused at a four-way intersection shows you’re not ready for your license. Make sure to signal your intention, follow the appropriate give-way rules and wait your turn before proceeding.

Avoid these common mistakes during your NZTA driving test and you should pass the first time no problem.

Article suggested by A1 driving School

Sources:

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-licences/

https://www.aceable.com/blog/the-14-most-common-mistakes-to-avoid-on-the-driving-test/