Taking and passing the road test is every new driver’s dream. Although your nerves may take over, the feeling of contentment when you receive good news after the test is so fulfilling. Following the examiner’s instructions and observing the traffic rules and road signs are some of the things you need to pass your driving test.
Sometimes things may go wrong and cause you to fail the driving test. Your tutors may have told you about the mistakes the Department of Motor Vehicles looks for as it grades each driver’s skills on the big day. Failing to follow the traffic rules and your instructor’s directions is the first step towards flopping the test.
That being said, let’s look at some of the causal reasons for your failed driving test and what you can do to get over it:
1. Not Fastening Your Seatbelt
This is probably the first mistake your examiner will notice before you set off for your test. Fastening your seatbelt should be the first thing you do when you sit behind the wheel, either as a passenger or driver.
Forgetting to fasten the seatbelt on the day of your road test, either due to anxiety, fear, or nervousness, might be the reason why you failed a driving test. automatic fail. Buckling up is a simple task but very fundamental to driving.
Before you start your car, make sure you’re well-positioned in your seat, and your seatbelt is fastened. Make it a norm to do this every time you enter the car, and this will be a habit that your subconscious will register. By the time you take your road test, fastening your seatbelt will no longer be an issue.
2. Poor Steering Control
Car steering depends on how well you can control the wheel and your vehicle, not where your hands are on the steering wheel. You can cross your arms on your driving test, but your examiner will not fail you unless you lose control of the vehicle.
If you lack full steering control, especially when negotiating a sharp corner, you’re likely to hit the curb. Steering too late or too early will make you lose control, and this will obviously fail you.
When steering, make sure you don’t let the wheel slide through your hands in order to recenter. Never take both hands off the wheel too. Always use the push-pull steering technique that you were taught to reduce any chances of failed steering control and automatic driving test fail.
3. Failing to Check Your Mirrors
The road test examiner is always very keen. They will keep an eye on the way you use your mirrors during the drive. How often are you checking the mirrors? You wouldn’t want to miss some points for failure to check your left side, right side, and rearview mirrors after every five to ten seconds.As important as your driving test is, so is checking your car mirrors consistently to update yourself of your surroundings.
Make sure you keep checking your mirrors every now and then – exaggerate it a little bit, so your examiner knows that you are keen and attentive to the road and the area around you. Also, remember to check your blind spots whenever you change lanes.
4. Waiting to the Examiner to Intervene
How prepared are you for your driving test? Many learners fail the test because their examiners have to keep intervening to prevent a crash or collision. They’ll keep making dangerous mistakes such as making a sudden left turn without considering oncoming motorists or making a wrong turn on a one-way street.
Your examiner will be forced to grab the wheel or tell you to pull over to the roadside or cancel the road test altogether. If this happens, it means your examiner saw a dangerous error, and an automatic fail is inevitable for you.
Only schedule a driving test when you are sure, confident, and ready. Your examiner will have confidence in your skills when he sees your determination and preparedness.
You cannot be reckless and expect some points from his side. They’ll not hesitate to cancel your road test and send you back to the DMV. Practice, practice, practice, and grow your skills before taking the driving test.
5. Performing Dangerous Maneuvers
The DMV driving test is conducted to evaluate the learner’s skills and make sure they’re safe drivers who understand the rules of the road. So if you perform a dangerous move on the road during your test, you are bound to fail. A dangerous maneuver will have your examiner mark it down, and at the end of it all, even if you did well on other things, you’ll get failed.
It all boils to one thing, being prepared for your test. In most cases, you may make a dangerous maneuver because you panicked or you never prepared well for your test. Remember, safety and attention to detail are very crucial aspects of motor vehicle operation. Only grab the wheel when you know you can keep yourself and those in your vehicle safe. Prevent any dangerous maneuvers and critical errors and be the safest driver there can be.
6. Car Failure
The worst thing that can occur to you on the day of your road test is for your vehicle to fail. You can use any vehicle for your test, but you must ensure that it abides with all the legal guidelines laid out for road use.
The brake lights, windshield, and headlights should be perfectly functional. It should be registered, insured, and up to date on emissions checks as well.
The Department of Motor Vehicles will not permit you to take the exam if your vehicle doesn’t meet these requirements. Any condition that will affect your vehicle’s legal operation will render you ineligible to take the road test. Do you know what this means? A disqualification or automatic fail!
Always conduct self-inspection on your vehicle prior to your driving test appointment. Take three days before your scheduled day to check the headlights, car mirrors, and brake lights to ascertain that they’re working properly.
How to Get Over a Failed Road Test
The good thing about failing the driving test is that the DMV will give you many chances to retake the test. Driving is not easy, and it is normal to fail the test – once or twice before finally nailing it.
1. Remember, it’s Normal
No one is born a driver, so it’s normal to fail the road test once or twice. There’s a lot to master while learning to drive. You must learn how to hold and control the wheel, apply brakes or accelerate, how to parallel park, and so on.
Acquiring driving skills is one thing and applying them practically on the road is another. It requires a lot of patience and determination to become a skilled, safe driver. So don’t beat yourself up; you’ll get there soon enough.
2. Let it Out
Many times we keep our disappointments to ourselves and feel embarrassed. But you should know that failure is a common thing to many. Everyone fails at something in their lives. It can be an audition, business, a job interview, name them.
Although it is devastating, it will help take your burden off if you talk it out with someone – a friend or group who shares experiences and supports people. From here, you’ll understand that you’re not alone and it’s okay to fail.
3. Keep Driving
Never stop driving because you lost your confidence after a failed road test. Your failure should be the driving force behind your urge to drive and become better at it. So pick up your pieces alongside an instructor and head back to the roads to rebuild that confidence.
Consider your fail as practice and learn from your mistakes. You are lucky because you can revisit your flaws and correct them during practice. Since you already know what to expect during the test.,so use it to prepare well for the next test.
4. Schedule another Road Test
After much practice and skill mastering, you should consider scheduling another driving test. Of course, your instructor will help you determine if you’re ready for your next go. By now, you should be well prepared to take the plunge. After revising your errors and failures, you’ll be able to correct and perfect them for when you hit the road again. So go for it.
Final Thoughts
Everyone gets nervous on their day of the road test, and you aren’t an exception. It dawns on you when you watch your examiner enter the vehicle and order you to drive while noting down some points. The pressure can be overwhelming.
Understanding why you failed a driving test can help you become a more skilled, safer driver. Please note these mistakes and avoid them to be in a better position to pass the road test. Remember, if for some reason you failed the first test, it means you need to polish your skills some more.