What You Need To Know About Your Drive Test

 About the Drive Test

The drivers that have just learned driving and are in their probationary period are more likely to get involved in a crash/accident. That is why some rules are pre-defined for new and young drivers and probationary drivers. These are:

Before appearing for the tests, drivers should possess at least 20 hours of supervised driving experience (with 20 hours of night driving included).

The process will comprise a two-stage probationary period, i.e., P1 for one year and P2 for three years. Here P1 is for red P plates and P2 for green P plates.

Passing two driving tests, i.e., the Hazard Perception Test and the on-road practical Drive Test, is compulsory for all learner drivers. The Drive Test helps identify if the drivers are ready to drive safely on their own or not. Learners also need to pass the driver’s test if:

They possess at least 120 hours of driving experience under harsh conditions and a wide range of driving conditions like night, roads with low-speed limits, wet roads, and in different road situations such as normal or busy roads, roundabouts, and intersections.

In order to pass your driving practice safely, make sure to follow the Learner Kit word for word. Ensure to fill out the Learner Log Book as soon as you proceed. A free copy of the Learner Kit will be sent to you on passing your learner permit test. This free copy contains all information on what you need to know about your drive test and how you can pass the Drive Test in Victoria without any trouble. You can also visit the link www.vicroads.vic.gov.au and find the Leaner Kit for more detailed information.

What tests are compulsory to pass for getting my license?

For a Hazard Perception Test, the learner drivers need to watch videos containing real-time driving situations and act in response to potential hazards. To appear for the test, the learner needs to be at least 17 years and 11 months. Also, before appearing for the practical Drive Test, you need to do an eyesight check. This will last for over 30 minutes. You must be aged 18 years or more for the practical drive test.

Here are some requirements for young drivers to take the practical Drive Test:

·       Safe driving

·       Smooth handling of the vehicle

·       Pay heed to the road rules

·       Co-operate with other vehicles on the road, i.e., other road users.

For the learners who have some kind of disability or face difficulty understanding English, it is necessary to inform VicRoads before getting started with the test.

What do I need to bring along with me for the test?

Here are the things you need to bring with you when appearing for the Drive Test:

·       Current Victorian learner permit card

·       Appointment number or appointment receipt

·       For learners below 21, carrying Learner Log Book is also compulsory. This will be evidence that you have experience of 120 hours of supervised driving. You need to ensure that the Learner Log Book is correctly filled before bringing it to the test.

·       For overseas license holders, bringing proof of overseas license is necessary. If you don’t have your overseas license in the English language, you need to provide its English translation. Ensure that the translation is by a qualified translator.

·       If you don’t own an Australian learner permit with your photo on it, provide full evidence of identity to the instructors. Visit vicroads.vic.gov.au. to find out which documents can be used for identity proof.

·       Payment for your License (it can be via MasterCard, Visa, EFTPOS, cash, or cheque)

If you fail to provide the proof of your identity, have not filled the Learner Log Book correctly, or are late for the test, you cannot take the test. Also, there is a waiting period of at least six weeks until the next test appointment in such cases.

Note: You need to pay a card payment fee if you use MasterCard or Visa Card for payment.

What vehicles can be used for practical Drive Tests?

You can take your practical Drive Test in either your car or the car provided by your driving instructor. The following are some of the things your vehicle should possess to be used for the test:

It must:

·       Be registered, clean, and roadworthy

·       Contain both driver and passenger side mirrors

·       Comes with a working rear demister and a windscreen demister

·       Have seatbelts for all occupants

·       Capable of maintaining a comfortable temperature

·       Fitted L plates

·       Comes with a primary speedometer, i.e., an original speedometer that can be viewed by the officer and the driver. If the speedometer is not visible, you can go for a supplementary unit. (Find out on VicRoads' official website)

·       Capable of turning the headlights on during the test

·       Comes with a central handbrake that can be used by both the passengers in the front seat. Vehicles with electric or foot-operated brakes cannot be used.

·       All the doors should allow the passengers to drop off the vehicle anytime during the test.

·       Should be manual if you want a manual driver’s license. Cruise control, navigators, and speed warning devices should be turned off during the drive test. However, reverse cameras and parking sensors can be left on.

·       In the case of a dual control vehicle, it must come with functioning electronic buzzers or dual control pedal covers.

Who is allowed in the car during my Drive Test?

A VicRoads license testing officer will conduct your practical Drive Test. At times, another VicRoads officer also sits in the car during the test. He sits there either to receive training or to keep a check on the testing officer’s performance. The second officer will not have any influence on your test. 

In some cases, a qualified driving instructor in carlton can also sit with you in the front passenger seat, but this happens only if the vehicle comes with dual controls. However, the instructors are not allowed to have a communication with you or influence you in any way during the test.

What will happen during the Drive Test?

After completing administrative tasks, the learners head towards their car with a testing office for a pre-drive check. After a short pre-drive check, the Drive Test finally begins.

The Drive Test takes place in two parts and is completed in almost 30 minutes. The two parts are as follows:

·       The first part lasts for around five to ten minutes and involves driving in less challenging situations. Its purpose is to access the learners’ basic driving skills and readiness to proceed to the next phase. Finally, in the end, the learners are asked to pull over the kerb, and the testing officer records their performance.

·       The second part, which lasts for about 20 minutes, involves driving in severe traffic conditions. This part accesses your driving ability in day-to-day life. You will be given simple, to the point instructions during the test, e.g., “At the next street, turn right.” If any instruction is unclear, you can ask the instructor to repeat it. If you do anything unsafe, your Drive Test will be stopped immediately, and you will be considered a fail.

Pre-Drive Check

The pre-drive check is another crucial part of your Drive Test. For this, the learners must be able to identify as well as operate the following vehicle controls:

·       Turn indicators

·       Brake lights

·       Horn

·       Headlights (both high and low beam)

·       Hazard Lights

·       Windscreen washer and wipers

·       Handbrake or park brake

Following are the controls that you must identify. There is no need to operate these controls.

·       Rear window demister

·       Windscreen demister

·       The learner must be capable of starting the engine

·       If your vehicle's brake light or any of the controls mentioned above don’t work properly, your assessment will stop.

During the Drive Test, keep one thing in mind; you are supposed to keep your vehicle’s headlights on low beam.

How will your driving be assessed?

The first part of the Drive Test happens in less challenging conditions. You are asked to change lanes, turn left and right at intersections, do a three-point turn, reverse park, and finally stop the car so the testing officer can mark you on the first part. Only the learners that pass the first part proceed to the next section. If you fail the first part, you will be directed back to the VicRoads Customer Service Centre and receive feedback on your driving.

The second part proceeds in harsher road conditions. You will be assessed while turning left or right at intersections, merging with other vehicles on the road, changing lanes, and driving along curved or straight roads. You will return to the VicRoads Customer Service Centre and be provided with your test results.

Throughout the Drive Test, the testing officer will award some points to the learners if they demonstrate the following driving skills:

·      Observation

Safe drivers keep themselves informed of other road users and road conditions while driving. You should observe everything, do proper head checks, use mirrors, and maintain a secure distance from other vehicles, especially when turning at intersections, slowing, changing lanes, or entering or leaving the traffic flow.

·      Signal use

Safe drivers communicate their intentions to other users on the road. You need to signal for a good enough time for others to get to know your intentions. Ensure to use signals, especially before diverging, changing lanes, turning, or pulling out from the kerb.

·      Gap selection

Safe drivers maintain a safe gap from other vehicles to avoid crashes or accidents when driving on the road. They make sure to utilize the first available gap and don’t cause unnecessary delays for others. You must take care of this and try to use the first available gap while driving on busy roads.

·      Speed choice

Speed choice is a crucial part of safe driving. Even if you go beyond the speed limit by as little as 5km/h, the chance of crash increases. Although safe drivers don’t go beyond the specified speed limit, they drive very close to the actual limit to avoid any accident, even if they do so. They keep an eye on the road conditions and traffic and adjust their speed accordingly. To be a safe driver, you must drive close to the speed limit.

·      Following distance

One of the most significant causes of crashes is following other vehicles too closely. Safe drivers make sure to leave a safe distance between their car and the other vehicles on the road. This enables them to deal with unexpected situations. You are needed to leave at least two seconds distance between your car and the one ahead and even more in poor driving conditions.

·      Lateral position

Safe drivers choose the safest lanes, follow safe and legal paths while making turns and stay entirely within their lane. They maintain a safe distance between their car and other cars on the road, including parked vehicles. Make sure to choose the best route during your test and keep your vehicle within its lane.

·      Stop position

When asked to stop the car on the road at different points, such as traffic lights, stop signs, and crossings, stop the vehicle at the correct position. Safe drivers stop their vehicles close to (but not over) the stop line. This ensures the safety of other road users and provides the drivers with the leverage of detecting potential hazards and moving to keep a safe gap from others.

·      Parking

Most Drive Tests require the learner to pass a parking test as well. This is done to test the learner's ability to control the car at a slow speed. You must show that you can signal correctly, sense potential hazards behind your vehicle, and completely park your vehicle efficiently and securely. Park the car near the kerb and maintain a safe distance from the car in front.

·      Three-point turn

If there is no chance for reverse parking, the learner may be asked to do a three-point turn. You must demonstrate that you detect potential hazards before and while making a three-point turn. The learners can use the driveway while making a turn, but they must not use any private property. Hitting or mounting the kerb is not allowed. Ensure to use the indicators correctly and move to the right side of the road.

·      Control

Safe drivers are fully aware of their vehicle and road conditions and keep complete control over their vehicles. You must accelerate and stop your car smoothly at all points to showcase this. In the case of a manual vehicle, use the gears and clutch smoothly.

Serious errors while driving

The Drive Test is meant to test the driving skills of the learners. If the learners create an unsafe situation during the test, they can be penalized. The most severe penalty- where not only is your trial stopped immediately, but you are considered to fail as well is the one where you commit something that puts you or other road users at immediate risk of an injury or crash.

Immediate Termination Error occurs in the following conditions:

·       If you collide with another vehicle or mount the kerb

·       Go beyond the speed limit by 5km/h or more

·       Exceed the speed limit at any point for five seconds or more

·       Go beyond the specified speed limit in a school zone

·       Fail to give way, signal, or check to other vehicles on the road which may result in a collision

·       Stop in a dangerous position

·       Move the vehicle through a red traffic light or stop sign

·       Fail to obey a direction given by the testing officer or any member of the Victoria Police

·       Do anything that compels your testing officer to provide either verbal or physical command/assistance during the test

·       Do something that gives rise to an unsafe situation

A Critical Error occurs if you create an unsafe condition that does not come under the criterion for Immediate Termination Errors.

Following are the cases in which a critical error may be recorded:

·       Drive too slowly when the conditions favor speed

·       Fail to move when it’s safe to move

·       Fail to look for other road users when it’s required for safety

·       Fail to give a signal when needed (but this doesn’t require an evasive action from other road users)

·       Block a pedestrian’s way, but no pedestrian is affected

·       One wheel of your car mounts the kerb

·       Stall your vehicle

·       Slow and pause but fail to stop your vehicle completely at the stop sign (but this doesn’t cause harm to other road users or pedestrians)

·       Do something that’s potentially unsafe but doesn’t cause the risk of a collision.

In case of too many critical errors, you will be considered to fail the Drive Test.

After the test

After the test, your testing officer will provide you feedback at the VicRoads Customer Service Centre. You will be given your result and told whether you had passed the test or not. Also, any aspects that need improvement in your driving are mentioned.

If you fail the Drive Test, the feedback will help you improve before you appear for the test again in the future.

Note: You will most likely pass the test if you possess at least 120 hours of supervised driving experience under different conditions (including 20 hours of night driving).

Drive safe and save lives. Book your driving lessons now at English Driving School.